This pretty much takes care of Rudy’s GOP chances. The right-wing Republican leaders, including like Pat Robertson, James Dobson and Wayne LaPierre from the NRA, will never, ever let Rudy lead their Republican party. And Rudy may not like it, but that’s who does control the Republican Party:

Rudolph W. Giuliani sharpened his liberal credentials before a conservative crowd in Houston today, as he worked to present a more consistent platform on the campaign trail.

At an appearance at Houston Baptist University, Mr. Giuliani said that he favors abortion rights, certain restrictions on gun ownership and gay rights — he is for civil unions, he said, although not for marriage between people of the same sex.

During last week’s debate among Republicans vying for their party’s 2008 presidential nomination, the former New York City mayor was criticized for his halting and apparently contradictory responses to questions about his views on abortion rights. Critics have said that he is trying to run from a record that is much more liberal than the views of the Republican Party’s core voters on the issue.