Social Conservatives for Rudy? (RudyRoots.org)

In the months leading up to the 2006 midterm elections, as pundits and bloggers looked forward to the '08 presidential election, there was almost a universal sense of conventional wisdom that John McCain was the plainly recognized frontrunner, whereas Rudy Giuliani's stature as a contender would immediately plummet "once those conservatives found out about those liberal social views of Rudy's."

Then, during the summer of 2006, the mainstream media and beltway thinkers had their proof. A serious political action organization was formed by a group of hardcore social conservatives, dedicated to tearing down any chance of Rudy's at grabbing the presidential nomination. The organization, called SayNoToRudy.org, took great pains to point out every seemingly liberal aspect of Giuliani's record, digging up all sorts of quotes and facts, circulating petitions amongst fellow conservatives to discourage Rudy from seeking the nomination, and even making preparations to air anti-Rudy television and radio ads in key primary states.

In the few weeks before the November 7 election, the site seemed to go stagnant and stale. Website updates all but halted, staff members could not be reached for comment, and the group's activities came to an apparent standstill. Then, the unthinkable happened. Two days before the midterm election, on November 5, the entire site was erased, replaced by an intriguing press release. The announcement explained, in humbled and quieted (and in a tone that sounded almost shell-shocked) terms, that several of the top staff of the site had had what might be called a "Road to Damascus" experience.

The group's press release explained how, during the deep search some of the group's top members had undertaken in trying to dig up every ounce of mud and every skeleton in Rudy Giuliani's closet, they had gotten a clearer picture of the former NYC Mayor than they had perhaps wanted. As the webpage stated in plain terms, the top leaders of the socially conservative group had lost their disdain for Rudy, and, in fact, now endorse Rudy for President in 2008.

Deroy Murdock, a columnist and editor of the National Review, spoke with Attorney Steve Giudicci, leader of the now-defunct Say No To Rudy, where the former Rudy foe explained that his indepth study of Rudy's record, facilitated by books like "Prince of the City" (Fred Siegel), had forced his views on Giuliani to do a 180. "Giudicci," Murdock writes, "saw Giuliani speak at a New Hampshire campaign stop on November 3 and was sold."

It was perhaps one of the most overlooked stories of the early 2008 presidential election season, smothered by coverage of the present midterm election that rocked the halls of American power. Yet, this little story may bode incredibly well for Rudy's future presidential campaign.

Just a month and a half later, a new website appeared, this time called RudyRoots.org, founded by many of these same social conservatives, who now found themselves promoting the man they had, just a few months ago, despised.

The newly founded and well researched RudyRoots.org details Rudy's healthy upbringing that gave him a deep respect for traditional GOP values, Rudy's serious spirituality and the role of Christian faith in his life, and his record as the number three guy in Reagan's DoJ and his record as NYC Mayor, which leads the new website to don Mr. Giuliani "America's Most Accomplished Conservative" since Ronald Reagan. Socially conservative Rudy supporters on the RudyRoots' Message Board fawn over the former Mayor, saying his personal views on abortion won't affect his Presidency because of Rudy's unwavering support for strict constructionist judges with strong conservative backgrounds, a la Roberts, Alito, and Scalia, and pointing out that the statement that Rudy is pro-gay marriage is an outright lie (Rudy is actually strongly in support of traditional marriage).

And now that John McCain's power against Democrats like John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton in general election matchup polls seems to be falling, leaves many conservative primary voters wondering, "Why are we considering supporting McCain now?" John McCain's alienation of conservatives in the past decade, now coupled with the decline of the one thing McCain had going for him (his electoral power) seems to leave the mantle of frontrunner to only one other person--Rudy Giuliani, who leads for the Republican nomination in virtually every single recent poll.

This is now being echoed by even conventional wisdom pundits, like Beltway Boy Fred Barnes, who, over this weekend, stated that he thought it was actually Rudy Giuliani who had the bigger advantage with conservaties than John McCain. Could it be--could it truly be--that Rudy Giuliani, with his strong conservative record of executive leadership, and his unwavering support of strict constructionist judges to neutralize his personal views on abortion and gun control, along with his unrivaled poll numbers, is actually the socially conservative Republicans' greatest hope for 2008? Many are now coming to believe so.

Rudy would be the perfect conservative candidate, if it were not for almost all of his policies...

Rudy Guiliani has marched in lockstep with liberals on affirmative action, gay rights, gay marriage, gun control, school prayer, tuition tax credits, liberal immigration policies, and he's reinforced it, time and time again. Just about everytime Rudy opens his mouth, offensive liberal words come pouring out. As Mayor, Rudy put liberals in high-paid city jobs, an indication what a Rudy WH would look like. Here then is Rudy in his own words:

--The New York State Liberal Party on its endorsement of Rudy Giuliani for Mayor: "When the Liberal Party Policy Committee reviewed a list of key social issues of deep concern to progressive New Yorkers, we found that Rudy Giuliani agreed with the Liberal Party's stance on a majority of such issues. He agreed with the Liberal Party's views on affirmative action, gay rights, gun control, school prayer and tuition tax credits. As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani would uphold the Constitutional and legal rights to abortion." N.Y.S. Liberal Party Endorsement Statement of Candidate Giuliani for Mayor of New York City April 8, 1989

--On the Republican Party: "Mr. Rockefeller represented 'a tradition in the Republican Party' I've worked hard to re-kindle - the Rockefeller, Javits, Lefkowitz tradition." Rudy Giuliani told the New York Times July 9, 1992

--Village Voice Interview with Guiliani: He was asked: "What kind of Republican Is [Giuliani]? A Reagan Republican?" Giuliani pauses before answering: "I'm a Republican." Village Voice January 24, 1989

--On Attending 1996 Republican Convention: Rudy expressed his pleasure when he wasn't invited to the Republican National Convention in San Diego. "If I take three or four days off from city business, I want to do it for a substantive purpose. It didn't seem to me any substantive purpose could be served by going to the Republican convention." said Rudy. Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Page 459, by Wayne Barrett

--On Barry Goldwater: Giuliani described John Kennedy as "great and brilliant. Barry Goldwater as an "incompetent, confused and sometimes idiotic man." New York Daily News, May 13, 1997

--On President Bill Clinton: Shortly before his last-minute endorsement of Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, Giuliani told the Post's Jack Newfield that "most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

--The Daily News quoted Giuliani as saying March 1996: "Whether you talk about President Clinon, Senator Dole.... The country would be in very good hands in the hands of any of that group." An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

--Revealing at one point that he was "open" to the idea of endorsing Clinton, Rudy said: "When I ran for mayor both times, '89 and '93, I promised people that I would be, if not bipartisan, at least open to the possibility of supporting Democrats." Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett, Page 459

---Rudy Giuliani Endorses Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo October 1994: "From my point of view as the mayor of New York City, the question that I have to ask is, ˜Who has the best chance in the next four years of successfully fighting for our interest? Who understands them, and who will make the best case for it?' Our future, our destiny is not a matter of chance. It's a matter of choice. My choice is Mario Cuomo." Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City book by Andrew Kirtzman, Page 133

--Reaction to Giuliani Endorsement of Cuomo: "Once again, Rudolph Giuliani has demonstrated that liberalism is the foundation of his political philosophy. While Giuliani sold a bill of goods to trusting Republicans and Reagan Democrats that he had abandoned his roots as a McGovern Democrat, in his endorsement of Mario Cuomo, Mr. Liberal himself, he has shown his true colors. Giuliani's argument that Cuomo will be better for the city has a hollow ring to it. Perhaps Rudy wants a governor who will sign over a blank check to constantly bail out the city from its fiscal problems. Giuliani knows, as do all New Yorkers, that Cuomo's liberal policies have been an economic disaster for our city and state." "But Rudy doesn't care. He has proven he will do anything to stop the election of a conservative Republican - but he won't succeed." Michael Long, Chairman N.Y.S. Conservative Party Press Statement, October 25, 1994

--"[Quite] frankly, you have to understand the fact that Rudy Giuliani was a McGovern Democrat, he was endorsed by the Liberal Party when he ran for Mayor. In his heart, he's a Democrat. He's paraded all over this country with Bill Clinton and, in fact, he's very comfortable with Mario Cuomo. But what Rudy Giuliani wants is to be bailed out in the city, in the mess he's in, and everybody understands very clearly in politics that they struck a deal, that Mario's going to continue to be the big spender, save Rudy the options of raising taxes by pouring money statewide into the City of New York and bailing it out. Quite frankly, I predict that he will join the Democratic Party." Interview with Michael Long, Chairman N.Y.S. Conservative Party, CNN Crossfire, October 25, 1994

--On Gay Domestic-Partner Rights: "National Republicans can lump it if they don't like his new domestic-partners bill, "Mayor Giuliani said yesterday. "I really haven't thought about what the impact is on Republican politics or national politics or Democratic politics," Giuliani said. The bill he submitted to the City Council would extend the benefits city agencies must grant to gay and lesbian couples. "I'm proud of it," Giuliani said of the bill. "I think it puts New York City ahead of other places in the country." New York Daily News, May 13, 1998

--On Gay-Rights/Gay Rights Bill: Giuliani favors extended civil-rights protection for gays and lesbians. Giuliani urged, by letter, to the New York Senate Majority Leader to pass the state's first ever gay rights bill, but did it privately. "I am writing to convey my support for the current legislation to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians, and to urge you to allow the bill onto the floor of the Senate for prompt action." ".......It is my belief that we can penalize discrimination [against gays] without creating any potentially objectionable special privileges or preferential treatment." New York Post, June 5, 1993

--Now Rudy Giuliani has jumped on the bandwagon, pressing the state Republican Party to release a gay-rights bill to the Senate floor for a vote. Marching in Sunday's [Gay Pride] parade, he has enlisted in the struggle to destroy the family. What a perfectly abominable springboard to seek high political office. Ray Kerrison New York Post, June 30, 1993

--Giuliani said homosexuality is "good and normal." quoting Ray Kerrison New York Post, July 7, 1989

--On Gay Domestic Partnership: "I have no objection to the concept of domestic partnership," said Rudy Giuliani on Informed Sources New York T.V. Show (PBS), May, 1992

--On Abortion: Leaflets distributed by the Giuliani campaign .... said that he opposes restrictions to Federal Medicaid financing for abortions and opposes the Hyde Amendment, which is intended to deny support for that financing. New York Times, June 18, 1993.

--Rudy Guiliani on abortion: "I'd give my daughter the money for it [an abortion]."

--"I never called for the overturning of Roe vs. Wade." Rudy Giuliani, New York Newsday, September 1, 1989

--As mayor, Rudy Giuliani will uphold a woman's right of choice to have an abortion. Giuliani will fund all city programs which provide abortions to insure that no woman is deprived of her right due to an inability to pay. He will oppose reductions in state funding. He will oppose making abortion illegal. New York Times, August 4, 1989

--On Partial Birth Abortion: Mr. Giuliani has said that New York State law should not be changed to outlaw the procedure. New York Times, January 7, 1998

--On School Choice: "He doesn't support tuition tax credits and vouchers." Sandra Feldman, President of N.Y.C. Teacher's Union, 1993

--On Taxes: [Giuliani] says ruling out a tax increase is "political pandering." Newsday, August 31, 1989

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