Rudy isn't a moderate. He isn't a liberal. He's a Republican who has more socially liberal positions on 2-3 issues than you do.
Good luck trying to find that perfect Republican/conservative. It's not going to happen.
Ronald Reagan himself could not get elected in today's climate. Here are the negatives that you all would give him:
Divorced, married Nancy while she was pregnant, signed gun control legislation, gave us amnesty, ran from the terrorists in Lebanon, gave us two pro abort judges, and raised taxes 4 times while president.
Put that in Breaking News, Pollyanna, and see what kind of reaction you get.
Good luck trying to find that perfect Republican/conservative. It's not going to happen.
Duncan Hunter for President, who as a supposedly unelectable unknown outpolled Rudy on FR by 50%. In fact, the three mediot annointed "front runners" got a combined 25% on FR, which doesn't exactly bode well for their chances at nomination.
Consider the precedent: I won the chance to run against Brown after a Republican primary campaign that was very bitter at times, largely because of the lingering split between conservatives and moderates in the state party. My principal opponent in the primary was George Christopher, a former mayor of San Francisco who tried simultaneously to portray me as a right-wing extremist and attack me because I'd admitted having been in Communist front groups - without mentioning that I'd resigned and declared war on them as soon as I'd realized what they were. - Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan himself could not get elected in today's climate. Here are the negatives that you all would give him:
Seeing as you are weak on history,
Johnson carried California by a million votes, and Reagan was given little chance of winning the governorship in 1966. Strategists for incumbent governor Edmund G. (Pat) Brown were so convinced that Reagan was their salvation that they smeared his primary opponent, former San Francisco mayor George Christopher, to help Reagan win the primary. Christopher, meanwhile, attacked Reagan as a "Goldwater Republican" and sure loser.
Gosh, that sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Divorced, married Nancy while she was pregnant, signed gun control legislation, gave us amnesty, ran from the terrorists in Lebanon, gave us two pro abort judges, and raised taxes 4 times while president.
Ronald Reagan admitted his mistakes in life, among which was being a Democrat. As to Lebanon, he had this little thingy called the "Soviet Union" to concern himself and the US military. As to judges, not all are predictable and he had a Democrat Senate for six of his eight years in office. As to taxes, amusing that you omit the cutting he did, rendering your post dishonest spin at best.
Ronald Reagan himself could not get elected in today's climate. Here are the negatives that you all would give him:
Divorced, married Nancy while she was pregnant, signed gun control legislation, gave us amnesty, ran from the terrorists in Lebanon, gave us two pro abort judges, and raised taxes 4 times while president.....
Rudy would appoint much tougher judges than Reagan did. Rudy would all around be a much tougher president on the big issues than Reagan.