CNN

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) - It took just minutes for Rudy Giuliani's lightning-charged answer on abortion to make YouTube.

Lightning from a thunderstorm over Manchester appeared to have interfered with Giuliani's audio as he answered a question on the criticism of a Rhode Island bishop over his abortion position.

As other candidates backed away in jest, Giuliani said to laughter: "I guess I'm here by myself. Look, for someone who went to parochial schools all his life, this is a very frightening thing that's happening right now."

Giuliani then said, "But the reality is I respect, you know, the opinion of Catholic leaders and religious leaders of all kinds.

"Religion is very important to me. It's a very important part of my life." But, ultimately, as (someone who has been) in public life most of my life and taken oaths of office to enforce the law, I've got to make the decisions that I think are the right ones in a country like ours. And my view on abortion is that it's wrong, but that ultimately government should not be enforcing that decision on a woman."

–CNN Political Desk Managing Editor Steve Brusk