Posted on 11/15/2006 8:49:32 PM PST by fkabuckeyesrule
America's Mayor? Maybe. But America's President?
So Rudy Giuliani has announced his intention to run for president. Well, to be exact, he has formed an organisation to explore a bid for the presidency.
When Giuliani's marriage collapsed, he moved in with two gay men and a Chihuahua named Bonnie. Is America ready for this man?
His announcement came as no great surprise, as he has been scratching his chin about this for 12 months. That didn't stop the New York tabloids from giving him front-page treatment.
The Daily News headline was "Rudy, Set, Go!" The New York Post said: "Count me in".
The New York Times thought it was worth eight paragraphs on page 18. It was next to a story about the other Republican front-runner John McCain. The two of them are the only Republicans whom opinion polls show could beat Hillary Clinton.
Giuliani actually topped McCain in a CNN poll this week, 29 per cent to 27 per cent.
Even five years after September 11, Giuliani retains the afterglow of his steadfast handling of the terrorist attacks, although a recent book Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11, by Dan Collins and Wayne Barrett, attempted to rewrite the story of "America's mayor".
It's only a week since the midterm elections, but, in America's endless cycle of politics, everybody is now talking about the 2008 presidential election. Already one Democrat, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and one Republican, Duncan Hall, have announced they are running. Both are asterisks in the opinion polls.
A Giuliani-Clinton contest would be a rerun of what should have been the contest for the Senate seat in New York in 2000. But Giuliani withdrew after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Daily News called the potential match-up "the race we've dreamed of".
It may be for New York, which hasn't had a real presidential contender for a generation or more, but is it the race America dreams of?
Rudy v Hil would give America the choice of two pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-gun control candidates. Giuliani has been married three times (as The Daily News reminded readers, when one of his marriages collapsed, he moved in with two gay men and a Chihuahua named Bonnie), while Hillary has lived a thousand lives in her marriage to Bill Clinton.
Giuliani faces an uphill struggle to win his party's nomination, where Christian conservatives make up a vital part of the membership base.
Clinton would find it easier to win her party's endorsement, but she might find it harder to convince those same conservatives in a general election. It's early, early days yet, but America's conservative vote is still up for grabs.
Posted by Mark Coultan
November 15, 2006 03:08 PM
Some NY republicans I know for his pre 9-11 management of NYC, (BTW which seems to be alot of overhyped rhetoric), In eny event, he's 3/4 lib. Why on God's great earth should I vote for him?
read "...some NY republicans I know (like him) for .."
What's that I see? Why, it looks like red flags waving in the wind.
Giuliani supports big government, gun control, abortion on demand, opposes a ban on partial birth abortion, supports and promotes the gay agenda and he supports amnesty for illegals.
If you support Giuliani for Prez, you support the liberal agenda.
It was the chihuahua.
I believe he was probably talking about welfare reform in which he also enacted in NYC.
Duncan Hunter is off to such a good start, he's called Duncan Hall in his article.
Rudy for President?
He can be President of Manhattan, or even President of the Empire State,
But... President of the United States of America???
NFW!
Giuliani is a whale of a lot better than anybody named Clinton. I rest my case in support of Giuliani.
Rudy Guiliani has marched in lockstep with liberals on affirmative action, gay rights, gay marriage, gun control, school prayer, tuition tax credits, liberal immigration policies, and he's reinforced it, time and time again. Just about everytime Rudy opens his mouth, offensive liberal words come pouring out. As Mayor, Rudy put liberals in high-paid city jobs, an indication what a Rudy WH would look like. Here then is Rudy in his own words:
--The New York State Liberal Party on its endorsement of Rudy Giuliani for Mayor: "When the Liberal Party Policy Committee reviewed a list of key social issues of deep concern to progressive New Yorkers, we found that Rudy Giuliani agreed with the Liberal Party's stance on a majority of such issues. He agreed with the Liberal Party's views on affirmative action, gay rights, gun control, school prayer and tuition tax credits. As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani would uphold the Constitutional and legal rights to abortion." N.Y.S. Liberal Party Endorsement Statement of Candidate Giuliani for Mayor of New York City April 8, 1989
--On the Republican Party: "Mr. Rockefeller represented 'a tradition in the Republican Party' I've worked hard to re-kindle - the Rockefeller, Javits, Lefkowitz tradition." Rudy Giuliani told the New York Times July 9, 1992
--Village Voice Interview with Guiliani: He was asked: "What kind of Republican Is [Giuliani]? A Reagan Republican?" Giuliani pauses before answering: "I'm a Republican." Village Voice January 24, 1989
--On Attending 1996 Republican Convention: Rudy expressed his pleasure when he wasn't invited to the Republican National Convention in San Diego. "If I take three or four days off from city business, I want to do it for a substantive purpose. It didn't seem to me any substantive purpose could be served by going to the Republican convention." said Rudy. Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Page 459, by Wayne Barrett
--On Barry Goldwater: Giuliani described John Kennedy as "great and brilliant. Barry Goldwater as an "incompetent, confused and sometimes idiotic man." New York Daily News, May 13, 1997
--On President Bill Clinton: Shortly before his last-minute endorsement of Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, Giuliani told the Post's Jack Newfield that "most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.
--The Daily News quoted Giuliani as saying March 1996: "Whether you talk about President Clinon, Senator Dole.... The country would be in very good hands in the hands of any of that group." An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.
--Revealing at one point that he was "open" to the idea of endorsing Clinton, Rudy said: "When I ran for mayor both times, '89 and '93, I promised people that I would be, if not bipartisan, at least open to the possibility of supporting Democrats." Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett, Page 459
---Rudy Giuliani Endorses Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo October 1994: "From my point of view as the mayor of New York City, the question that I have to ask is, ˜Who has the best chance in the next four years of successfully fighting for our interest? Who understands them, and who will make the best case for it?' Our future, our destiny is not a matter of chance. It's a matter of choice. My choice is Mario Cuomo." Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City book by Andrew Kirtzman, Page 133
--Reaction to Giuliani Endorsement of Cuomo: "Once again, Rudolph Giuliani has demonstrated that liberalism is the foundation of his political philosophy. While Giuliani sold a bill of goods to trusting Republicans and Reagan Democrats that he had abandoned his roots as a McGovern Democrat, in his endorsement of Mario Cuomo, Mr. Liberal himself, he has shown his true colors. Giuliani's argument that Cuomo will be better for the city has a hollow ring to it. Perhaps Rudy wants a governor who will sign over a blank check to constantly bail out the city from its fiscal problems. Giuliani knows, as do all New Yorkers, that Cuomo's liberal policies have been an economic disaster for our city and state." "But Rudy doesn't care. He has proven he will do anything to stop the election of a conservative Republican - but he won't succeed." Michael Long, Chairman N.Y.S. Conservative Party Press Statement, October 25, 1994
--"[Quite] frankly, you have to understand the fact that Rudy Giuliani was a McGovern Democrat, he was endorsed by the Liberal Party when he ran for Mayor. In his heart, he's a Democrat. He's paraded all over this country with Bill Clinton and, in fact, he's very comfortable with Mario Cuomo. But what Rudy Giuliani wants is to be bailed out in the city, in the mess he's in, and everybody understands very clearly in politics that they struck a deal, that Mario's going to continue to be the big spender, save Rudy the options of raising taxes by pouring money statewide into the City of New York and bailing it out. Quite frankly, I predict that he will join the Democratic Party." Interview with Michael Long, Chairman N.Y.S. Conservative Party, CNN Crossfire, October 25, 1994
--On Gay Domestic-Partner Rights: "National Republicans can lump it if they don't like his new domestic-partners bill, "Mayor Giuliani said yesterday. "I really haven't thought about what the impact is on Republican politics or national politics or Democratic politics," Giuliani said. The bill he submitted to the City Council would extend the benefits city agencies must grant to gay and lesbian couples. "I'm proud of it," Giuliani said of the bill. "I think it puts New York City ahead of other places in the country." New York Daily News, May 13, 1998
--On Gay-Rights/Gay Rights Bill: Giuliani favors extended civil-rights protection for gays and lesbians. Giuliani urged, by letter, to the New York Senate Majority Leader to pass the state's first ever gay rights bill, but did it privately. "I am writing to convey my support for the current legislation to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians, and to urge you to allow the bill onto the floor of the Senate for prompt action." ".......It is my belief that we can penalize discrimination [against gays] without creating any potentially objectionable special privileges or preferential treatment." New York Post, June 5, 1993
--Now Rudy Giuliani has jumped on the bandwagon, pressing the state Republican Party to release a gay-rights bill to the Senate floor for a vote. Marching in Sunday's [Gay Pride] parade, he has enlisted in the struggle to destroy the family. What a perfectly abominable springboard to seek high political office. Ray Kerrison New York Post, June 30, 1993
--Giuliani said homosexuality is "good and normal." quoting Ray Kerrison New York Post, July 7, 1989
--On Gay Domestic Partnership: "I have no objection to the concept of domestic partnership," said Rudy Giuliani on Informed Sources New York T.V. Show (PBS), May, 1992
--On Abortion: Leaflets distributed by the Giuliani campaign .... said that he opposes restrictions to Federal Medicaid financing for abortions and opposes the Hyde Amendment, which is intended to deny support for that financing. New York Times, June 18, 1993.
--Rudy Guiliani on abortion: "I'd give my daughter the money for it [an abortion]."
--"I never called for the overturning of Roe vs. Wade." Rudy Giuliani, New York Newsday, September 1, 1989
--As mayor, Rudy Giuliani will uphold a woman's right of choice to have an abortion. Giuliani will fund all city programs which provide abortions to insure that no woman is deprived of her right due to an inability to pay. He will oppose reductions in state funding. He will oppose making abortion illegal. New York Times, August 4, 1989
--On Partial Birth Abortion: Mr. Giuliani has said that New York State law should not be changed to outlaw the procedure. New York Times, January 7, 1998
--On School Choice: "He doesn't support tuition tax credits and vouchers." Sandra Feldman, President of N.Y.C. Teacher's Union, 1993
--On Taxes: [Giuliani] says ruling out a tax increase is "political pandering." Newsday, August 31, 1989
...just in case you thought this was a minor point about welfare reform. Rudy's also defended Clinton's record, stating that his mismanagement of the country didn't contribute to Islamic terrorism. Perhaps you agree with that, which is why you are so fond of Rudy.
As Mayor of NYCity Rudy championed gun control, and he called for an assault weapons ban. Throughout his tenure as Mayor, Rudy championed special rights for homos and happily marched in the annual gay pride parade. He also supported NYCity as a sanctuary for illegals.
What more do you want? Rudy is a liberal.
My opinion is that what a man says when running the most liberal city in the US is quite different than what he will do as President.
He praised the choices of Roberts and Alito and said his nominees would be in the same vein. He is also a proven leader as evidenced by his actions during the worst event in our nation's history.
He has my vote.
In addition, he outsmarted the teacher's union and got them under control.
"the other Republican front-runner John McCain"
John McLame? Ugh.
Nice try. If Rudy didn't support big government, he would have made an EFFORT to slash the budget. That didn't happen. He also made no EFFORT to end the city income tax. Add that $4.5 billion deficit to the overall bill handed the NYCity taxpayers and the overall budget increase went up some 33% in six years. And you completely forgot about the $42 billion debt level Rudy left behind. Imagine Rudy with his hands on the federal budget of almost $3 trillion. LOL
Rudy did reduce crime in NYCity, in an era when national crime rates were falling. From what I've read crime began dropping under the Dikens admin. Rudy did reduce welfare rolls, but he didn't abolish welfare. NYCity remains a welfare haven. By abolishing the 12.5% surtax on city income tax rates, Rudy did stimulate business growth within the city limits. If he hadn't succeded at lowering costs for businesses to relocate to NYCity, he wouldn't have been reelected. The Democrat controlled City Council understood that too, and they supported improving the business climate.
You think Rudy is the savior of the GOP. From my conservative perspective, no matter how you slice it, Rudy is a liberal.
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