Readers of this blog may have pieced together the fact that i am no fan of Giuliani. But then i read this:

Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond Burke, who made headlines last presidential season by saying he'd refuse Holy Communion to John Kerry, has his eye on Rudy Giuliani this year. Giuliani's response: "Archbishops have a right to their opinion."

Burke, the archbishop of St. Louis, was asked if he would deny Communion to Giuliani or any other presidential candidate who supports abortion rights.

Asked if the same would apply to politicians who support the death penalty or pre-emptive war, he said, "It's a little more complicated in that case."

No, it's not any more complicated, you hypocrite. Either you follow your church's beliefs or you don't. Why does one belief, which is not even mentioned in your bible, get more weight than Thou Shalt Not Kill and turn the other cheek?

But i liked Giuliani's response:

"Archbishops have a right to their opinion, you know. There's freedom of religion in this country. There's no established religion, and archbishops have a right to their opinion. Everybody has a right to their opinion."

And later in the article:

As for Giuliani, when a voter in Iowa asked him in August if he was a "traditional, practicing Roman Catholic," he said: "My religious affiliation, my religious practices and the degree to which I am a good or not-so-good Catholic, I prefer to leave to the priests."

Also:

"But I think in a democracy and in a government like ours, my religion is my way of looking at God, and other people have other ways of doing it, and some people don't believe in God. I think that's unfortunate. I think their life would be a lot fuller if they did, but they have that right."

That last line isn't what i'd love to hear, but it's a far cry from George Bush I's "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God".

Giuliani may wind up being a fascist dictator, but at least he won't be a religious zealot. And he's more direct about it than the Democratic candidates, who blather on about their "faith" to an audience that now and always will considers them to be godless heathens regardless of what they say or do.