EVEN WITH GIULIANI PROTECTING A PRIEST-PREDATOR, WILL THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DUMP HIM BECAUSE OF HIS PRO-CHOICE STAND?

Last week we looked at one of Giuliani's closest associates, Alan Placa, another priest who has been a little too close to some of his youngest and most vulnerable male parishioners. But it's starting to look like the Catholic Church may not stand by Giuliani as strongly as he stands by their pervert priests. Today's NY Times say Roman Catholic Church, Inc is frustrated with him.

One American bishop, Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, R.I., recently wrote a caustic column for his Catholic newspaper calling Mr. Giuliani’s position “pathetic,” “confusing” and “hypocritical.” Other bishops said that they would not criticize a candidate by name but would not hesitate to declare Mr. Giuliani’s stance contrary to Catholic teaching.

Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark said: “I think he’s being illogical, as are all of those who take the stand that ‘I’m personally opposed to abortion but this is my public responsibility to permit it.’ To violate human life is always and everywhere wrong. In fact, we don’t think it’s a matter of church teaching, but a matter of the way God made the world, and it applies to everyone.”

Not too many people Giuliani, generally believed to be a power-mad dog with no sense of morality whatsoever cares what a bunch of bishops thinks-- except insofar as it hurts his already absurd imagine. "Communion may be a moot point for Mr. Giuliani, who was seen leaving Mass at a church in Washington before the Eucharist. Some church officials said it might be that Mr. Giuliani refrains from taking communion because he had married a third time without receiving a church annulment for his second marriage. A Giuliani spokeswoman, Maria Comella, confirmed that Mr. Giuliani had his first marriage annulled, but not his second."

It is widely expected that the hierarchy of the Church will rally round whatever Republican is their party's candidate. It's one thing to chastise John Kerry for being pro-choice, but when it comes to a Republican, they are likely to grumble but most unlikely to tell parishioners they will go to hell if they vote for him.

And for a putative front runner, there's even worse news: voters prefer non-candidate, lobbyist/actor Fred Thompson-- who though know far less about than the 10 stooges now running for the GOP nod. Of course, it could be worse. He could be poor old John McCain, whose camapign is falling apart and about whom the speculation is when, not if, he will drop out of the race entirely. The speculation is "sweeping Republican circles after a disastrous few weeks" according to London's Sunday Times. "The former presidential front-runner, John McCain, may drop out of the 2008 race by September if his fundraising dries up and his poll ratings continue to drop, according to Republican insiders."

Dan Schnur, McCain’s communications director during the 2000 presidential campaign, said it was “possible” that he could drop out: “There are all sorts of challenges McCain is facing, from fundraising to Fred Thompson and the Iraq war, but the biggest single boulder in his path is the immigration issue.”

One veteran Republican consultant put the odds of McCain remaining in the race beyond the autumn at 3-1 against. “He’ll be gone by September,” predicted Tom Edmonds, who is not affiliated with any campaign.

“The wheels are coming off his wagon and it’s hard to see how he can recover. He won’t be able to pay all the good talent he has hired and they’ll want to drift away from a loser.”

UPDATE: ON THE BRIGHT SIDE...

The most despised of all GOP harridans has denounced Giuliani, snarkily attacking his transvestitism and the fact that one of his wives was a dramatic performer. And her pick: the bribetaking Republicrook from the San Diego suburbs.