Posted on 07/30/2005 5:55:36 AM PDT by Uncledave
With Gipper's game plan, Rudy can win it all
July 30, 2005
BY THOMAS ROESER Advertisement
As I write this I know my fellow social conservatives will get mad: There is no one in either political party who would be a more exciting candidate for president than Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City. I'll tell you his story -- the good and the bad -- and I'll tell you how he can solve his problems with you. And me. Incidentally, as you read, keep in mind the contrast with Mayor Daley.
The good and bad about Rudy is contained in a book, The Prince of the City [Encounter: 2005] by Fred Siegel, a hard-bitten teacher at Cooper Union University. The good: Rudy came into office in 1994 a Republican in a Big Apple that was rotten to the core, steeped with bosses, bagmen and racial arsonists, a hostile "combination of liberal consensus and helplessness [that] made serious policy debate seem irrelevant," and quickly brought in a band of brother prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office. They gave up millions in private law firm salaries for the fun of working and drinking (after hours) with Rudy. Most never left his side until his two terms ran out in 2001.
Giuliani was an eerily compulsive hands-on manager. If you want to understand him, said an associate, remember that as a Yankee fan he's the guy who keeps score and writes down how each out and each run took place. Just as when he read The Godfather he diagrammed how the mob worked, for relaxation he would sketch on a pad how every department worked. He would explain to the public clearly what he wanted to do: cut the size of government, cut taxes to attract jobs "so people can work," consolidate or cut out city departments, introduce competition to delivery of services and work with the governor [Democrat Mario Cuomo] "to get our fair share of revenue."
He insisted on tough police standards, once jumping out of his limo in Times Square to chase a guy he saw grab a woman's purse. He was heedless of civil libertarians. It seemed like he wanted to offend all interest groups and took the heat, forgetting the polls. Crime in 1995 saw 163,428 fewer felonies, with murder dropping 16 percent in 1996. He trumpeted that work is the best social welfare policy, pushing welfare reform, announcing that 23 percent of the welfare recipients in Jersey City were also receiving New York City benefits. He balanced his budget, fought with Al Sharpton against what he called "racial racketeering," and grinned as he took heat from minority communities.
The bad? Giuliani was ego-driven. He got jealous of his police commissioner, who was getting more favorable press than he, fired him and hired another (who was just as tough). Giuliani's personal life fell into tatters: his first marriage annulled, his second wife was a TV anchor who drove him nuts. He spatted with her, kept public company with a divorcee, came down with prostate cancer, married again. His political career was pronounced over. Then came 9/11.
That tragedy redeemed him. When the first plane hit the north tower, Guiliani ran from the Pinnacle Hotel where he was at a breakfast, shouting over his cell phone that command headquarters should move from 7 World Trade Center to Barclay Street a block away. Good thinking: Just as they evacuated, the plane hit the south tower. The debris was so heavy his command center was inundated. With his cell phone deadened, Giuliani's staff thought he was dead as well, but a janitor found him dazed and led him out through a little-known passage in the basement.
Television captured the man at that moment, stumbling down the street in the smoke, his handkerchief to his mouth, directing his city through uncharted territory, ordering all bridges and tunnels shut down. Courage is the most important virtue, said Churchill: It guarantees all others. As Bush retires, he should be supplanted by a man of this valor.
Social conservatives will oppose Giuliani for his pro-abortion views. It's up to Giuliani to help himself with them, and here's how. As governor of California, Ronald Reagan signed the most permissive abortion law in the country. Rudy, can you hear me? If you want this thing -- this presidency -- you gotta change and mean it. Your marriages we can do nothing about. But your social views have to change. They'll say you're an opportunist, but you have heard that before. You can change. And mean it. We're waiting.
"What I am saying is the religious right need to shut up about politics until the rest of us Republicans that can keep our mouths shut about religion take back this country. Their continued running off at the mouth about their religious social agenda does nothing but alienate half this country and makes it possible for treasonous fools like Kerry and Hillery to close the gap in the popular vote."
So much for freedom of speech. Another hateful post directed at the "religious right" as you call them (a leftist term).
Go back to DU
No you just don't understand reality. The religious right has a tendency to alienate the average voter and your living in lala land if you think otherwise. Republicans are on the verge of absolute control of this country but the Religious right could ruin it all by acting like the American Taliban at this juncture. Maybe in ten years the time will be right for a religious revivial in this country but right now we have reality to deal with and that reality includes the fact that at least half of Americans see the religious right as more of a danger to their civil right than any leftist. You want to restore conservative social values to this country then shut up and help the Republicans survive. 2008 IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME.
With Roberts on the Court and likely another Conservative before the next President, Abortion, Guns, etc, will be decided without the next President having anything to say about those issues.
Giuliani is a serious Catholic, so to label him as pro-Abortion is ridiculous. When in office he has upheld the law of the land.
A Mayor of New York looks at guns differently then a President.
That he will PUSH or even concern himself- on his volition- in a pro gay marriage stance is absurd.
Of those issues that really matter today, terrorism, North Korea, Iran, energy prices, no one would do better.
He has a proven record of fixing what was said not to be fixable.
Anyone else running, may be handsomer, more charming, say the programmed right things, but are midgets next to Giuliani proven accomplishments..
"I like him. He's almost "untouchable" by the democrats due to his 9/11 performance and his past moderate views. Plus, all of his dirty laundry is already hanging out there, so no surprises...
I think he could win it all."
Unfortunately, if folks here are any indication, he'll be killed in the primaries. Say hello to President Hillary, everyone.
Gee that's funny when Kerry and Hillary are highlighting their religion and their religious backgrounds.....
Freedom of speech is just fine but when you demand your religious agenda override all else then what you get is the Democrats running this country because you alienate everyone that doesnt share your belief system. Don't be fooled that most American's are Christian they may mouth that they are but they don't agree with what you believe in and your demands that this country return to socially conservative values does nothing but allow democrats to take more control.
"No you just don't understand reality. The religious right has a tendency to alienate the average voter and your living in lala land if you think otherwise. Republicans are on the verge of absolute control of this country but the Religious right could ruin it all by acting like the American Taliban at this juncture"
Another quisling to add to the list? Check this DUmmie out, comparing the Religious right (again a leftist invented term) to the Taliban.
"Gee that's funny when Kerry and Hillary are highlighting their religion and their religious backgrounds....."
Great point, Mike!
YEs and thats because 90% of the country say the same thing and neither actually are. People vote for others they see as similar to themselves. Mouthing the Mantra of "I'm a Christian" is a nice fiction for democrats and voters alike but they don't expect Hillery to enforce Blue Laws or to outlaw abortion because she says she is religious.
Religious conservatives are an important part of the GOP consensus, no doubt about it.
There are alot of people in the Republican Party that see the religious right as the unfortunate anchor stone we must bare just as the Left has to lug around that stone called wacko enviromentalism.
Not if I see you first Hitman. :)
So 35% ISN'T important enough for you?
You don't win without the hardcore 35% on the right nor the 35% on the left.
If you tell the religious right to shut up you will lose more than the 35%, you will lose ALL of the social conservatives as well....
you WON'T win by running away from the RIGHT and you damn well know it....
Indeed!
I don't see how anyone could have a problem with that...
Indeed!
"Rudy is a quick-thinking manager who has an uncanny ability to see each problem clearly.....and the rare talent to get things done."
Yup. People who don't hail from NYC have NO idea how impossible it is to get things done, yet Rudy stood his ground when nearly everyone was against him and changed things. And he'd do that as president. But, hell, he's not socially conservative enough, so let's pick some guy instead who doesn't have a hope in hell of beating Hillary. Who cares if we lose at the polls and usher in another era of Clinton insanity as long as we make our point?
Likewise... McCain reminds me of a John Dean after ingesting some Valium.
You win by increasing your appeal to the moderates and independants. Alienating the base is meaningless if you can't get the idependant voter and moderate voter to vote for you. The base will stay solid or stay home. So what if they stay home It's not about individual votes its about winning states and we have certain states regardless how the base feels we need to make inroads into the Blue states and we can only do that by creating the impression that we are not going to burden them with religiously inspired law. Trust me the main power of the Democratic party is the power to hold the fear of the religious right in this country over the secular left.
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