Giuliani Speaks at CPAC (CSPAN) LIVE

CSPAN ^ | 3/1/07

[areafiftyone]

All day today we are covering speakers and panels at the 34th Annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC. This morning, we'll hear from Republican presidential hopeful former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He will be followed by Reps. Scott Garrett (NJ), Tom Tancredo (CO), and others.

CLICK ON THE MAIN CSPAN PAGE HERE

[Corin Stormhands]

Get out of your bunker and smell the coffee.

But, but, but...it's so comfy in Mom's basement...

[dirtboy]

As I have often explained to Evelyn, I do not believe the abortion battle will be won in the courts or in the public policy arena.

Sorry, but overturning Roe is critical. And Rudy has abused his mayoral bully pulpit to push abortion rights. That's wrong.

[PhiKapMom]

Honestly, I wish every politician would steer well clear of social issues. Social conservatism starts at the bottom up—in your home, church and community—not from the top down with the government. Politicians who actively push a socially conservative agenda do little more than preach at the choir while pissing off everyone else; the same with social liberals. Hearts and minds aren't won over to the conservative cause by any elected politician.

Exactly and very well stated! Thank you!

[Hildy]

For all your caterwauling, you haven't changed a damn thing.

Actually, Corin, you're wrong. They have changed alot of things. They have succeeded at making FR a shrill, angry, and unwelcoming website where people are intimidated into not posting and, frankly, leaving. Jim will feel it at the next Freepathon, and after almost nine years here....that's a pretty huge change and a pretty sad state of affairs.

[EternalVigilance]

Do you always make claims about people with no proof?

[Sunsong]

A rotten person is a rotten person, regardless of political affiliation.

Exactly and they get worse with time(s). They may have principles - but they rarely adhere to them.

[Corin Stormhands]

You have a point there.

[onyx]

If I can manage to afford it --- sounds fun!

[Old_Mil]

Reagan used to say my 80% ally is not my 20% enemy.

A very true statement. Which is why, despite favoring Duncan Hunter, I could see myself voting for a half dozen other Republican candidates. However, my 80% enemy is not my 20% ally - and this is why Rudy Giuliani will never be one of those candidates.

[Corin Stormhands]

Do you actual think anyone believes your denials?

[You Dirty Rats]

If Rudy wins I'll wear a dress to the party. I'll have to ask my wife whether I should wear pantyhose or stockings and a garter belt.

[EternalVigilance]

Aren't you the guy I saw yesterday claiming that conservatism is a mental disorder?

[Hildy]

I grew up in NY, left in 1989. One of the reasons I left was because the city was so out of control, I was afraid to leave my apartment. When I returned in 2001, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was like a whole different place. People were walking around Times Square at midnight. THOUSANDS! I remember the day I'd take a taxi several more blocks just to avoid the walk through Times Square.

[Sunsong]

Actually, Corin, you're wrong. They have changed alot of things. They have succeeded at making FR a shrill, angry, and unwelcoming website where people are intimidated into not posting and, frankly, leaving. Jim will feel it at the next Freepathon, and after almost nine years here....that's a pretty huge change and a pretty sad state of affairs.

It seems to me that they are encouraged to act like that. So go figure? As long as you answer correctly on all the right litmus test questions - you are free to be as much of a creep on this site as you please.

[EternalVigilance]

Do you actual think anyone believes your denials?

That's irrelevent to the fact that you keep making claims you have no evidence for.

[My2Cents]

I'm in! Besides, I'd love to get all of us in one room, and meet each other face-to-face. :-)

[Howlin]

She always transcribes; she's better than I am and I'm a court reporter (or was)!

[Hildy]

Pantyhose is more comfortable...but if you think you're going to get lucky...wear the garter!

[Spiff]

Do you have the speech Rudy gave in 1999 in liberal NYC about Ronald Reagan?

From the 1993 Campaign Strategy document:

The Giuliani campaign similary should use the words of JFK to blunt the Dinkins campaign's appeals to party loyalty. Instead of allowing the electorate to think Giuliani is a "Reagan Republican" the Giuliani campaigns hould encourage the feeling towards David Dinkins that "sometimes party loyalty asks too much."

There is not a minute to waste in inoculating against the Reagan Republican moniker. If you assume everything has remained equal since the 1989 campaign, then Giuliani needs only to convert small numbers of liberal voters to pick up the two-percent he must win to get over the top.

[Translation - he willingly traded the "Reagan Republican" moniker, abandoned the Reagan Revolution, and turned against the Reagan legacy for a lousy two-percent of liberal voters. And now he thinks he can invoke Reagan and wrap himself in the Reagan legacy!? - spiff]

The Giuliani campaign should emphasize its candidate's independence from traditional national Republican policies. Especially useful in this strategy is Giuliani's reole in overturning a Reagan administration attempt to throw disabled people off the Social Security rolls, his prosecution of Republican elected officials -- especially his authorization for calling his boss, Attorney General Edwin Meese III, a sleaze, and his un-Republican views on many social issues of concern to New Yorkers, like abortion, gun control, and bias protection for homosexuals.

[HitmanLV]

Yes, conservatism in its extreme form is a mental disorder, just like extreme liberalism is a mental disorder.

Only a mentally disordered person would push for Rick Santorum to be on the 2008 GOP ticket, for example, when he lost his statewide election by 20pts.