Rudy & the Social Right ( a corner post by Andy McCarthy)

I don't mean to say that I don't care about abortion because I do, but I recognize that it's currently being duked out in the SCOTUS, and that we have indirect control over that venue at best.

My point is that Rudy may be our strongest at the moment, but that doesn't make him our best. My "single issue" if I were to have one would be the second amendment, and there isn't a person in the race who looks worse on that front than Rudy. Even Clinton isn't quite as bad because while no one believes she would support individual gun rights, at least she's never sued gun companies for doing something perfectly legal, and Rudy has.

The fact is, Howard Dean was the Democrat's strongest candidate early on in the last election at he famously flamed out. I think Rudy will do the same when it's clear that he's too much hawk to get the support of the far left in the general election in spite of his policies, and too far left to get the support of the social conservative base in the primary because of them.

But please take not of my question in post number 138...If Rudy were to decide to jump ship and run as a Democrat, would you still support him?

It's a fair question assuming you support the ideas as well as the man.

Let us not be so hasty to abandon those who espouse their most conservative and even religious ideals, someone has to be at the end of the spectrum to provide balance, and to remind us that often what we are fighting for is something we had not so long ago.

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Pure poetry.

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Excellent observations.

If Rudy ran as a Democrat and Pat Buchanan was the GOP nominee, maybe. But I don’t foresee that scenario. I vote GOP, and that's pretty much it.

I have said over and over again that I will support the GOP candidate whose views I most agree with, who can win. I don't expect perfection and absolutes.

I can assure you, if Fred Thompson gets into this, the press will have a field day, what with his very young wife, who looks young enough to be his daughter.

Whatever happens, I have great respect for Rudy. He's proved himself to be a fine man, an effective leader, and a pugnacious fighter for what he believes. He's real, and I like that. He's one of the few pols who will tell a terrorist to go to hell to his face (Arafat).

My conclusion is it’s just too early. Rudy is leading because he’s sprinting down the track, but the starting gun hasn’t even gone off yet.

Interesting thread and reminiscent of the 1999 kick off season to the GOP primaries.

Question?....... When in your opinion does the gun go off?

IMO, it occurred sometime ago when the candidates begin putting organizations together, developing nationwide contacts, securing the financial supporters and laying major groundwork for their campaign. I think anyone that hasn’t taken those steps has fallen far behind and shows lack of foresight and planning. In todays environment with some possible 28 states having primaries on or by Feb. 5, 08 I can’t see anyone getting in that hasn’t made the necessary preparation prior to now. I guess it’s possible if one concludes that all the top three will crater.

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