Posted on 02/16/2007 4:34:15 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
Long dismissed by Washington insiders as incapable of receiving the Republican Party's presidential nomination because of his pro-abortion rights, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control views, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was lavished with praise Friday by an icon of American conservatism.
"He is much stronger than anyone could have predicted six months ago," said former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich from Georgia. "New York is four times safer than it used to be. It's one of the greatest achievements of government capability in the 20th century. And Rudy just has to go out and say, 'This is who I am. If you think the world's dangerous, and you need a tough guy … that's me.' "
Gingrich, who co-wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed with Giuliani last month, said he is not endorsing the man who led New York City through the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and he noted that he may still jump into the presidential race against him.
But the words of praise from the architect of the GOP's 1994 takeover of Congress capped a big week for Giuliani, which included more encouraging poll numbers, a raucous reception from California Republicans, and the latest round of softball interviews in which he has been able to downplay his liberal social views by espousing his commitment to appointing "strict constructionist" judges.
Nearly a year before the first presidential primaries are held, a Gallup Poll released Wednesday found that Giuliani has a 16-point lead among Republicans over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
In general election matchups, Gallup found that Giuliani leads Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., by nine points and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., by two points, within the survey's three-point margin of error. McCain, by contrast, ties Obama and trails Clinton by three percentage points.
Saying that former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., is going through a "little bit of a rough patch," Gingrich was noticeably cooler toward Romney today than he has been in the past.
Back in November, while appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Gingrich singled out Romney as someone who is working "very hard" to fill a vacuum in the GOP for a "clearer voice of conservatism," adding that Romney "may well succeed."
Gingrich adopted a different tone toward Romney today after cost estimates for his health care plan, which have soared above the former governor's expectations, which revealed.
"I think that he's very smart, he's very articulate, and he's had a little bit of a rough patch with the cost of the health plan is Massachusetts," said Gingrich, "But he's a very smart guy, and I think he'll be a very significant candidate."
In assessing Giuliani's potential appeal to conservatives, Gingrich pointed to Giuliani saying in recent interviews that he would appoint "strict constructionist" judges.
Gingrich predicted that one of Giuliani's GOP rivals would air television ads attacking him for having made positive statements in the past about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Supreme Court justice appointed by former President Clinton, who has upheld abortion rights.
Gingrich, however, seemed unconvinced that the line of attack would work
"And as he said the other day," said Gingrich, "he would have appointed the same two Supreme Court justices as Bush did. So conservatives have got to decide, you know, is that acceptable or not acceptable?"
me too. I live in the Democratic People's Republic of NJ.
This sinkhole should be featured as a "don't let this happen to you" lesson in how NOT to run a government. Corruption, Big Government, Global Warming hypocrisy, double dipping in state pensions, dual office holding to lobby themselves for money, no-show jobs, stupid politician tricks to pretend that they are dealing with the real issues like property taxes right before an election.
What can I say that hasn't been said 200 years before I was born:
(paraphrasing) "In a Democracy, you are guaranteed to get the government that you deserve." ---Thomas Jefferson.
God damn, people in this state and surrounding states are stupid! Then they jump across the Berlin Wall and move to Florida to escape the self-inflicted Hell they created in their own state.
What happens? They vote for the same liberal, tax and spend Democrat politicians there. Then they wonder why they have to leave Florida because the property taxes are too high. This democracy stuff doesn't seem to be working, what the hell is wrong?
Having seen your posts for years, I interpret that to mean that Newt failed to parrot your own dogma. It's no secret that you live in a simple black and white world where the saints all agree with you and the sinners never do. That is to say that criticism from you quarter is essentially meaningless, just in case I wasn't clear.
Hero 2 hours ago --- thrown under the bus now.
I'm sure we'll be seeing a
Evidently there is no one they won't trash in their quest to try to hold on to the party.
It's a good thing Jesus isn't running.
Even with Newt at around ~40% disapproval, ~22% approval ratings I would ring door bells and talk like my wife to get anyone to run for POTUS as a real conservative.
I'm not hung up with the extra wives, I'm hung up with some simple issues such as abortion, guns, gay marriage etc. No real big issues as a conservative, but maybe some issues one should consider, if he stated he was a conservative. I guess it's one of those "silly me moments".
It won't be long before YOU KNOW WHO will enter the race to save us all!
Regardless of who our nominee is, we have to fight like hell to turn around the public perception on the war.
LOL!
yep.
BTW, in one of the latest polls, 65% of the respondents said they would NOT vote for Newt.
Hey, if you consider the Contract with America to be deep thinking, that's your business.
It wouldn't surprise me if this is Newt's strategy. Use a populist liberal to knock out all of the other contenders and then Newt can jump in and destroy Rudy in the primaries.
Good analysis.
NO matter what ahppens in 2008, America will not come to and end. Nominating Rudy would move the GOP leftward even more then its been under Bush. Electing Hillary or Rudy would give us conservatives, 4-8 years of on the outside looking in.
First, however, that scenario has to play out and right now, I don't see it happening.
Yes, but I'm pretty sure that today somebody told me Jesus wouldn't vote for Rudy...
Yeah, he said that. However, that was awhile ago before 9/11. Since then he's been much more hawkish than any Dem.
Took everyone by surprise. Street theater will be starting soon enough.
"Hawkish" on killing babies, grabbing guns, protecting illegal aliens and making common cause with the radical gay activists.
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