Red County Interview: Bill Simon On Rudy Giuliani

Orange County Register Blog ^ | February 14, 2007 | Bill Simon Interview

[BunnySlippers]

Bill Simon: I think Rudy will make an extraordinary President. I don't know of anyone I'm in 100% agreement with respect to every issue -- even my fellow conservatives. So I'm not troubled if I don't agree with someone on every issue as long as they demonstrate very strong leadership qualities, which Rudy does, and a very strong sense of public service, which Rudy does, and a very firm agenda in areas that are important to me and in a way in which he can execute -- all of which Rudy does.

When you think about the priorities he's expressed -- things like national security -- I don't know of anyone better in the public arena now who can handle issues of national security better than Mayor Giuliani.

And when you talk about issues related to fiscal conservatism, which are important to Rudy, I don't know anybody in the public arena who has cut taxes 23 times as Rudy did when he was mayor of New York; who has shrunk the size of government, which he did when he was mayor of New York; reduced the welfare rolls by over 50 percent, which he did when he was mayor of New York. And that's not going into reducing crime by 65% and many other things that he did while mayor in a situation that, before he became mayor, was widely regarded as the second toughest job in American politics, and was widely regarded as an ungovernable situation.

I think he did an extraordinary job as Mayor of New York in a Democrat-controlled environment, and being able to function as a fiscal conservative in that Democrat-controlled environment is an amazing achievement.

Cunningham: How long have you known Mayor Giuliani?

[Peach]

Cut taxes 23 TIMES

Reduced welfare roles 50%
(one of seven New Yorkers were on welfare when Rudy became mayor. He turned that around

Reduced crime 65%

(I just thought I'd repeat that, Bunny).

One of the articles in my files says that when Rudy took office, taxes were higher in NYC than any other city in the world. And since NYC's economy is larger than all but 5 states (might have been 6), that's a pretty important achievement that Rudy managed and it shows he has had leadership skills.

See you tomorrow. I have to get my beauty rest for a big party we're hosting tomorrow night.

[Corin Stormhands]

I'm not keeping an endorsement list per se, but I'm doing a running post of Rudy threads on my profile page. I'm not up to date for today.

There were just too dang many!!!

[Ol' Sparky]

I don't know of anyone I'm in 100% agreement with respect to every issue

Not only isn't Giullani ready close to being 100% conservative, he isn't even close to being a 50% conservative.

Many of these same numbskulls proclaiming Giullani a conservative are the same ones telling us Arnold Schwartenegger was.

If conservatives are dumb enough as whole to nominate an adulterous RINO for President, this country deserves to go to hell in a handbasket.

[JCEccles]

I don't know of anyone better in the public arena now who can handle issues of national security better than Mayor Giuliani.

An opinion with no evidence to support it.

[nutmeg]

I think I've had a stroke. This is too much common sense to grasp all in one sitting. I may have to finish reading the article tomorrow morning.

LOL! :o)

[Ol' Sparky]

Giullani is pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda, pro-gun control, pro-made-man global warming and his administration increased expenditures during his second-term. What exactly is remotely conserative about that?

[DKNY]

Great, let me know if you need help...

[baubau]

Hey, Bunny, am I on that Rudy ping list?

If not, please add my name to it.

Thanks.

[Cicero]

Interesting.

Bill Simon was strongly and reliably pro-life. Like his father, he is a conservative Catholic.

He doesn't answer the question about whether conservatives can vote for someone who doesn't have a pro-life record.

On the other hand, you have to credit Giuliani with being just about the ONLY nationally prominent Republican who campaigned for Simon in California right up to the end. And he knew that Simon was pro-life when he did it.

Simon seems to have a bad rap around here for some reason, but he only lost the election by a few percent. If Bush had continued to back him, and if the Republican pros had raised funds for him instead of writing him off, he probably would have won, and we'd be in a very strong position in California today.

[advance_copy]

Rudy Giuliani is a good Republican, and no one should call him a RINO. There is room in the GOP for Republicans like Mayor Giuliani, but I am not sure it is in the Oval Office.

[concerned about politics]

Conservatives have no one to vote for so far. I hope someone steps up to the plate pretty soon, or our government will be 100% liberal no matter who wins - Rudy(L) or the Hildabeast(L).

[NorCalRepub]

hey Bunny,
I've been defending Rudy on other threads especially the Michael Reagan thread...but remember, Reagan and Newt did not endorse him as Simon and Sessions did...they only said he was a viable candidate and not to give rigid litmus tests to Republicans.....have a great night....

[BunnySlippers]

Thank you.

Maybe we could get the names together. I was going to provide supporting links. Should be semi-easy this early on. :)

[DKNY]

I'm not keeping an endorsement list per se, but I'm doing a running post of Rudy threads on my profile page. I'm not up to date for today.

There were just too dang many!!!

We could probably list most of them from posts, I was able to recall them but now there are so many I cannot keep track!

[BunnySlippers]

You are so cute baubau. You are on the list. :)

[BunnySlippers]

Bill Simon has known Rudy since 1985 and is close, close friends with him

Simon was having breakfast with Rudy when they came to tell Rudy about the planes flying into the WTC.

[Torie]

Explain to me why abortion can be put in the liberal versus conservative box, as commonly understood. One would think the government not interfering with a woman's choice at first blush would be a conservative value. But then one must parse the fetus, and how human it is when, in the sense of deserving legal protection, and then the debate comes down to the characteristics of the fetus, and how one weights those characteristics, and that is not in my opinion a conservative versus liberal issue. I am tired of folks reaching for the "conservative" moniker in a hubristic and mindless way. In any event, that debate is an empty one. Nobody cares, except addictive political hobbyists.

[BunnySlippers]

Pete Sessions
Newt Gingrich
Ted Olson
Susan Molinari
Bill Simon

There are others ..

Michael Reagan. I have to read the Reagan article in its entirety first.

[baubau]

"Anyone keeping a list of those, Conservatives and Republicnas, that have so far come out in support of Rudy?

I don't know if anyone has taken or will take this huge challenge to enumerate the innumerable names. It's a huge task that will require someone with a lot of time on their hands.

Kudos in advance to the brave soul who will prepare such a directory.

[Sudetenland]

You know how it is. If you don't toe the prescribed line of these who call themselves "conservatives" yet would rather have Hill elected than vote for Rudy, then no matter how strong your conservative background is you suddenly become a RINO.

Bwaccckk! Makes me want to puke! They are as bad as the Kossacks or DUers are on the other side. Dut off their noses to spite their faces.

People we better face reality pretty soon or we might as well just fold up the tents and go home. Much as I like Duncan Hunter's stand on the issues, he ain't got a snowball's chance of getting elected. He's got no charisma, virtually no personality, and no name recognition.

It's the same with Newt. He's got the personality, but I'm afraid his political and personal baggage is way too heavy for him to lift. He's already got the highest negatives of any candidate including Hill.

McCain is a pipsqueak temper tantrum just waiting to explode, Mitt is a little to...something, I don't know what, but I don't buy his sudden conversion. Jeb's last name is Bush, nuff said about that, so "Who ya gonna call?" Ru-dy.
Just hope that there are enough people afraid of the gun lobby to prevent him from taking our guns. Abortion's already legal so he can't do much there and so far the gay issue hasn't had much traction in Congress.

Besides he is as tough as they come on the terrorist issue. Just my 3 cents.