WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Would it be a good day for America if Roe v. Wade were repealed? "Yes," Absolutely," "Most certainly" -- these are the type of emphatic answers given by 9 out of 10 of the GOP presidential candidates.

But when it came time for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to answer, he said, "It would be okay to repeal," then adding, "It would be okay also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as a precedent."

This is a decision for the Supreme Court to decide, he explained, and "Then the country can deal with it. We're a federalist system of government and states can make their own decisions."

Moments later, the Giuliani campaign issued this press release detailing the mayor's positions on abortion, including the fact that he opposes it, but that the "law has to permit people to make that choice, we can’t make that choice for them."

When asked to clarify his position later on in the debate, he said "I hate abortion" and encourage adoption, but "I would respect a women's right to make a different choice."