Posted on 11/14/2006 4:12:37 PM PST by Sub-Driver
DNC Statement on Giuliani's Potential Presidential Bid
November 14, 2006
The Democratic National Committee issued the following statement in response to news that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani may seek the GOP nomination for President:
"It's unclear whether or not Rudy Giuliani will be able to just 'explain away' the fact that he's consistently taken positions that are completely opposite to the conservative Republican base on issues they hold near and dear," said Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. "Throughout his career Giuliani has tried to paint himself as a moderate, but now that he's vying for his Party's nomination will he undergo an extreme makeover in an attempt to cozy up to the far-right?"
Giuliani Was A Registered Democrat For Much Of His Life. Giuliani registered as a Democrat and even served as a party committeeman on Long Island when he was 21. [U.S. News & World Report, 3/23/87; USA Today, 12/20/99]
Giuliani Is Pro-Choice. When asked to respond to social issues on CNN's Inside Politics, Giuliani replied, "I'm pro-choice." [CNN, 12/2/99]
Giuliani Doesn't Support A Ban On Partial-Birth Abortions. When asked whether he supported a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions, Giuliani replied, "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing." Giuliani also told The Albany Times Union that he would not support a ban on late-term. Moreover, when asked "If you were in the Senate and he [President Clinton] vetoed the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure.you would support the president on that." Giuliani replied: "Yes. I said I then that I support him, so I have no reason to change my mind about it." [CNN, 12/2/99; New York Times, 11/26/99; CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, 2/6/00]
Giuliani Identified Himself As Pro-Gay Rights and Supports Civil Unions and Gay Benefits. When asked to respond to social issues on CNN's Inside Politics, Giuliani replied, "I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-gay rights." When asked whether marriage should be between a man and a woman, Giuliani agreed, but stated "I supported civil unions, however, partnerships, and I signed that legislation when I was mayor of New York City. The distinction is that you protect people's rights."[CNN, 12/2/99; Hardball, 10/13/04]
Giuliani Opposed Bush Tax Cut. "Although Mr. Giuliani is running as pro-gun control, pro-abortion-rights Republican who likes tax cuts, he did shy away yesterday from the large tax cut proposal of his political benefactor, George W. Bush, which has been criticized as too large and favorable toward the rich." [New York Times, 2/04/00]
Giuliani Announced a Publicly Funded Voucher Plan That Would Have Taken $12 Million Out of New York City Public Schools. In his State of the City address in January 1999, Giuliani proposed paying for a school voucher program with City money. In his FY2000 Preliminary Executive Budget, Giuliani proposed spending $12 million over two years to establish the administrative structure for a voucher program in a volunteer school district so as many as 3,000 public school students could attend private and parochial schools in the city. "The money would be distributed through [Giuliani's] office to avoid involving Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew, who opposes the idea," according to The New York Times. At a speech in Miami in March, 1999, The New York Times reported that, "Mr. Giuliani, who is in the midst of considering his political future, has adopted the national Republican Party's enthusiasm for school vouchers. On Sunday, while delivering a speech in Miami, for example, he called it "the most important thing that has to be done with education in America." [New York Times, 4/26/99; 3/4/99]
Giuliani Refused To Endorse Minimum Wage Increase. Giuliani declined to endorse an increase in the minimum wage to $6.50 from $5.50, pending studies that he said were necessary to make certain that a higher rate would not lead to the elimination of many low-paying jobs. [New York Times, 10/17/99]
Giuliani Said It Would Be a "Good Thing" If the Poor Left the City; Said That Was His Welfare Strategy. In April 1995, Rudy Giuliani said that many poor New Yorkers could be forced to leave New York City as a consequence of his welfare reforms, and that it "would be a good thing." WNYC radio then reported that Giuliani said in a press briefing, "That's not an unspoken part of the strategy. That is our strategy." The mayor denied these comments and offered to play them back, but his communications director had not taped the session. [Newsday, 4/29/95]
Source URL: http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/11/dnc_statement_o_9.php
Yep....thought it was very odd reading it myself - I get the distinct feeling the Democrats are terrified of him.
Statements like that were prevalent when Arnold was running in the recall, they are afraid of moderates, they'd prefer we nominate someone on the far right.
Does the DNC define Republicanism? No? Didn't think so.
Its very clear that the Democrats are scared to death of him. All the more reason to nominate him.
If the 2008 matchup is indeed Hilary v. Rudy and any self-described conservative votes for a third party instead of Rudy because of their disagreement with some of his social positions (and let me add I vehemently disagree with him with respect to abortion) is a... stark... raving... insane... retarded... moron.
Rudy is quite clearly the lesser evil in that match-up. And voting for a third party means that the much greater evil of Hilary would win.
With Rudy we have a chance of getting conservative Justices with Hilary not at all.
With Rudy we have a chance of a strong anti-Jihadist foreign policy. With Hilary we only have appeasement.
With Rudy we have a chance of keeping the Bush tax cuts. With Hilary -- we get higher and higher taxes.
I hate not being able to edit posts! If you're a self-described conservative and you don't vote for Rudy (if the 2008 matchup is Rudy v. Hilary) then you're a moron.
This is going to be fun and I'd LOVE to be one of Rudy's "advisers" or at least someone that could chat into his ear and lend him a hand.
Ironic, that how we wound up with Bubba, may be how we get Hitlery. I feel like I am on a merry-go-round in a house of horrors!!!!
The Democrat consultants have ceased talking about the election and are now focused on Rudy.
Just caught a nanosecond of Matthews and he acted worried about Rudy- " men love him, he's a guy's guy , he brings in big crowds everywhere, even the deep South.."
The Democrats are definitely worried about Rudy, as well they should be.
I'm personally scared s-less of Evan Bayh. I honestly think a guy like that would be unbeatable regardless of who the Republican nominee is.
However, I think the Democrats are too stupid to nominate him.
This is where Giuliani looks very weak as a candidate. I would venture to guess that no more than 10%-20% of the electorate will consider the "war on terror" (whatever the hell that means) to be the top issue in 2008. Even if Rudy gets 100% of them to vote for him, he'll have a tough hill to climb.
Arnold won in a landslide ...
I am getting the very distinct (and totally sickening) feeling that the RNC isn't doing anything because it's leader, Bush, is pulling for Hillary to be the next president. After all, The Bush's and Clinton's have been nearly inseperable the past couple of years. Call me crazy.
I will never vote for Rudy.
Ron Paul for president!
It sounds like they're calling him back, back to his roots.
Maybe Hillary wants him as Veep.
haha thats too much.. the DNC saying "Rudy is bad, he is too much like us Democrats!"
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