Posted on 01/20/2004 2:34:08 PM PST by presidio9
Linn County Republicans last night seemed to be looking at political goals for the near and distant future. The near future is re-electing President Bush in November. But then Rep. Jim Leach, introducing former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the Linn County Republican caucus, planted the seed that Giuliani would make a good presidential candidate in 2008.
Giuliani responded to the standing ovation by several hundred people at Veterans Memorial Coliseum by saying he was overwhelmed to be there.
"There are more Republicans in this room than in all of New York City," he joked.
If Giuliani has presidential aspirations, he ignored them last night to beat the drum loudly for the Bush-Cheney ticket in November.
Recalling the deadly 9/11 terrorist attack on New York City while he was mayor, Giuliani said he told his police commissioner, "Thank God George Bush is the president of the United States. I knew him to be a man of character. I knew him to be a man of determination who was not going to be swayed. He stood up and said he was going to confront terrorism . . . to prevent it from happening again."
Giuliani said Bush's post-9/11 actions shine even more in light of the fact that Bush had only been in office about nine months when the attack happened.
Giuliani said all the Democratic candidates for president wanted to set the clock back before 9/11 and negotiate, including leaving Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq.
"We believe the world is safer now than it was then" because of Bush's handling of the crisis, Giuliani said.
He also praised Bush's economic policies, saying the economy is rebounding because Bush cut taxes and government control over the private sector.
"The Democrats want to raise taxes again and interrupt the recovery -- one of the strongest we've seen in the last 20 years. Does that make any sense?" Giuliani asked.
"Republicans consistently believe in people. The Democrats believe in government. We would be the party to say we would trust people more (than government)," he said.
The last election was close, and Giuliani said Republicans will fight as if this one will also be tight. He asked Iowa Republicans to work hard to ensure the 4,000-vote margin in the last election reverses and favors the GOP this time.
Cris Tanner, 46, of Marion, said Giuliani's comments inspired her to work harder to spread the word about Bush's good record to people who are undecided.
She also liked the idea of having Giuliani run for president in 2008.
"He'd have my vote," she said. "I think he would carry on and pick up where President Bush would leave off."
Joshua McKenzie, 19, a Kirkwood Community College student attending his first caucus, was similarly inspired, particularly by Giuliani's reminders about Bush's handling of terrorism and the economy.
Actually, Rudy's track record indicates that he would favor much tighter gun restrictions. Than Bush. That being said, this thread is about the merits of Rudy Guiliani as a Presidential candidate. Your own immature opinions on the job that President Bush is doing are not really relevant here.
Good God is not using the Lord's name in vain either, it's a true prayer. God help us should be wind up with a pro-death, gun grabbing statist like Rudy.
Everything is personalities and symbolism how. Idiots think he walks on water because he handled the aftermath of 911 well (which to his credit he did).
He'd be a nightmare as president though.
Just what we need, a "Jim Leach Republican" in the White House. Gays, abortion and gun control, what a platform!
FYI, there are several good conservative candidates (Benson, Sanford, Owens, Frist, Allen, Pawlenty, Nickles, even Frenchy-loving McCain wannabe Chuck Hagel), no need to settle for a liberal.
Don't fret, I'm not an evil Libertarian.
If Rudy does not run in 2008, trust me, somebody else will win. In fact, even if he does run in 2008, somebody else will win.
tkathy, you come on all the Rudy threads with this tiresome rant, with never once addressing the other excellent conservative candidates who are lining up to run in 2008.
You're either an idiot, if you really think no other Republican could win the presidency, or you're just BS-ing.
Either way, cut it out.
Can I get a Rick Santorum please?
Amen.
Enjoy "your" thread.
Enjoy "your" thread.
Anything that makes you feel better about taking your one-track agenda elsewhere is OK by me.
On the plus side, Maybe Rudy will do such a good job cleaning up Mexico city that immigration will become less of a concern.
I like him, I just don't see him running. I generally discount senators as candidates, too, except the exceptions (Frist and the senator from France). Maybe VP.
I will add J.C. Watts, though Gov. of Oklahoma in 2006 is more likely. Now HE would be a good VP pick.
"Thank God George Bush is the president of the United States. I knew him to be a man of character. I knew him to be a man of determination who was not going to be swayed. He stood up and said he was going to confront terrorism . . . to prevent it from happening again."
make me like him much more. He campaigned for lots of GOPers around the country in '02. Senator or Governor from NY? Hell yes. President, reluctantly, no.
I would bolt the the Party. And, it is true they would not miss me, singularly. But, they woulld miss the scores of other pro-life conservatives that leave with me.
Political pragmatists continue to debate within the party when it is that they will try to throw the Pro-life movement overboard. One of the big theories used, of course, is "where will they go."
For many of us, the abortion issue is a no compromise issue. We go third party or we stay home.
Listen, I have run as a republican in two elections. I enjoyed the endorsement of my President in the last one. But I will not support a pro-abortion President or VP. It is not going to happen.
I like Rudy, Ithink he did a great job as Mayor, and I thought he did a great job BEFORE 9/11. But accepting a pro-abortion Republican as mayor of an ultra liberal City is easy. That does not make him Presidential timber.
Dean has a panic attack when he finds out he's the Governor. Rudy takes charge and leads from the trenches when the city is attacked.
Rudy is stable as they come. What he is though is pedantic, arrogant and convinced that any decision he makes or position he takes is the right one.
The old Rudy has simmered and aged since 9.11, his open divorce, his cancer and his elevation to the sidelines of the national stage.
I do not think though that he will ever successfully run for POTUS. He's too polarizing, too ethnic, too liberal.
He hedged on the senate race in 06 this morning on Gambling's show. He said doing whatever he can to get Bush re-elected is his primary job.
Anyone who thinks Bush will shed Cheney pre-election is either just not paying attention or engaging in idle speculation of the wishful thinking variety. Far more likely is a late 2005 or post SOTU 2006 resignation by Cheney for unspecified health reasons.
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