Posted on 02/20/2007 9:54:39 AM PST by Spiff
The Republicans, and even some socially conservative and evangelical leaders, are beginning to adjust to the possibility of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the GOP nominee for president. But not all.
The Southern Baptist's Richard Land, for instance, predicts massive defections from Rudy in the event of a Rudy Giuliani vs. Hillary Clinton race. Hugh Hewitt, evangelical talk-meister in the syndicated stream of radio shows doubts this; "... If Rudy is persuasive on the judges he will nominate, he wouldn't have a problem with the social conservatives in the general election." So tell us you'll nominate the likes of Scalia, Roberts, and Alito to the Supreme Court, and we will line up behind you no matter your substantial views that run counter to the Judeo-Christian ethic, he and his handlers are undoubtedly thinking.
Well, I won't.
And I bet I speak for hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions when I say that I cannot in good conscience vote for a man with significant moral problems in his personal life, a radically wrong view of abortion (against it personally, but for women making their own pro-abortion choice), and oh-so-very Times Square and Hollywood on the issues of homosexual rights and guns (for and against, respectively).
Can't vote for him, even if his opponent is Hillary Rodham Clinton? No, I cannot.
Aw, c'mon, Team Republican says, nobody who purports to be socially conservative, evangelical, or who voted twice for Ronald Reagan will be able to muster a vote for Hillary over Rudy.
Probably right. But voting for her isn't the only option. When the electorate isn't excited about the candidates, they are capable of staying home -- particularly those who don't much care to think political thoughts 24/7 and are not enthused about the choices. There are others of us who will either leave the presidential portion of the ballot unmarked or decide for the first time in our lives to vote, say, the Constitution Party.
Next argument -- Then you'll just be putting Hillary into office. Next rebuttal -- No, rather, my precious vote won't be responsible for putting into office a man who thinks we will vote for him because he is best suited and capably prepared to keep America safe but can't guard his own soul from moral perdition.
But, in all of this, there is something else to think about. The President of the United States guides his own political party and its platform. And the party of President Rudy Giuliani will soon become the party of the same kind of governing mushiness that has absorbed the Democrats. Give the party to Rudy and the moral code and political sensibilities of Reagan are lost, perhaps for good. Better to lose an election and reload ideologically than try to cheer on and take cues from a man with a worldview radically divergent from your own.
May the primaries be kind to the GOP; and kindness means Giuliani loses.
Matt Friedeman (mfriedeman@wbs.edu) is a professor at Wesley Biblical Seminary. Respond to this column at his blog: evangelismtoday.blogspot.com. Opinions expressed in 'Perspectives' columns published by OneNewsNow.com are the sole responsibility of the article's author(s), or of the person(s) or organization(s) quoted therein, and do not necessarily represent those of the staff or management of, or advertisers who support the American Family News Network, OneNewsNow.com, our parent organization or its other affiliates. The way to electoral suicide -- vote Giuliani
February 20, 2007
This is what those "realists" who are pushing Giuliani so early because they think he's our only hope are turning a blind eye to. There are a significant number of people who will either not vote or will vote third party rather than vote for someone who holds his liberal social views, regardless of the consequences.
Now, you can scream and shout and threaten with visions of Hillary in the Oval Office all day long, and it won't make any difference. There will still be a significant number of voters who go that way. Will it result in a Dem victory? I personally think the Dems are far more likely to win if we run Giuliani, regardless of any conservative holdouts, but let's say the Rudy supporters are right, and a block of conservatives not voting for Giuliani costs us the White House? So what? If it happens, it happens, and predicting it or being proved right isn't going to do a damned thing to protect our country from Islamic terrorism or economic suicide.
So why not support someone in the primaries who actually stands for what the Republican party has traditionally believed in, and who needs no nose-holding except by those whose social views are such that they'd likely be voting for Hillary anyway so that they can be part of electing the first woman President? Such a candidate may well pull the "Reagan Democrats" over whereas they'd otherwise just be voting the party line because there was no clear alternative offered. And if you insist on not supporting such a conservative candidate in the primaries, then how are you being any less instransigent and stubborn than the "purists" who are so often vilified here?
bttt
It's as if this was pulled right from the page headlines of FREE REPUBLIC!
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All you social liberals out there had better listen up to this message, because if Rudy is the Republican nominee, we're likely looking at the election of a Democrat president in '08. If you thought '06 was bad, look out.
What if Duncan Hunter choses Rudy as VP?
Liberals vote for party, but only some conservatives do this. Many conservatives vote on principle.Rudy is:
Pro abortion
Anti gun
Pro gay
Pro illegal immigration.
Strike 4. He can't win!
What would the message be? The GOP nominee will be the person who does best in the GOP primaries throughout the country. Your message would be to other voters not to vote for the people they like if you don't like them?
I'll tell you this -- if conservatives try to send a message to millions of voters that they better "vote better" next time, the moderates will be justified in doing the same to conservatives, and none of us will win anything.
But you should feel free to use any voting strategy you want -- and you should not vote for a person you don't want to vote for.
My voting strategy is to look at the election, review the candidates, and decide which choice I make will make our country stronger over the next 4 years.
I can't imagine Hillary Clinton being the answer to that question -- even if we do something crazy like pick Tom Tancredo as our nominee.
that's hilarious...
That won't be a concern.
And when there isn't any difference between the Democrat and the republican and any of the substantive issues, then better a principled vote and a wake up call to the republicans. We survived 8 years of 1 clinton we can survive another if necessary.
He's a non-starter for half the base. The other half, which tolerates the social-nanny-state conservatives, don't seem to have much trouble with him. If you want them to consider your "acceptable social conservative", you don't want to make them so mad they retaliate against your candidates.
Jesus isn't on the Ballot... And we don't have a "perfect" candidate, Rudy is the best that we have, we could do a LOT worse! LOL
"The way to stop Rudy is to support your candidate in the primary battle. "
We don't get to cast a meaningful primary vote. That privilege is only given to those in liberal strongholds like New Hampshire. By the time most of us get to vote, its already over.
So, you better get busy and put forward a candidate acceptable to the Christian conservative base of the Republican Party before its too late. Rudy = electoral suicide. If he's the nominee, we lose in the General. If one of the actual Republicans in the race becomes the nominee, we might win. We can't win with Rudy.
AH HAAAAH! HAAAAH!
I LOVE IT! Now THAT'S a KEEPER!
That's really gonna singe the ol' red-eye of those "one-issue" accusers!
(laughing hysterically)
Has he kicked the Chinese out of California yet?
What if Global warming is true?
What is the Bird flue kills off 70 million?
What if?
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