Posted on 11/15/2006 7:30:55 AM PST by 300magnum
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani enjoys "a lot of good will" from Republicans from his handling of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but his stance on social issues like abortion and gun control make him an unacceptable candidate in the 2008 presidential election, according to conservative analysts.
Giuliani, who announced Monday that he has filed papers to form an exploratory committee as the first step towards a White House run, is "absolutely unacceptable under any circumstances" as a presidential candidate, Colleen Parro, executive director of the Republican National Coalition for Life, told Cybercast News Service.
"The core values of the Republican Party with respect to life issues -- which is where our main concern is -- and the issues of the homosexual movement, etc., cause his candidacy for the nomination to just be dead in the water," she said.
Giuliani has described himself as "pro-choice" and said he would not support a ban on partial-birth abortions. He promoted gun control programs and civil unions for same-sex partners during his two terms as New York City mayor.
While serving in that post, Giuliani saw his private life become a regular subject of media scrutiny, especially in 2000, when he announced at a press conference that he was seeking a separation from his second wife without first telling her of his decision.
"Despite Giuliani's charm and his obvious leadership abilities, as far as social and cultural issues are concerned, not only his personal life but his public views make him unacceptable," Parro said.
Supporters of a Giuliani bid launched a group a year ago called Draft Rudy Giuliani for President.
Co-founder Nicholas Tyszka said in a statement this week that, "with the current climate [of divisiveness] in Washington," Giuliani would be an excellent nominee, as "he has such a broad base of appeal, even cutting across political lines."
The group, whose other co-founder is veteran Republican political consultant Allen Fore, said that "America needs and wants this great man to lead our nation."
"Named Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year' in 2001, Rudy Giuliani has been a proven leader during one of the toughest periods in American history," the organization's website states.
"Giuliani exemplifies leadership, courage and compassion," it says. "Rudy Giuliani has dedicated his professional life to serving the United States, including assistant attorney general in the U.S. Justice Department under President Reagan and as the crime-fighting U.S. attorney in the state of New York.
"He has an unrivaled record of honesty and integrity, always putting the people's interest above politics," the website continues. "His service as mayor of New York City, particularly after the devastating terrorist attacks against our country on September 11, 2001, made him America's mayor. Now it's time to make him America's president."
Although forming an exploratory committee does not guarantee that an individual will run for president, Giuliani's announcement Monday drew a quick response from the Democratic National Committee:
"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 DNC Communications Director Karen Finney in a press statement.
"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?" Finney asked.
The DNC also issued a speedy response after Sen. John McCain made a similar announcement on Sunday.
Brian Darling, director of Senate relations for the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Cybercast News Service that "it's going to be virtually impossible for Giuliani to woo voters who put the Second Amendment and family values as their top issues."
However, Giuliani "clearly has a lot of good will with Republicans, and his goal should be to shore up his conservative credentials on the issues of federal spending and anti-terrorism," Darling said.
Since he was mayor of New York City during 9/11, Giuliani "can trumpet anti-terrorism as one of his major policies. But he also needs to talk about limiting the federal government and restricting out-of-control federal spending so he can shore up support among conservatives who care about pocketbook issues," Darling said.
While acknowledging that Giuliani is "a presumptive front-runner" for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, Darling said the former mayor is enjoying good poll numbers "merely because he has high name recognition."
Strong approval figures don't guarantee victories when the party's primaries begin, Darling noted.
"Just ask [early 2004 Democratic front-runner] Howard Dean about that," he said.
Geez, there are a lot of rudy for president threads lately, hard for me to keep up.
Gay marriage: "This is a state issue. But I will not tolerate judges who will overturn state decisions on this issue."
Abortion: "This is a state's rights issue. I intend to nominate judges who know their job is to interpret the laws not legislate from the bench."
Gun Control: "I've talked to a lot of gun owners as I've crossed the country the last few years and I've changed my mind."
Really, this stuff isn't hard. If people believe him to be a man of his word, then they'll vote for him.
From a political theater point of view, he should sometime in the next year or so get "invited" on a hunting trip, to a shooting match, or maybe both. He should be seen listening to the gun owners, not just "changing his mind". He should talk to them, and really listen, with humility and an open mind. It will make his turn-around more persuasive. 8.31.2006 2:53pm (link)Ken Hall (www):
ABORTION UBER ALLES!!
The fact that the DNC felt the need to comment on this so quickly shows me that the libtards are afriad of Rudy taking New York and making their candidate a nonstarter. Something tells me the Pro-Life or Else crowd would have seen nothing wrong with making a moron like George Allen our President.
Changed his mind on gun control? LOL. Talk is cheap. He had his chance. He only "changed" his mind because he wants power. How obvious can you get!
BTW, if you want a candidate who doesn't chance his mind to suit the polls, Chuck Hagel is a far better choice. He was critical of the Iraq quagmire (yet is pro-gun and pro-free market) when it wasn't cool.
LOL - It's going to be like that with all the candidates once they announce they might/or will run.
First of all, I'm 40. Neither too young, nor too old.
Secondly, where did I use the word "Nazi" in this post?
You don't think there can be a totalitarianism of the right? Why should a government composed of party apparatchiks, who manipulate the nomination process to their benefit (this is done on both sides of the aisle, btw) be preferable? Simply because one might be "right" and the other "left"? Simply because one side says "I feel as you do"?
Quite frankly, both are to be avoided like the plague. The fact that many conservatives wrap their agenda in the flag, or Scripture, doesn't mean that when they achieve political power that they will exercise it any more responsibly than the "other side" would (I submit, as proof, the last Congress). In fact, thery're just as likely to manipulate and plunder as leftists are. That's human nature at work. Just because Candidate A was seen coming out of a Church and Candidate B was seen at an abortion rally, it doesn't automatically follow that A must be better than B, unless you have something else by which to judge them.
That something else is debate. A chance for a candidate to make his/her case. The problem arises when the candidate is not ALLOWED to make their case, and that permission is not necessarily denied because of anything the GOVERNMENT does, but because the CITIZENS are of such a bent that they simply refuse to hear it. They shoot the messenger and never hear the message because the messenger might not live up to some mystical standard.
There is a censorship being exercised here, and I for one, never considered censorship as being a republican virtue. I don't say "Vote for Rudy because he's the only hope" I only say "put your prejudices aside for a minute and listen to what he has to offer". From where I sit, it doesn't appear as if he'll get that chance, as he's been immediately attacked by prudes and hypocrites.
Although I don't think their threads will be as caustic!
Sorry, still doesn't wash. please learn what liberalism is and what it's supposed to mean before you throw it around so carelessly.
There's a lot of this going around FR.
People who can't even define the opposing political theories and systems really should be more circumspect when entering a political debate.
No McScream, No Rudy for this soldier!
RU SERIES? You don't allow candidates to change their mind after research, talking with people and seeing the light?? HOw many people in FR were former Dems...but 'changed their mind'. You hate them too?
I have more respect for people who change their minds, like Chuck Hagel, when they have to pay a price. Rudy is only changing his mind to get elected.
"HOw many people in FR were former Dems...but 'changed their mind'. "
I was a flaming lib. Anti-war, anti-business, pro-abortion environmentalist you name it and I was it.
I still hold some liberal beliefs but I also understand that these beliefs cannot be the focal point on how our nation plays on the global stage. In that light, I am to the right of Al Haig.
someday I will learn to proof read:
This is alienate votes as well.->This alienates votes as well.
I think this is their message to us(Mccainiacs):
What is your beef with CNSNEWS?
Oh gross! I WAS going to get some lunch but I think I'll hold off for a while! LOL
Lol, sorry. I love this picture, it's so typical of mccainiacs and mccain.
"The Anti-s are the reason we lost the last election. One issue conservatives are not my voice and I am not going to bow down to them at every whim anymore!"
So you prefer the liberal Republicans?
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