American Rudy: Hot Dog Wants to Be Corn Dog

NY Observer ^ | February 21, 2007 | Jason Horowitz

[don-o]

Rudy Giuliani now comes in a new package. Social conservatives still aren’t buying it.

“It’s a sleight of hand,” said Bob Barr, a former Georgia Congressman and champion of small government. “On issues that I consider extremely important to conservatives, such as respect for the Second Amendment, he is nowhere near even remotely in the ballpark of a conservative philosophy.”

The famously resolute, plain-spoken and uncompromising former Mayor has unveiled new shades of nuance to go along with his historically liberal positions on abortion, gun control and gay marriage, which pose the major obstacles to his pursuit of the Republican nomination for President in 2008.

[SIDENET]

Explain your way outta that one, RudyBots.

< crickets chirping>

[Jim Noble]

What's your point? That Jim Noble is pro-Rudy?

You bet I am!

[wagglebee]

The rape/incest angle has ALWAYS been a strawman argument because the instances of this are so exceedingly rare as to not even matter.

[EternalVigilance]

Forget it. It went over your head.

[mkjessup]

What's your point? That Jim Noble is pro-Rudy? You bet I am!

Well then, perhaps YOU could explain why Republicans should support Rudy for President, when Rudy couldn't even support the Republican Party's candidate for Governor of New York State George Pataki, Rudy went out of his way to support MARIO CUOMO!?!

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

True Conservatives won't allow a democrat to be elected President.

I am not a "conservative." Never referred to myself as one either (do a forum search).

A fancy Madison Avenue label on a liberal doesn't make someone a Republican...

[Luis Gonzalez]

"The GOP got whipped last election because of the war and because of political corruption."

So then, why are so many surprised that the GOP front runner is a law and order proponent with a tough guy image earned after taking on the mob in NYC and beating them?

[Jim Noble]

the Republican Party's candidate for Governor of New York State George Pataki

Do you know anything about George Pataki?

Or about the responsibilities of the mayoralty of New York?

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Liberals lie at the premise; grant them the false premise and you lose the argument. God, open our eyes!

[dmw]

What is this, a contest to see who's the most liberal person here on Free Republic!? Who'd ever thunk it???

[wagglebee]

It's just like all of the talk about "back alley" abortions. The drop in deaths of women having abortions is entirely the result of medical advances (mainly antibiotics), even before Roe almost all illegal abortions were performed by licensed physicians.

[dmw]

LOL! I like it!

[don-o]

It's the opening theme of "O Brother Where Art Thou?"

[mkjessup]

I know a fair amount about George Pataki, but that isn't really germane to the question. If we apply the standard of whether or not Rudy should have supported Pataki that is being applied to Republicans, who are being told that they should now support Rudy if he becomes the GOP nominee for President, there is clearly a conflict and to any casual observer, it is the worst kind of hypocrisy.

As for the responsibilities of the Mayor of New York, that too is not germane to the question, as Mario Cuomo, as partisan a Democrat that ever walked the Earth, would surely have understood if Rudy had remained loyal to his fellow Republicans and had endorsed Pataki in his campaign for Governor.

Rudy couldn't bring himself to do that. I haven't heard him (or anyone else) provide a believable explanation or justification for his actions. He wants Republicans to support him, but he couldn't even support one of his own.

What kind of party loyalty is that?

[EternalVigilance]

I hear ya. It's an alternate universe, ain't it?

[Jim Noble]

who are being told that they should now support Rudy if he becomes the GOP nominee for President

You should support Rudy because he is the best possible choice for the office.

Whether he is the Republican nominee or not is irrelevant to me.

[EternalVigilance]

You should support Rudy because he is the best possible choice for the office.

"Most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." - Rudy Giuliani

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

The article is about social Conservatives, so I was referring to socially liberal Republicans. Libertarians are fiscally Conservative, but socially liberal.

That's a common lie about libertarians, spread by too many libertarians themselves. Is it "socially liberal" to be against gun control? What about hate crime laws? What about overturning Roe v. Wade and a general respect for states rights over judicial fiat? Those are socially liberal views?

[mkjessup]

You should support Rudy because he is the best possible choice for the office. Whether he is the Republican nominee or not is irrelevant to me.

I note that you were unable to explain Rudy's inability to support a candidate of his own party, in his own state.

As for Rudy being 'the best possible choice for the office'?

Giuliani/Clinton/Dem vs. GOP Platform Comparison
Issue	Giuliani	Clinton	Dem Platform	GOP Platform
Abortion on Demand	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Partial Birth Abortion	Supports Opposed NY ban	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Roe v. Wade	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Taxpayer Funded Abortions	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Embryonic Stem Cell Research	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Federal Marriage Amendment	Opposes	Opposes	Opposes Defined at state level	Supports
Gay Domestic Partnership/ Civil Unions	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Openly Gay Military	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Defense of Marriage Act	Opposes	Opposes	Opposes	Supports
Amnesty for Illegal Aliens	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Special Path to Citizenship for Illegal Aliens	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Tough Penalties for Employers of Illegal Aliens	Opposes	Opposes	Opposes	Supports
Sanctuary Cities/ Ignoring Immigration Law	Supports	Supports	Supports	Opposes
Protecting 2nd Amendment	Opposes	Opposes	Opposes Supports bans	Supports
Confiscating Guns	Supports Confiscated as mayor. Even bragged.	Supports	Supports Supports bans	Opposes
'Assault' Weapons Ban	Supports	Supports	Supports
Frivolous Lawsuits Against Gun Makers	Supports Filed One Himself	Supports		Opposes
Gun Registration/Licenses	Supports	Supports		Opposes
War in Afghanistan	Supports	Supports Voted for it	Supports	Supports
War in Iraq	Supports	Supports Voted for it	Supports Weak support	Supports
Patriot Act	Supports	Supports Voted for it 2001 & 2006	Opposes	Supports

"Most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." - Rudy Giuliani

[PFC]

Okay, seriously, when do the Republican candidates enter the race? Cuz I'm not liking any of the options.