THE BEST ENEMIES: RUDY'S FOES MAY BE BIG HELP(HIS RECORD SAYS GIULLANI ISN'T AS LIBERAL AS WE THINK)

New York Post ^ | 11/21/2006 | John Podhoretz

[SirLinksalot]

November 21, 2006 -- THE negative line on Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid is that he's too liberal for Republicans. When GOP voters find out he has a record of being pro-choice and has supported domestic-partnership rights for homosexuals, the line goes, their favorable opinion of Giuliani will take a nosedive.

But there are other things most Republicans don't know about Giuliani - and when they find out some of those, chance are their fondness for him will grow. And for that boost, it appears, Rudy will have only his enemies to thank.

The Post's David Seifman reported yesterday that some New York lefties are seriously considering an effort to attack Rudy in the manner that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacked John Kerry in 2004 - to reveal the "unvarnished truth" about his mayoralty and deflate his status as an American hero.

Among those Seifman cites is Norman Siegel, the Rudy-era head of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Siegel said he "represents some families of 9/11 victims who he says 'have lots of questions in regard to what Giuliani did' and are prepared to express their concerns." And he wants America to know about Rudy's run-ins with New York City's "civil rights" community, which sued him and City Hall on a constant basis during his time as mayor.

I won't go into the specifics; this paper, this columnist and everybody else in New York covered them exhaustively for years. But Siegel did say his group won 23 out of 27 lawsuits brought against the Giuliani administration for First Amendment violations. What he didn't bring up is the 30 attempts to use the courts to dismantle Rudy's efforts to use zoning laws to rid family neighborhoods of porn shops - every one of which failed.

[SirLinksalot]

The article concludes thusly....

That was the most substantial and sustained legislative effort taken against the Giuliani administration, and its intent was to undo a key move to make the city a habitable and friendly environment for families.

That's one example of how Rudy, the supposed social liberal, used effective governing tactics to bring about something that America's social conservatives would cheer.

------------------------------

I also hasten to add the Giullani is ON RECORD ( I just learned yesterday) as being against legalization of Gay Marriage.

[TommyDale]

Oh, yes. I'm sure he made it a point to get it ON RECORD that he is opposed to it, considering he has also been in favor of it in the past. What about these?

Abortion

Partial Birth Abortion

Immigration

Gun Control

Homosexual "Special Rights"

Stem Cell Research

[goldstategop]

He cleaned up New York of filth and the ACLU fought him every step of the way. If he was a dyed in the wool liberal, he wouldn't have outraged the Left and the New York Times while in office.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Spiff]

He's far more liberal than the majority of Republican can even imagine:

The Real Rudy Giuliani:

• Pro-abortion - He even opposes banning partial birth murder.
• Anti-2nd Amendment - supports gun grabbing legislation including the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapon Ban
• Pro-big government - amassed unprecedented debt as Mayor of NYC
• Pro-radical gay agenda
  

  - Attended and marched in every gay pride parade in NYC while mayor (even one in 1992 that included a NAMBLA contingent of pedophile activists)
  - Attends and supports many functions and fund-raisers held by radical gay organizations (even did a cross dressing act at Pride Agenda fund-raiser)
  - Openly opposes Constitutional Amendment to protect tradition marriage which is supported by President Bush and the Republican Party Platform.
  - Supported "domestic partner" and "civil union" bills in City Council while mayor of NYC.
  - Submitted Gay "Domestic-Partner" Rights Bill to City Council giving gay and lesbian couples the same benefits reserved for married couples.
  - Said, "I'm proud of it" when referring to the gay "domestic partner" bill he submitted. Said, "National Republicans can lump it if they don't like this new domestic-partners bill...I think it puts New York City ahead of other places in the country."
  - Has received awards from several radical gay agenda organizations who support gay marriage for his support of their cause. Is considered a "champion" of gay "rights."
  - Lived with a gay "married" couple in Manhattan when he moved out of Gracie Mansion during his second divorce.
  - Said that homosexuality is "good and normal"
  

• Pro-illegal immigration - said no one in New York City is going to assist the federal government with the enforcement of immigration law, sued Feds in 1997 to be able to ignore immigration law, lost in court, vowed to ignore law anyway
• Endorses liberal Democrat candidates over Republicans - endorsed liberal Dem Mario Cuomo over Republican George Pataki in NY Governor's race
• Ran for NYC Mayor in 1994 on Liberal Party ticket. Appointed Liberal Party State Chair to a Deputy Mayor position. Endorsed 3 times by the Liberal Party for his liberal views.
• Holds many other liberal views
• Republican In Name Only - opposes many major planks of the GOP Platform

Read more about Giuliani's liberal positions here and here.

Some people want Republicans to ignore his liberalism on almost every issue and, as a distraction, they try to pretend that Rudy is fiscally conservative. Again, his record shows that he isn't fiscally conservative either:

According to an article in The Nation from 2002:

It's now apparent that Giuliani purchased the city's good times partially with borrowed money and left his successor, Mike Bloomberg, holding a bag of debt. New York City went from a $3 billion budget surplus in 1998 to a $4.5 billion deficit after Giuliani left office. This mismanagement of prosperity is a big part of his legacy. Giuliani left the city's finances in a mess...

Here are some things Giuliani did as Mayor that were NOT anywhere near being fiscally conservative:

• New York City went from a $3 billion budget surplus in 1998 to a $4.5 billion deficit after Giuliani left office.
  
• Added 25,000 government employees patronage hires to the city's payroll after promising to cut the work force.
  
• Giuliani's borrowing practices increased the city's debt burden by 50 percent.
  
• Partly because of Giuliani, New York City is now the biggest debtor in the nation outside of the federal government with $42 billion in loans outstanding.
  

According to the article from The Nation:

During the 1960s Giuliani was a self-described "Robert Kennedy Democrat." He identified with RFK as a liberal Catholic prosecutor. He volunteered for RFK's 1968 presidential campaign while he was a student at NYU Law School. Giuliani also voted for George McGovern in 1972. During the liberal 1960s, he was a liberal.

But in 1975 Giuliani switched his party registration from Democrat to Independent when he got a job in Gerald Ford's Justice Department, according to his mentor Harold "Ace" Tyler.

On December 8, 1980, Giuliani changed his registration from Independent to Republican. This was one month after Ronald Reagan's election, and just as he was applying for a top job in the Justice Department.

So, to sum that up:

• Liberal Democrat until 1975
• Worked as volunteer for Democrat Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign.
• Voted for liberal George McGovern.
• Liberal Independent from 1975-1980.
• Did not register as a Republican until 1980 and only AFTER Ronald Reagan was elected and because he was applying for a top job in the administration.

He's a liberal. He's not even in the same building as conservative. He's only a Republican because...and this comes from his own mother, Helen Giuliani:

"He only became a Republican after he began to get all these jobs from them. He's definitely not a conservative Republican. He thinks he is, but he isn't..."

And as John Hawkins put it in an excellent article in Human Events:

Despite all of his charisma and the wonderful leadership he showed after 9/11, Rudy Giuliani is not a Reagan Republican. To the contrary, Giuliani is another Christie Todd Whitman, another Arlen Specter, another Olympia Snowe. He's a throwback to the "bad old days" before Reagan, when the GOP was run by moderate Country Club Republicans who considered conservatives to be extremists. Trying to revive that failed strategy again is likely to lead to a Democratic President in 2008 and numerous setbacks for the Republican Party.

[edcoil]

Giuliani had an approval rating in the low 40's prior to 9-11.

His actions on and after 9-11 where noteworthy but not I think to be President. We have a long time to go and should let all these name float around for awhile before we start any serious look.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Actually, that was only the end of page 1 of the article, page 2 has even more examples of Rudy's conservative credentials, quite impressive.

[TheKidster]

He's anti 2A. That is NOT a conservative stance. Yeah he used government force to make business he didn't approve of move but that isn't exactly a "conservative" move as much as it is a nanny stater move. Don't get me wrong what he did to clean up NYC produced a good result but I'm not supporting some elitist who has armed bodyguards but won't allow me to arm myself and guard myself!

[ark_girl]

What about abortion and gun control?

Plus, are his previous personal problems something that he can politically overcome because we all know the Dems and the MSM are gonna maximize them and if possible exaggerate and/or outright lie about them.

Abortion is a show-stopper for me. I keep hearing he's pro-choice. That's an absolute no-go for me unless it comes down to him vs. McCain. Am I hearing wrong?

Those are my two HUGE concerns about Rudy.

Otherwise, clearly the guy knows how to run an efficient government.

[aligncare]

I'm socially conservative, fiscally conservative and any other kind of conservative you can think of...and should he run--I'm for Rudy.

[presidio9]

Oh brother, Podhoretz has been at the Koolaid again.

[EternalVigilance]

Giuliani's candidacy is a de facto attempt by the Left to destroy the Republican coalition. Those who forward it are complicit.

[aligncare]

Anyone who the ACLU is opposed to...I'm for.

[EternalVigilance]

I'm socially conservative, fiscally conservative and any other kind of conservative you can think of...and should he run--I'm for Rudy.

Hmmm...what's the word for those who say one thing and do another...hmmmmm....

[livius]

One of Rudy's problems was his ex-wife, the news anchor Donna Hanover. He was much more conservative before he became involved with her, but she kept pushing him to more and more liberal positions, particularly on things like abortion and gays, something that was noted by those of us who lived in NYC at the time. She then totally undermined his campaign (while she was still married to him), probably because she still didn't agree with his political positions. Sorry for all the "wronged woman" folks out there, but she was your basic NYC manipulative liberal creep.

If he'd come out and be a social conservative, I would love to vote for him. I think he'd be good on defense, he understands how to get along but at the same time how to stick to his guns - but unless he sheds the Donna Hanover makeover, I really don't think I could support him.

[ClaireSolt]

I am waiting for someone who is not from the NE and did not go to Yale. It is a MSM wetdream that two New Yorkers would run. They would not be inconvenienced by having to cover a nationwide campaign.

[freedomdefender]

I'm socially conservative, fiscally conservative and any other kind of conservative you can think of...and should he run--I'm for Rudy.

You sound like one of those seminar callers to Rush: "I'm a lifelong Republican, but I can't support what Bush is doing in [fill in the blank]"

[pgkdan]

Thanks...you saved me the trouble of posting the same info! Folks touting Rudy as presidential material in '08 have no idea what happened Nov 7.

[ark_girl]

Here's the thing. The next President is going to have the same HUGE issues Bush did. War on Terror. Judges. We need someone who can handle both. I don't want a social lib picking judges. I want another Chief Justice Roberts. Not a Sandra Day O'Connor or worse. But, I don't want to get nuked or beheaded either.

[Cicero]

Yes, Giuliani has put himself on the record as an extreme-pro-abortionist.

That's also a show-stopper for me. But I might be willing to reconsider because of a couple of factors.

First, he had to talk pro-abort or he never could have been elected mayor of New York, nor could he have been elected governor. Pataki first ran as a fiscal conservative, but also as a pro-abort, and even then he never would have been elected if Cuomo hadn't screwed up the economy so badly.

He would not be under the same pressures in a national race. Indeed, the nation as a whole is pro-life. The thing that strikes me, however, is that as far as I know, Rudy never did anything as Mayor to further the pro-abortion cause. Deeds are more important than words. This is unlike Bloomberg, who has pushed the issue.

There's also the divorce business. I don't know how much of that is his fault and how much is his wife's, but there's no doubt that the DNC would push it for all it's worth, as Hillary did in her first Senate race. That would turn off a lot of Evangelical voters, I'm sure.

I'd prefer to find someone else, but I don't rule Giuliani out entirely. Still, he would need to deal with the abortion issue before I would vote for him.

[freedomdefender]

One of Rudy's problems was his ex-wife, the news anchor Donna Hanover. He was much more conservative before he became involved with her, but she kept pushing him to more and more liberal positions

So I guess Rudy isn't as "strong" as his admirers claim, if he can be pushed around by his wife, and if his wife tells him what to believe. Contrast with Reagan: Nancy tried, but he wouldn't budge on abortion.