Posted on 12/17/2006 6:21:30 PM PST by Ohio So-Con
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.
Period.
At least he knows what side to be on in the war on terror. If we don't win, any social issues don't mean a hill of beans.
So, you admit there is nothing socially conservative about Rudy - thus consigning the main point of your article (that social conservatives can trust Rudy) to be a load of crap.
Nice try, flak.
Well, if I may say so, the problem is that there aren't an awful lot of Republican candidates out there. If it's a choice between Giuliani and McCain, I'll take Giuliani by a long shot. I think most Freepers would agree with that.
I'd love to see a strong, truly conservative, electable candidate emerge from the process. But I haven't seen any sign of it yet.
I wouldn't touch McCain with a ten foot pole.
My bad - mixed you up with Ohio So-Con. Apologies...
One of my local congressmen , Duncan Hunter is my guy.
If Rudy nominated, better him than the dem who will surrender us on the war on terror and all your social issues won't make any difference.
If you want a Democrat, that is your problem
I wonder if he has picked out a gown for his inaugural yet??
Actually, I could hold my nose and vote for McCain,
I could not vote for Rudy, period.
OK
Please continue to post that info and those quotes on these many pro-Rudy threads,,,,that several 'Rudy-apologists' keep posting on FR.
If Rudy wants to advertise here, he should pay for it.
The person most culpable for 9/11 was Slick. Rudy showed his core liberal leanings again when he provided badly-needed 'political cover' for Slick by DEFENDING him after the Chris Wallace interview meltdown by saying that (and I am paraphrasing here since I don't remember the exact quote), "Bill Clinton did all that he could do". That comment helped take public heat off of Slick for not capturing OBL—when Slick was offered him three times. It was GREAT political cover, and I’m sure it made big points with the far left. I’m sure that he got a standing ovation at the KOS and every other liberal blog, talkshow, or TV show.
So “Slick did all that he could do”? Oh really, Rudy? Does that include Slick’s building of the Gorelick Wall? Does that include grossly underfunding our military? Does that include grossly underfunding our intelligence agencies with the ‘balanced budget’ that Slick so proudy took credit for? Does that include his minimal responses to numerous terrorist attacks on the US during the Slick years? Does that include Slick’s refusal to accept OBL when Sudan offered him to us? Does that include Slick’s unwillingness to ‘take out’ OBL when we had him in our sights (according the book from his mil aide, Buzz Patterson)? So “Slick did all that he could do”? Yep, he got WILD CHEERS from the far, liberal left for that one!!
Rudy’s comments, in itself, also makes the very case against a 'one trick pony' like Rudy--since he is, in effect, minimizing and trivializing number one reason for his own election! Thanks again, Rudy. But then again, why should that surprise anyone since he once said that’s Slick’s policies weren’t all that different than his (paraphrasing again). Yep, that will sure energize the base.
Combine Rudy’s comments with the incredible growth in government surveillance activities from the Patriot Act, ECHELON, CARNIVORE and who knows what else--along with the removal of the Gorelick Wall (thanks, again Slick), and the new gigantic government bureaucracy, with tens of thousands of new government employees (aka the Homeland Security Dept), and the blank check to our intelligence agencies--and you see that Pres Bush had put up a formidable line of defense that any future President can ride on for a long, long, long time.
We don't need a one-issue candidate like Rudy--when his abortion, gun control, pro-gay, pro-amnesty, big govt leanings (not to mention minor issues, like the 'train wreck'--aka his personal life) make him totally unacceptable to the core conservative base.
Ummm...huh?
That isn't exactly an obvious strategic move one makes to get elected mayor of NYC.
The poster of this article registered today.
No responses from the original poster.
No http:// link to the source article/site.
I think it is pretty clear the poster is just a troll who wants to put up an article that can be searched so Lexis/Nexis will turn up a hit on Rudy as a conservative.
ALL: Is this complaint worthy?
FR should be aware we are now a target for viral advertising.
That is too cool BTW!
Rudy had to run as a Republican because he was too law and order for the Democrats. They would not let him in.
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