[Fierce Allegiance]

Going to a lefty to beat leftism isn't a win.

Duncan hunter for President!

[Dreagon]

Another pitiful column hectoring social conservatives to vote for a RINO.

[flashbunny]

And isn't winning all that matters?

Who cares what he'll do or sign when he's in office. HE CAN WIN!

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Yet another New Yorker telling the rest of the country that what is good enough for New York is good enough for the rest of the country...

[WorkingClassFilth]

If Giuliani is endorsed by the R's, Hillary will win the election.

[Spiff]

Rudy Giuliani Supports Partial Birth Abortion...Republicans Don't.

[GEORGE] WILL: Is your support of partial birth abortion firm?
Mayor GIULIANI: All of my positions are firm. I have strong viewpoints. I express them. And I--I do not think that it makes sense to be changing your position....
ABC News February 6, 2000

---

TUCHMAN: Giuliani was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions, something Bush strongly supports.
GIULIANI: No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing.
- CNN December 2, 1999

---

BLITZER: If you were in the Senate and [President Clinton] vetoed, once again, the [ban on the] so-called partial-birth abortion procedure, you would vote against sustaining that against the -- in favor of the veto in other words, you would support the president on that.
GIULIANI: Yes. I said then that I support him, so I have no reason to change my mind about it.
BLITZER: All right. So the bottom line is that on a lot of these very sensitive issues whether on guns, abortion, patients' bill of rights, taxes, you are more in line with the president and by association, with Mrs. Clinton, than you are against them.
- CNN February 6, 2000

---

MR. RUSSERT: A banning of late-term abortions, so-called partial-birth abortions--you're against that?

MAYOR GIULIANI: I'm against it in New York, because in New York...

MR. RUSSERT: Well, if you were a senator, would you vote with the president or against the president? [Note: President Clinton was in office in 2000]

MAYOR GIULIANI: I would vote to preserve the option for women. I think that choice is a very difficult one. It's a very, very--it's one in which people of conscious have very, very different opinions. I think the better thing for America to do is to leave that choice to the woman, because it affects her probably more than anyone else....

MR. RUSSERT: So you won't change your view on late-term abortion in order to get the Conservative Party endorsement?

MAYOR GIULIANI: It isn't just that. We shouldn't limit this to one issue. I'm generally not going to change my views
- NBC Meet the Press, February 6, 2000

---

***Note: the version of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban that Giuliani opposed in 2000, that he said he supported Bill Clinton in vetoing the Republican-controlled Congress's legislation, contained the exception for the life of the mother that Rudy is now trying to pretend is a prerequisite for his support of it.

[Peach]

Indeed, in one recent poll, majorities of Republicans who were informed of Giuliani’s views on social issues said that they were either minor issues or no issues at all; only 16% said that they wouldn't vote for him after being informed of these views.

In the online GOP Bloggers poll, Giuliani is consistently one of the few candidates to end up with a net positive acceptability rating. These internet denizens are well-informed, and overwhelmingly self-describe as conservative (78% self-describe as 7 or higher on a 10-scale of conservatism). If these people can support Rudy, anyone can.

Human Events, Is Giuliani the Republican Peyton Manning,
2/6/07
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1780060/posts

Rudy has a strong 84% conservative approval rating. (Battle ground poll as of Jan.11, '07)



The rebirth of New York City, the most visible urban achievement in the 20th century is the work of the person now dubbed America’s mayor. For the millions of Americans who live in New York and the millions more who work or whose livelihood has been affected by its revival the contrast between the pre and post Giuliani years could not be more striking.

His defense of Israel and intolerance for Arab and U.N. sponsored anti-Semitism is legendary.

He figuratively walked into the lion's den of a crime ridden, high tax, and decaying city and carried out a conservative agenda of tax cuts, crime reduction and, in the case of the Brooklyn Museum, defense of religion in the public square. On this count Giuliani seems to be the winner in the public character category for his extraordinary vision and leadership.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1780064/posts






In fact, an exit poll question from Pew in 2004 revealed that only 3% of voters named abortion as their top voting issue, 2% named religiosity, and 2% named gay marriage.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1780060/posts



Even Reagan couldn't live up to Reagan in today's climate.

He was a great president, but he wasn't perfect.

He was divorced, married a pregnant Nancy, and signed the most liberal abortion legislation at the time when he was Governor of California. As president he gave us two lousy Supreme Court judges, signed amnesty legislation, raised taxes 4 times and after the presidency he actively pushed for federal gun legislation (the Brady Bill).





Rudy also kicked Arafat out of a concert hall. This was back when it wasn't fashionable and Clinton was hosting the terrorist in the White House as his most frequent guest.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19980




Ultra social conservative Pat Robertson thinks Rudy would make a good president.

Asked if Giuliani would be an acceptable 2008 presidential candidate to Christian conservatives, Pat Robertson told ABC's "This Week:" "He did a super job running the city of New York and I think he'd make a good president."

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/5/1/102522.shtml



The SayNoToRudy web site changed their minds about him and now supports him.
http://saynotorudy.org/



Ronald Reagan on compromise:
When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it. "Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything.

I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'

If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it.

~~ Ronald Reagan, in his autobiography, An American Life .



The Hoover Institute, at which Reagan is an Honorary Fellow, thinks Rudy has been good for the GOP.

Working on a book about the Republican Party, last year Hoover fellow Peter Robinson spent some time with Rudolph Giuliani. Although Giuliani is no longer running for the Senate, Robinson argues that Giuliani’s accomplishments as mayor of New York City set an example for Republican candidates just the same. A portrait of a brilliant politician—and a great public servant.
http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/3491481.html



At the Reagan Library Gift Shop, all but 3 of the books sold under the "Ronald Reagan Book" section are about Reagan himself or presidential modes of transportation.

Rudy Giuliani's book Leadership is one of those 3 books.

The other 2 are written by Reagan's son and McCaslin.



Rudy's excellent speech at the 2004 GOP Convention:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/politics/083004-15v.htm



As George Will said on “This Week,” “His eight years as mayor of New York were the most successful episode of conservative governance in this country in the last 50 years, on welfare and crime particularly." Giuliani, more than any other candidate (Romney comes the closest) has the record of taking on major institutions and reforming them. Think about tourist magnet that is New York now. When Rudy Giuliani took office, 59% of New Yorkers said they would leave the city the next day if they could. Under Rudy Giuliani’s leadership as Mayor of the nation’s largest city, murders were cut from 1,946 in 1993 to 649 in 2001, while overall crime – including rapes, assaults, burglary and auto-thefts – fell by an average of 57%. Not only did he fight crime in Gotham like Batman, despite being constantly vilified by the New York Times, he took head on the multiculturalism and victimization perpetuated by Al Sharpton and his cohort of race baiters. He ended New York’s set-aside program for minority contractors and rejected the idea of lowering standards for minorities. As far as the economy goes, Rudy reduced or eliminated 23 city taxes. He faced a $2.3 billion budget deficit but cut spending instead hiking taxes.

http://www.redstate.com/blogs/dmeaton/2007/feb/04/achieving_socially_conservative_ideals_through_liberal_means_making_the_case_for_rudy




I believe that life is sacred and should not be treated as a commodity. I believe that the institution of marriage needs to be preserved. For now at least, good judges are best way to protect the institution of marriage and move America closer to the day when a debate on the local level can begin again about the value of human life. In order for us to have this debate in state legislatures we must win the next fight over the next Supreme Court vacancy, and if we lose the next presidential election than we will have taken a major step backwards in our quest to replace the current liberal ideology on the highest bench. More than any potential Republican president, Rudy Giuliani will have the easiest time getting strict constructionists confirmed to the Supreme Court and the lower courts.

Think of four scenarios: 1) A Hillary appointment 2) A court battle in which a thinly elected Republican administration that is led by someone who is avidly pro-life faces down a probably Democratic controlled Senate 3) A court battle in which the overwhelmingly elected Republican administration is led by the Bull Moose lover himself, Mr. McCain 4) A court battle in which pro-choice Giuliani, elected and respected by a huge majority of Americans, makes the argument that strict constructionist jurisprudence is needed in the 21st century. He did after all strongly support Justice Roberts, Justice Alito, and he said that he would have made Justice Scalia Chief Justice. As important, Giuliani can actually make a personal case for a specific legal doctrine. The mayor is a former high ranking Justice department attorney who has argued before the Supreme Court.

To reclaim the Senate and Congress, to hold onto the White House, to build a sustainable Republican majority, and to advance conservative principles, we Republicans must unite together and support a candidate who can win the hearts of the vast majority of Americans.

Only when we win hearts can we then win minds.

http://www.redstate.com/blogs/dmeaton/2007/feb/04/achieving_socially_conservative_ideals_through_liberal_means_making_the_case_for_rudy

[shempy]

I was wondering from where this steaming pile of an article came when I noticed the author's name is "colon" and suddenly it all made sense.

[KarinG1]

If Giuliani wins he'll do it without my vote. If Republicans can't do better than that maybe it's time again for a Dim president. Ronald Reagan would have probably never been elected if not for Jimmy Carter.

[Grizzled Bear]

Alicia Colon: Giuliani Can Win
___________________________________________________________

And you should always listen to a Colon.

[dirtboy]

While gun control is just one of the hot-button issues that may present a problem for Mr. Giuliani during the Republican primary campaign, there is an overriding issue that might make this and other social issues moot — the war on terror.

Second straight article you've posted saying basically the exact same thing.

I think we are starting to see which columnists are getting Rudy's talking points lists emailed to them.

[mylife]

This sounds like the opinion of a Colon, The tail end of one at any rate.

[Faustian Justice2]

[deport]

Alicia Colon: Giuliani Can Win

---

Maybe so and maybe not but in todays polling environment the article title is correct. That may change over time but not a given and time is fast eluding any other wannabe.

25. Thinking ahead to the next presidential election, if the 2008 general election 
were held today and the candidates were [Democrat NAME], [Republican NAME], 
and [independent NAME], for whom would you vote?

             Hillary    Rudy       Ralph  (Other/ 
             Clinton   Giuliani    Nader  Don’t know) 
13-14 Feb 07   40%       46           5        9 
Democrats      73%       17           5        5 
Republicans     7%       84           3        7  
Independents   40%       41           6       13


26. – 27. What if the candidates were [Democrat NAME] and [Republican NAME] 
(ROTATE QUESTIONS 26 AND 27 AND ROTATE ORDER OF NAMES WITHIN QUESTIONS)


             Hillary     Rudy        (Other/ 
             Clinton     Giuliani     Don’t know) 
13-14 Feb 07   40%        49            11 
Democrats      73%        20             7 
Republicans     6%        87             8 
Independents   39%        46            15
 

[George W. Bush]

The argument made is that the ex-mayor will fight terrorism and can use that to deflect concerns over his left-wing political positions. Supposedly, this is why he can win.

Given that the 2006 election was anything but an endorsement on the war in Iraq, it is very suspect.

The voters really aren't that wild about the WOT. There is a faction of the GOP that is. Those are the ones who support the ex-mayor.

So, Giuliani's appeal is reduced to: vote for him or the terrorists will kill you and Hillary will do bad bad things.

I don't think the conservative base will stampede so easily. And I'm certain the indies and Dims won't.

Running a blatantly anti-gun pro-sodomy candidate in a country that has moved so strongly in so many states to CCW and outlawing sodomy marriage is a strange move. Even more so when the Dims won their majority by being more conservative.

When the '06 election sees the election of pro-life and pro-gun Dims (at least nominally), that is not the time for the GOP to nominate a gungrabbing pro-abortion pro-sodomy candidate.

[isom35]

Alicia Colon my @ss

[WFTR]

While gun control is just one of the hot-button issues that may present a problem for Mr. Giuliani during the Republican primary campaign, there is an overriding issue that might make this and other social issues moot — the war on terror.

The 9/11 attacks succeeded because our society's first response to aggression has become calling 9-1-1 and waiting passively for "proper authorities" to handle the situation. The people on those planes showed tremendous courage to do what they've been taught is the correct thing to do under tremendous pressure, but the passive response is wrong. On the one plane where they resisted evil with force, they overcame that evil and saved the lives of people wherever the fourth target was. If they'd rushed the cockpit before the terrorists had gained total control, they likely would have saved their own lives as well.

The lesson that we need to learn from 9/11 is the lesson that passively waiting for "proper authorities" to handle everything is wrong, but that is the message of the anti-Second Amenment people. As one of those anti-Second Amendment, anti-resistance to evil, anti-self-defense advocates, Rudy Giuliani is part of the problem in the War on Terror and not part of the solution. His likely positions on defending us against our enemies is one of the primary reasons that I can never vote for him.

Bill

[JCEccles]

How ironic. A columnist in the New York Sun says Rudy can win.

Rudy can't even win New York.

[bilhosty]

How is Rudy a "liberal-left Republican"? he lowered Taxes, reduced Government. Threw Yassir Arafat out of the ball, Stared down the race hucksters, threw people off welfare,Even in the 90's he said we needed better border security. He shutdown blasphemous "art" displays. Threw porno out of times Square. Supports the fight in Iraq and opposed gay marriage. why because he says he is for abortion. Even Barry Goldwater when he left the Senate fessed up he was for it. At least Rudy says what most other GOP Senators and rep's believe secretly.
Rudy is an Urban-Suburban conservative and we are losing ground there all over the country. We need to shore up that section of society or go on the ash heap. Not all of us Conservatives you know probably not even most go to Evangelical Church's or live in a small town or have any desire to own guns. If you write us off forget about being anything but losers.

[cripplecreek]

I'm not going to beat up on him because I like the man but I don't believe he can win.

The GOP needs to recapture the Reagan democrats, not attempt to capture the Clinton democrats.