Posted on 02/26/2007 1:50:55 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Giuliani Discusses His Democratic Past Feb 26 4:11 PM US/Eastern
By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani addressed his Democratic past on Tuesday and offered one reason for his political conversion _ the economy and taxes.
"I don't think anything separates us more right now between Republicans and Democrats than how we look at taxes," the former New York mayor said. "What we understand as Republicans is that, sure, the government is an important player in this, but we are essentially a private economy. What Democrats really believe ... is that it is essentially a government economy."
In the days of President Kennedy, Giuliani said, Democrats understood the concept of the private economy and cutting taxes. But, he said, Democrats have "kind of lost that."
"It's one of the reasons that I used to be a Democrat and I'm now a Republican," Giuliani said before quoting Winston Churchill as saying: "If you're not a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart, but if you're not a conservative by the time you're 40, you have no brain."
The line prompted laughter from Giuliani's audience, a few hundred people affiliated with the Hoover Institution, a public policy center.
As he seeks the Republican nomination, Giuliani faces the challenge of winning over conservatives who make up the GOP's base and view him skeptically because of his moderate views on social issues and his past allegiance to the Democratic Party. In 1994, Giuliani endorsed Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo over Republican challenger George Pataki.
Addressing his political about-face, Giuliani said he once was a Democrat, then spent five years as an independent before finding a home with the Republican Party.
"Ronald Reagan made only two changes. I was like Churchill, I made three," he quipped.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
That separates YOU from the Democrats, perhaps. You are a lot like them on too damn many other issues.
I'm more interested in his democratic present.
The economy is really the big issue in this election. Hillary or Obama will socialize it. Rudy respects private enterprise. That's not to say that he's the only GOPer who does, but for those who claim there would be no point in supporting Giuliani because he's the same as a liberal Democrat, this is the issue that proves you wrong.
And from what I can see, he's the only GOPer right now who can beat Hillary.
What an idiot.
Mr Mayor, You're no Winston Churchill!
Moderate? Hah! On abortion, gay rights, and gun issues he is more like downright, flaming, full-tilt. left-leaning liberal.
Rudy respects private industry? Maybe, except for gun manufacturers, gun stores, and squeegy men.
Was he comparing himself to Winston Churchill? Are you sure it wasn't Ward Churchill?
Good point.
Depends on his audience really and what the talk was supposed to focus on.
If he get the GOP nomination he will be its most liberal candidate since Wendall Wilkie, who was actually a registered Democrat at the time of his nomination.
Wait a minute -- I thought the "War on Terror" was really the big issue in this election. Are you getting your talking points mixed up?
...and should get out the base about as well...
I can stomach everything about Guiliani except his weak position on 2nd Amendment rights. I'm a two issue voter: that and the WoT. Guiliani would be good on the second one.
End result: I could vote for him for President, but won't vote for him in the primary...
Guess I have no heart.
On the GOP side, with the exception of Hagel, there is nothing that distinguishes the candidates on the war.
You may be right, but I have yet to see any solid statements from any of the candidates about that issue. What exactly have candidates like Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, etc. proposed themselves?
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