Pat Robertson endorses Giuliani's presidential bid

Robertson's endorsement came one day after another prominent social conservative, Paul Weyrich, endorsed Giuliani rival Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a social conservative who ended his own GOP presidential bid earlier this fall, today endorsed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Taken together, the endorsements suggest that abortion may not prove to be a top-tier issue in the wide-open Republican race -- and that top evangelical figures will divide their support among multiple contenders.

Social conservatives also demonstrated a willingness to eschew longtime abortion opponents such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson in favor of candidates who either support abortion rights (Giuliani) or are converts to the antiabortion side (Romney).

Robertson said national security and concerns about federal spending should be top priorities. "To me, the overriding issue before the American people is the defense of our population from the blood lust of Islamic terrorists," he said. "Our second goal should be the control of massive government waste and crushing federal deficits."

Giuliani, appearing with Robertson at the National Press Club, said: "His confidence in me means a lot. His experience and advice will be a great asset to me and my campaign."

Both Giuliani and Romney had aggressively sought Robertson's backing, with phone calls and appearances at Regent University, an evangelical Christian institution founded by Robertson. Robertson had leaned in Giuliani's direction since the former mayor's Regent speech, telling his Christian Broadcasting Network that Giuliani had been "a smash."

The two men said they had become friends when they traveled together to Israel a few years ago. Aides suggested that Theodore Olson, a former solicitor general in the Bush administration who is a leading conservative legal figure, was instrumental in facilitating the endorsement. Olson is an advisor to Giuliani's campaign, and he introduced Robertson at a press conference called this morning in Washington to announce the endorsement.