WASHINGTON, DC--It has been suggested by some pun-dits and conservative activists that the Pro-Life Movement can be convinced to accept a pro-abortion or very weak "pro-life" nominee for President if necessary to retain the White House in 2008. Names that have been put forth in-clude Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Senator John McCain of Arizona.

On one occasion Rice said she was a "pro-choice evan-gelical" (quite the oxymoron). She has also described her position as "mildly pro-choice" and "reluctantly pro-choice."

Giuliani is an avid supporter of Roe v. Wade. He even sup-ports partial-birth abortion.

Writing in the Chicago Sun-Times, Robert Novak called McCain "pro-life on abortion." Yet McCain supports em-bryonic stem cell experimentation. Novak also wrote that Giuliani and McCain are "out of touch with mainstream Republicans," as is California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Douglas R. Scott, president of Life Decisions International (LDI), said he does not believe Rice will run for President, but McCain and Giuliani are almost sure bets to enter the race. "Both men will argue that they are loyal Republicans and proved it when the party needed them most [by active-ly campaigning for Bush] and they will expect the same in return," Scott said. "But my religion does not call on me to be a loyal Republican; it calls on me to be loyal to policy that is God-honoring. Supporting a candidate who does not vociferously uphold the right to life would never be God-honoring."

"While Rudy Giuliani would be a disaster for the Pro-Life Movement in the Republican Party, McCain would give us little more than lip service," Scott said. "Despite a gen-erally good voting record in the Senate, it is obvious that abortion is not an issue McCain really cares about and this would be reflected in his nominations, appointments, Executive actions and inactions."

Scott said word must go out loudly and clearly that, "Vot-ers who care about moral issues will stay home if they do not have a candidate they can enthusiastically support in 2008. Any person who claims to care about human beings killed in the womb while supporting a candidate who is bad on the issue is no friend of preborn children. Rather, he would be little more than a pawn of the pro-abortion crowd and lose all credibility."

Scott said there are no circumstances that would convince true pro-life advocates to abandon their convictions for the sake of winning an election. "It's not the winning that counts," he said, "it's what we are fighting for and what is won. Under the circumstances, the Pro-Life Movement would never--absolutely never--support Rice, Giuliani, McCain, or anyone like them. We cannot afford to do so in the short-run or the long-run."