Giuliani starts strong in test of Republican voter allegiances

Washington Post ^ | march 4, 2007 | DAN BALZ

[FairOpinion]

The man who was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is now leading in a slew of national polls and testing whether cultural and religious conservatives in the GOP will support a candidate who offers strong leadership on security and terrorism rather than ideological purity on social issues.

Whit Ayres, a Georgia-based Republican pollster, said he has been struck by the number of conservatives he encountered who disagree with Giuliani on abortion or gay rights but are still attracted to him as a possible Republican nominee. The issue is whether that appeal can survive through a long campaign in which Giuliani's New York record, his position on issues, his three marriages and his complex business dealings will be subjected to withering scrutiny.

The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll showed Giuliani leading McCain by 44 percent to 21 percent, with former House speaker Newt Gingrich at 15 percent and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney at 4 percent.

Many GOP strategists still question whether Giuliani can survive the scrutiny and develop a message that appeals to voters across the spectrum of Republican conservatism. In his speech Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Giuliani highlighted his record as a tax cutter, crime fighter and welfare reformer. But he offered little resembling a traditional conservative agenda for the future, other than saying the United States must remain on offense against terrorism. The speech won a polite but hardly enthusiastic response from the audience of activists.

[jim35]

["Ted Olsen is now a RINO, Michael Reagan is now a RINO and a traitor, George Will is the same,"]

Nope. But Rudy is still a RINO. He's way, way too left-wing to make a comparison w/ any of the above named.

["...misuse and abuse to that term, by you and your ilk..."]

Leave my ilk out of this. And no, RINO means something. It means one who is naming him/herself as a Republican, but stands against many planks of the Republican platform. That makes them a Republican In Name Only. Get it?

["...I know the reality of not only how important it is for the GOP candidate to beat the Dem..."]

Yep, I agree there. But it doesn't really help if that Republican stands for a bunch of Democrat principles, now, does it? Anyway, me and my ilk think so.

["Principles mean less than nothing, when you lose."]

In some cases, principles aren't gonna mean much if we WIN. I believe that's what's known as a Pyrrhic victory.

I hope that didn't sound too provincial.

[tkathy]

Rudy has the same ability as Reagan did (and Clinton) to frame the issues, to get out in front of issues, to clarify issues, and exudes toughness.

IMO that is his strongest point, and is why so many conservatives are attracted to him. GWB is sadly lacking in the ability to frame the issues etc..........

[Maeve]

Oh, but I do know what I am talking about and I am glad to out you as an enemy of Ronald Reagan.

[OldFriend]

While Rudy was cleaning the mob out of the Fulton Fish Market, cleaning up Times Square to make it a showcase for the world, closing down porno shops and adult bookstores in all the residential areas of NYC, trying to get the Brooklyn Museum to remove the sculpture of the Madonna covered in elephant dung, the powers that be in the city were doing everything in their power to thwart him.

He kept moving forward, making the city a place where families would be welcome and safe.

While he's working for everyone to make the city better, his wife is acting in the Vagina Monoglogues...while their two young children are in Catholic School.

No doubt the left is unhappy with Rudy's accomplishments in NYC. He got as much done for the city before 9/11 as he did after 9/11. Those of us who were there KNOW that he's a leader among leaders.

[Coldwater Creek]

Y'all are talking behind mom's back. Supposed to address her as well as, the person that you are posting.

[Coldwater Creek]

Was Rudy the real father of Anna Nicole? Their pictures sure have a family resemblance.

[ContraryMary]

The R nominee Hillary most fears is indeed Giuliani.

GO RUDY!

[WalterSkinner]

Unless they're too busy reading their Bibles, that information is already out there for years.

..that's the ticket--a very good way to persuade Religious Right folks to listen to your argument

Some who follow politics have been watching Giuliani since BEFORE he was mayor--his liberal striping was no secret...

[Mojave]

it had NOTHING at all to do with homosexuals.

Neither did my post.

[Mojave]

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

His groupies don't care.

[Mojave]

The Clintons: A Malignant Malfeasance of the Most Morbid

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

[babygene]

"Oh yeah...Gore is to the "right" now."

What I said was, that Gore would be seen by many to be to the right of Rudy.

[penowa]

"Rudy has a crossover appeal, sufficient to beat Hillary."

Sufficient to beat a Democrat without about 1/3 of the base who always votes Republican? I have my doubts about that.

"But he (Hunter) does have a very large number of independents and Democrats who will NOT vote for him."

I wouldn't count on that. You'd be amazed at how many blue collar Democrats in flyover country will vote conservative when given the opportunity. They are, unfortunately for most Republicans, able to detect the faux-conservative elites. (Better than a lot of people on FR.)

[penowa]

"If those 'pesky people with religion' decide to stay home then they get what they deserve."

I can just see all the Amish who voted in '04 for Bush, rushing to the polls to vote for Rudy. LOL!

[Delphinium]

And you are going to have to some day face reality.

Just because you are allowed to break all of FR's rules, with impunity, doesn't mean that you are going to get your dream candidate, in the real world.

From you who tells one lie after the other about freepers personal lives, who don't worship at your imagined throne? You keeps repeating the above garbage about breaking rules, but think the rules weren't made for you?

I didn't italicise the above quotes from you to narses because I am saying the back to you.

[narses]

Your post is incomprehensible. What are you trying to say?

[narses]

[LdSentinal]

Can you explain to me why you compromised so soon?

I don't support Rudy, I am undecided.

However, Duncan Hunter will drop out before the Iowa Caucuses and become the new darling of CA conservatives -- and that was his aim all along.

[LdSentinal]

..that's the ticket--a very good way to persuade Religious Right folks to listen to your argument

I don't have to do anything. A plurality of the RR already support Rudy.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Thanks for the info. In a very concise and accurate message too. Rudy is a Democrat. He already strikes out with me on the 2nd amendment.

I would find it hard to believe that republicans would actually support him for president but then I realize that the top end of the republican party is a bunch of rockefeller republicans who energize their conservative base every election.

I hope conservatives will wise up this election cycle. If the republican party runs Guiliani the only way they are going to win is if liberal democrats vote for him.