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New York Daily News,
March 8, 2004

Rudy opposes gay nups ban
By James Gordon Meek, Daily News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Rudy Giuliani came out yesterday against President Bush's call for a ban on gay marriage.

The former mayor, who Vice President Cheney joked the other night is after his job, vigorously defended the President on his post-9/11 leadership but made clear he disagrees with Bush's proposal to rewrite the Constitution to outlaw gays and lesbians from tying the knot.

"I don't think it's ripe for decision at this point," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I certainly wouldn't support [a ban] at this time," added Giuliani, who lived with a gay Manhattan couple when he moved out of Gracie Mansion during his nasty divorce.

Giuliani took his gay rights stance just as speculation hits a fever pitch that he's in line to replace Cheney on Bush's ticket.

Cheney and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton fueled the vice presidential talk at Saturday night's Gridiron Dinner in Washington.

To a mock question from the audience asking Cheney to step aside for someone with "new energy and vitality," the veep turned to Giuliani and zinged: "You need to do a better job of disguising your handwriting."

Asked yesterday whether he would run with Bush if Cheney stepped aside, the mayor-turned-businessman mimicked Marlon Brando in "The Godfather": "An offer I couldn't refuse, right?" But he didn't say no.

Giuliani conceded he's "out of sync" with his party's conservative base, but likened himself to other moderate GOP stars like Gov. Pataki and Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And while he was cagey on the veep talk, the former mayor said he will run for elected office again, but didn't say which one.

Giuliani is considered a leading GOP hopeful in the 2008 presidential race, though he may decide to challenge Clinton in her 2006 Senate reelection bid.

http://www.usc.edu/schools/annenberg/asc/projects/soin/liveIssues/newyorkmarriage.html

3rd article down

Ruling puts Mike in bind

"Rudy Giuliani supported gay rights," he said. "It didn't hurt him, why should it hurt Mike Bloomberg?"

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/277957p-238162c.html

Again, 3rd article down

"Giuliani's pro-choice position will hurt him in some places across the country, but the worst for Rudy will be the positions he's taken on gay rights," says Rich Schrader, a New York Democratic consultant.

http://www.isebrand.com/article_Rudy's_gay_friends.htm

(Des Moines, Iowa) Raising money for local Republicans even as he ponders his own political future, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said Monday that Republicans must increasingly be "a big party" that accepts divergent views.

Giuliani said that broad-brush themes, like limited government, ought to define the Republican Party - not hot-button social issues like abortion and gay rights.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/05/050106guiliani.htm