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Giuliani stresses record, woos U.S. conservatives
Reuters ^ | Mar 2, 2007 | John Whitesidies

Posted on 03/02/2007 6:30:19 PM PST by PhiKapMom

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent Fri Mar 2, 4:36 PM ET

Republican presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani acknowledged his differences with the party's conservative base on Friday but said bigger principles should be at stake in the race for the White House.

The former New York mayor led a parade of six Republican White House contenders who wooed frustrated conservatives at an annual convention. He asked the activists to look past his support for abortion rights, gay rights and gun control.

Giuliani, dubbed "America's Mayor" for his leadership after the September 11 attacks, touted his New York record of reducing crime, cutting city taxes and moving people from welfare to jobs.

"We all don't see eye to eye on everything. You and I have a lot of common beliefs that are the same, and we have some that are different," Giuliani told attendees at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

"The point of a presidential election is to figure out who do you believe the most, and what do you think are the most important things for this country at a particular time," he said.

Giuliani leads the Republican presidential field in national polls, but he and the other top-tier candidates -- Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- have been criticized for straying from conservative principles.

McCain championed campaign finance reform, opposed some of President George W. Bush's tax cuts and attacked conservative religious leaders during his 2000 presidential campaign. His decision not to appear at the three-day conservative gathering further angered some activists.

Romney has shifted his positions on social issues like abortion and gay rights to become more conservative.

Even many lesser-known candidates have sparked grumbling from conservatives, who have made their displeasure with the 2008 Republican field evident.

"DUDE, WHERE'S MY CANDIDATE?"

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, criticized for raising taxes as governor, promised to sign a pledge he would not raise taxes as president and joked about the state of distress at the conference.

"It might be renamed the conservative presidential anxiety conference," he said. "The theme might be, 'Dude, where's my candidate?"'

Huckabee and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo also took veiled swipes at the top contenders, particularly Romney and his changing positions on hot-button social issues.

"We have to have leaders who understand that being a leader is about being a thermostat, not a thermometer," Huckabee said. "We can't afford to elect people who simply reflect a culture and reflect a common view, but don't necessarily believe it."

Tancredo, using a biblical reference, said such conversions "are supposed to be made on the road to Damascus, not the road to Des Moines."

California Rep. Duncan Hunter (news, bio, voting record) and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) stressed their opposition to abortion rights and their determination to appoint judges who would overturn the Supreme Court decision making it legal.

"If any judicial candidate comes before me who can look at a sonogram of an unborn child and not see a valuable human life, then I will not appoint that candidate to the federal bench," Hunter said.

Romney said he had seen the ineffectiveness of liberal policies while presiding over Massachusetts, one of the most liberal states in the country. He also promised to sign the pledge against tax increases and said he would repeal McCain's signature bill overhauling campaign finance laws.

Tancredo, who entered the race to stress his opposition to illegal immigration, said he had no problem with being called a single-issue candidate as long as people know "my single issue is the survival and success of the conservative movement in America."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: alreuters; c; cpac; duncanhunter; giuliani; rudy
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To: politicalwit
PhiKapMom: It belonged in the States not a federal marriage amendment to the Constitution.

WRONG...

Article V

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress;...

141 posted on 03/03/2007 4:55:09 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Gop1040
"Who can that be? And if so, why aren't you posting in support of your candidate?"

I am supporting ALL GOP candidates except Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.

142 posted on 03/03/2007 5:01:35 AM PST by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: Victoria Delsoul

You obviously missed the post where I reported my telephone conversations with attendees. There was no mind reading, just fact. They did applaud, but nowhere to the exhuberance they showed for Wayne LaPierre or Ann Coulter.


143 posted on 03/03/2007 5:08:55 AM PST by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: My GOP

Here is what we demand as Conservatives. 1. No baby killing 2.shut down the borders 3. Deport law breaking aliens. 4.No globalism-- only sovereignty and nationalism.5. Massive tax cuts and reduced spending.
If we don't get it from these republicans that have brought us this disaster we will slap another third party on them and ruin them forever, Get Rudy and Romney off the stage. (McCain is already gone.)


144 posted on 03/03/2007 7:55:27 AM PST by migraines
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To: politicalwit
As I said, there are 900,000 pages of references to the subject. You're a typical liberal...too damned lazy to do even some of the work. Go back to DU where you belong. Take your baby killing, queer loving, gun grabbing hero with you



Then it should of been easy to find one where he supports gay marriage. Boy those are some great debating skills you have there. The DU part was especially original. Where did you get your mail order degree from? I think your debating skills deserve a new name. How about politicalnitwit ?
145 posted on 03/03/2007 9:28:29 AM PST by Blackirish
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To: TommyDale

The best post here in a good long time!


146 posted on 03/03/2007 12:37:47 PM PST by madprof98 ("moritur et ridet" - salvianus)
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To: My GOP; flashbunny

The article is not proof. It is simply evidence that supports your assertion. If you want to put your faith in the toesucker, be my guest.

It looks like flashbunny deconstructed your argument. No need for me to pursue that further.

Your original contention was "The early frontrunner for the GOP nomination hasn't lost since 1952." From that statement we gather that your intended argument is that, since Rudy is the so-called frontrunner, he will win the nomination. But that is a pretty bogus argument, if that's what you intend to push. No one knows the future, and the past isn't much of an indication in this race because it's such an unusual one, with a female front runner running against the first viable black candidate for the demos, and the first mormon, first italian-american crossdressing mayor, first whatever-is-next on the pubby side. Also, your contention that Giuliani is the clear front runner is pretty far off, considering that he lost the straw poll in Spartanburg yesterday to McCain. Not only that, but it's a lousy argument to motivate socons to vote for such a ridiculous candidate as rudy during the primaries.


147 posted on 03/03/2007 3:55:37 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: TommyDale

nice post!


148 posted on 03/03/2007 4:03:04 PM PST by flashbunny (<--- Free Anti-Rino graphics! See Rudy the Rino get exposed as a liberal with his own words!)
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To: flashbunny
"Sure. Can you send a copy to me and a copy to president Howard Dean?"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Now THAT is funny!

149 posted on 03/03/2007 4:17:37 PM PST by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: Maynerd

Rudy is not the pick of the litter. If his numbers were so strong, he would have won handily in Spartanburg, but instead he's within 1% of Hunter and McCain. He splits the socon base. And the MSM would turn on him the moment he gets nominated. No one has ever won a republican presidency with a split socon base.

We need a socon candidate whose strategy doesn't depend upon the MSM playing nice. And we have one: Duncan Hunter, whose voting record speaks for itself. And Rudy speaks for himself in that video. It's an easy choice during the primaries.


150 posted on 03/03/2007 4:18:18 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: OldFriend

You may have a point there about misrepresentation, I couldn't fit all of the info into the title. Feel free to suggest a better title, we can post it up on freerepublic and all of us can send that link instead. Until that time, I'll use this current link.


Rudy Giuliani On Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM

Transcript:

Will the real Rudy show up at CPAC?

Culture of life:

ABC clip:

George Will: "Do you think Roe v Wade was good constitutional law?"

Rudy Giuliani: "Yes I believe, I believe it is."

Cnn Clip:

Announcer: "Giuliani was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial birth abortions, something Bush strongly supports."

Rudy Giuliani : "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing."

Immigration

CNN clip:

Announcer: "Back in 1996, mayor Giuliani went to federal court to challenge new federal laws requiring the city to inform the federal government about illegal immigrants."

Rudy Giuliani: "There isn't a mayor or a public official in this country that's more strongly pro immigrant than I am. Including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti-immigration legislation about two or three years ago."

Gun control:

CNN clip

Rudy Giuliani: "I'm in favor of gun control"

Meet The Press:

Tim Russert: "How about registration of all handguns?"

Rudy Giuliani: "You know I'm in favor of that. I've been on your show many times."

Gay Rights:

CNN Clip:

Announcer: "As mayor he supported civil unions, and extending health and other benefits to gay couples."

ABC Clip: "I supported domestic partnership legislation and signed it"

Meet The Press:

Tim Russert: "So should gay people be openly allowed to serve?"

"I think people should be judged on the merits. And there should not be a specific focus on someone's sexual orientation."

First Amendment:

ABC Clip

Cokie Roberts: "Would you vote in the senate in favor of Mccain / Feingold?"

Rudy Giuliani: "Yes, I'm a big supporter of Mccain / Feingold. I have been for a long time."

Party Loyalty:

ABC Clip:

Rudy Giuliani: "Frankly George, I'd like to run on all the lines. I'd like to run on the liberal line, the conservative line, I'd like to run on the democratic line if I could figure out how to do it."

Conservative Values:

Meet The Press:

Tim Russert: "Whether it's gays in the military, gun control, campaign finance, late term abortion - you and Hillary Clinton are in sync on those issues."

Rudy Giuliani: "Well then maybe the other side should stop the 'He's part of the vast right wing conspiracy'."

Welcome To CPAC, Rudy!

End clip.


151 posted on 03/03/2007 4:21:51 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: TommyDale

Did you just mention Ann Coulter without posting her picture? Isn't there a FR rule about that?


152 posted on 03/03/2007 4:23:47 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: Kevmo

My sincere apologies!

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

153 posted on 03/03/2007 4:32:10 PM PST by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: Blackirish

That was already covered in post #112. You ignored it. If your behavior on this thread is exemplary for rudy supporters, then I suppose it's a good thing. That kind of behavior sends supporters to Duncan Hunter faster than we could do for ourselves. By all means keep up the good work.


154 posted on 03/03/2007 4:34:37 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: Kevmo

Rudy didn't make a serious campaign or GOTV effort in Spartanburg, whereas all the other candidates did. He's still the frontrunner. All the polls have him up about 20% over McCain and his numbers have been surging during the last month. Sure, sometimes history doesn't indicate what will happen in the future but you can learn alot from the past.


155 posted on 03/03/2007 4:49:24 PM PST by My GOP (Conservatives are pragmatic and realistic!!!)
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To: My GOP

Baloney. That's already been asked & answered on the Spartanburg threads.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1794003/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1794278/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1793613/posts


156 posted on 03/03/2007 6:01:42 PM PST by Kevmo (Duncan Hunter just needs one Rudy G Campaign Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM)
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To: conservatrice

What is it now, 2%? LOL!


157 posted on 03/03/2007 6:43:55 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul (If you think the world's dangerous, and you need a tough guy... that's me [Rudy] --Newt Gingrich)
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To: TommyDale
You obviously missed the post where I reported my telephone conversations with attendees. There was no mind reading, just fact. They did applaud, but nowhere to the exhuberance they showed for Wayne LaPierre or Ann Coulter.

Oh, I imagine the exuberance they showed when Ann called Edwards a faggot - an exuberance pretty well representative of the extreme right, which any Republican with sense is denouncing.

Nevertheless, the reports I've seen by normal attendees which are posted here on this thread (see post #12) paint a different picture, and they are aligned with the observation in my previous post.

158 posted on 03/03/2007 6:46:45 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul (If you think the world's dangerous, and you need a tough guy... that's me [Rudy] --Newt Gingrich)
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To: Victoria Delsoul

The reports I have are first hand from several attendees. I don't believe what the press says, and I certainly don't believe what opponents' supporters say. Tricks such as stacking the audience by placing certain supporters in position were done as well (Romney).


159 posted on 03/03/2007 6:51:57 PM PST by TommyDale (What will Rudy do in the War on Terror? Implement gun control on insurgents and Al Qaeda?)
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To: TommyDale
Tricks such as stacking the audience by placing certain supporters in position were done as well (Romney).

I agree with that, Tommy. Aren't you happy that we finally agree on something?

160 posted on 03/03/2007 6:55:35 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul (If you think the world's dangerous, and you need a tough guy... that's me [Rudy] --Newt Gingrich)
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