Posted on 08/21/2006 6:16:02 AM PDT by areafiftyone
The S.C. Republican Party’s sponsorship of “An Evening Honoring Rudy Giuliani” last week spoke volumes.
It reflected what some said is a shift in attitude toward GOP candidates with more liberal views on social issues.
There’s a greater degree of tolerance and acceptance, party officials said.
Giuliani, who rose to national prominence for his take-charge performance after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, supports gay rights, gun control and legalized abortion, which puts him at odds with most Republicans.
Nevertheless, he has traveled the country extensively on behalf of GOP candidates this year while acknowledging his own interest in a possible 2008 presidential bid.
Although his liberal stance on social issues is likely to disqualify him with religious conservatives, the former New York City mayor remains in great demand as a speaker before Republican groups.
In this visit — his first major political trip to South Carolina — Giuliani attended a fundraiser for conservative GOP congressional candidate Ralph Norman, the one-term state representative who is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. John Spratt, a 24-year House veteran in a hotly contested race in the 5th District.
Giuliani ended the day in Charleston at a star-studded $2,500-a-couple fundraiser for the state Republican Party.
He packed the place.
“Rudy is a very popular figure,” GOP chairman Katon Dawson said. “We didn’t have any problem with him coming.”
Giuliani, affectionately known as “America’s mayor,” is seen as middle-of-the-road by most voters nationally, according to Rasmussen Reports, an electronic survey company.
It found 36 percent of Americans see him as a political moderate, 29 percent said conservative, and 15 percent said liberal. Twenty percent are not sure.
Former state GOP chairman Barry Wynn said the party needs to take a fresh look at the way it regards new voters, especially those new residents who’ve settled along the coast and are starting to have an impact on state party politics.
Those voters tend to be more progressive in outlook and are more inclined to support someone like Giuliani.
“I think Rudy could be more popular in South Carolina than most people would think,” Wynn said.
The debate in 2008 isn’t going to be about tax cuts, abortion or Social Security reform — Republican favorites.
“The overarching issues this time will be national security and leadership,” Wynn said. “Everything else will fit under that.”
Such a scenario favors Giuliani, Greenville consultant Chip Felkel said.
Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen, a GOP activist, said Giuliani is in a “special category.”
He’s a “glittering personality” with star quality who can get away with supporting legalized abortion and gay rights.
His position on those social issues “would not hurt him as bad over the long haul as one may think. If John McCain had the same position, it would hurt him a lot worse.”
Needless to say, the hard-core religious right won’t surrender territory on social issues. They’d rather go down in flames than win.
But unless terrorists no longer are a threat to the United States, national security and leadership will be at the top of the issues heap in 2008.
Voters won’t be concerned about gay rights or abortion. What matters most will be their own security in a volatile world.
And the candidate who stands to benefit is Giuliani.
“If your house is on fire,” Wynn said, “you want a guy with the hose.”
I remember when Rudy was mayor. The media hated then him but at the same time respected him. They still do. But the respect has grown more than the hatred now. Rudy took no crap from the media then and won't now. He knows how to handle them. They have taken every bit of his life and background and put it out there for everyone to read since he was mayor. He has more info on his life out there than George Bush has because of the media scrutiny.
The surest way to NOT protect the nation from ALL threats is to spit in God's face over and over by electing apostate "Christian" high officials who endorse and promote unGodly abominations such as baby killing and special "rights" for homosexual perverts.
America did that twice by electing the apostate Baptist Clinton twins and any fool can see what it got us, 9/11, North Korean nukes, Chinese ICBMs with US guidance systems, an emboldened Saddam Hussein, Iran's looming nuclear capability, another radically liberal USSC Justice, etc, etc.
If we elect an apostate Catholic like Rudy who supports those same abominations God may not let us off this time with "only" 3000 dead civilians and almost 3000 dead military personnel.
More ancient history. Bernie did his job and his personal follies are not relevant here.
"It's all old rehashed crap."
Plaster the state of South Carolina with "Cabaret Rudy in Drag" billboards, and see how damaging old, rehashed crap can be.
BTW you also linked an article claiming Rudy was an "Official".
Character, character, character. Bernie and Rudy are lacking here. Womanizing, adultery, using public funds for shady phone calls, etc.
After years of Clinton, some voters no doubt are none too eager to have another president with character issues.
A number of posters have wondered: Why is Rudy afraid to run against Hillary for the US Senate? That is big minus.
New York City Stonewall chapter LGBT veterans’ convention
David Mixner, Clintons, HRC
Rudolph W. Giuliani as a Listed OFFICIAL of Stonewall Updated as of 2005
Rudolph W. Giuliani listed as a PARTNERED Member
Known as active and financially supported at least until December 2001. Still listed at the site and is a group that funds an ANTIWAR movement.
Is that wording better?
Not if the attack comes on the ground and some armed sheepdogs respond to the wolves. His gun control machine is a juggernaut in New York, but it won't fly elsewhere. Ask Al Gore who lost his home state of Tennessee in 2000. He was a "favorite son" but the people of that state voted their guns! Even Bill Clinton said the NRA beat Al Gore. Rudy the RINO will be decapitated on issues like immigration & gun control. I think the conservative BASE is fixin' to resurge. The Republican Party has lost it's way. When we're true conservatives running on a conservative agenda...we win. Go all wishy-washy and globalist (like GW recently on immigration) and it's a loser.
Giuliani has no military experience. At this time no one without military qualification is competent to fill the job. Commander in Chief is more important than Civilian administration experience.
For those who recognize we are at war against fundamentalist Islam, not some amorphous undefined terror, the unqualified Rudy isn't even a has-been. He's a never-was.
Semper Fidelis.
Nice try but you know I was not referring to ANYTHING Jim had written. He has repeatedly stated that NO democrat can be allowed to obtain the White House.
Using him to endorse your anti-Guiliani hatred is utterly dishonest.
Yes, that linked showed Public Officials as members.
He has dealt with the worst and can easily handle the rest.
Here's another post of Jim's:
To: Lurker
I'd crawl on my knees over broken glass to pull the lever for a Republican to keep these evil monsters (Democrats) away from the levers of power.
16 posted on 05/13/2006 2:43:51 AM CDT by Jim Robinson
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Dear justshutupandtakeit,
Even a quick google validates at least the numbers as 13% and 6% for adamant pro-lifers and adamant pro-aborters, respectively.
Even if that low figure is accurate, it's ugly for a pro-abort Republican presidential candidate.
sitetest
By whom?
There was no anti-war movement in December of 2001.
You still link a claim that he is an Official. That is where I got the idea you were claiming him to be an "officer".
There is nothing more here than between Bush and Ken Lay.
Don't confuse her with facts.
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