Evangelist has a Rudy awakening: 'He can win'

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/502451p-423750c.html ^ | 3-4-07 | DAVID SALTONSTALL

[veronica]

Fred Wehba is not supposed to be a Rudy Giuliani supporter.

A born-again Christian who helped found an evangelical church in celebrity-soaked Beverly Hills in 2002, Wehba is deeply opposed to Giuliani's pro-choice, pro-gay-rights views.

But Wehba, a successful businessman, is willing to look beyond those traits to something else he sees in the Republican former mayor: a leadership X-factor that he believes could squash Democrat Hillary Clinton and carry Giuliani all the way to the White House in 2008.

"He's someone who can get things done, and he can win," said Wehba. "And I'm not the only Christian who thinks like that."

As 2008 hopefuls start to woo different slices of the electorate, one of the more unexpected shifts appears to be a slow migration of white evangelical conservatives toward the thrice-married Giuliani.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll last week found that such voters are now a major reason why Giuliani is outpacing Arizona Sen. John McCain by 23 percentage points - up from just seven percentage points in January.

Giuliani is pulling ahead with a novel approach: by simply agreeing to disagree with conservatives on social issues, then moving quickly to the common ground he shares on taxes, education and the war on terror.

"You've got to run based on who you are," Giuliani told a group of South Carolina firefighters recently. "If you do it that way, even people who disagree with you sometimes respect you."

Giuliani is aided by the fact that conservatives have no real standard bearer in the top tier. They distrust McCain for once bashing televangelist Jerry Falwell, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is now greeted with beach flip-flops for all his shifts on abortion and other social issues.

"Giuliani has an authenticity that does register with a lot of conservatives," said John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. "They say, 'Well, at least we know where he stands.'"

Which is why Wehba, 59 - a former Texan who last voted for George W. Bush - will be standing with Giuliani tomorrow night when he hits Los Angeles for a fund-raiser.

"Maybe we don't all agree with his social positions," said Wehba. "But that's okay, he's a deal maker."

[Mr. Brightside]

You think the GOP could mount the same opposition to RudyCare that they did against HillaryCare?

[Maynerd]

I am beginning to believe that President Hillary would be preferable to President Giuliani.

I hope this beginning ends quickly.

Rudy is wrong on social issues but very right on WOT, taxes, law and order, and executive ability. Hiliary is wrong on everything. I rationalize that Giuliani is wrong on issues that the Presidency has the least impact and vice versa.

Judges are the key social issue. What he did on NYC advisory boards and municipal judgeships is skewed by the limited pool of candidates. Ted Olson's support of Giuliani is very encouraging.

[Mr. Brightside]

The GOP could unite against the liberal policies of Hillary.

But what do we do when we have the same policies pushed by Republican President Giuliani? We lose.

[HitmanLV]

I agree with you, but I didn't list those things - I was copying a line from the article and following up on it.

[My GOP]

Good point!

[neutronsgalore]

"But what do we do when we have the same policies pushed by Republican President Giuliani? We lose."

Exactly. An almost as dangerous scenario as a Dem POTUS/House/Senate is a Giuliani POTUS with a Dem House/Senate. Unless there is a sudden increase in spine in Senate GOP for an endless series of fillibusters any gun-control/campaign finance/national health care bills the Dems send to him very well could be made law.

[Tax-chick]

My stock response is, "This is why we're going to have primaries in a variety of states NEXT YEAR." I'm annoyed at the idea that we've already chosen a candidate, when we haven't even begun.

[narses]

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I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights, Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded. Source: CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999 http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Rudy_Giuliani_Abortion.htm

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES (November 14, 2006)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: I'm pro- choice. I'm pro-gay rights.

KING: Giuliani supports a woman's right to an abortion, and back in 1999, he opposed a federal ban on late-term abortions.

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

KING: Immigration could be another presidential landmine. 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.

JEFFREY: He took the side of illegal immigrants in New York City against the Republican Congress.

KING: Giuliani opposes same-sex marriage but as mayor, he supported civil unions and extending health and other benefits to gay couples. He also supported the assault weapons ban and other gun control measures opposed by the National Rifle Association.

GIULIANI: I'm in favor of gun control. I'm pro-choice.

Republican Big-Wigs Support Pro-Abortion Event in NY

Pro-abortion Governor George Pataki and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also supports unrestricted abortion, are co-chairs of the 2000 Choice Award Presentation to be held on May 30 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. The event is sponsored by the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition, a group that is campaigning for the removal of the pro-life plank from the Republican National Platform.


http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock200503010743.asp

[TommyDale]

I would suggest you look up the difference in "evangelist" and "Evangelical". Just because someone claims he is an evangelist doesn't make him a Religious Right leader. Evangelical would more represent James Dobson, etc. who IS a leader in the Religious Right. You found one wacko in Beverly Hills and think he speaks for Christian Conservatives? LOL!
That would be like claiming Barry Lynn speaks for conservative Christians as well. Sorry, your dog don't hunt.

[TommyDale]

That "guy" you refer to would not accept the killing of innocent unborn children as a method of birth control, nor accept a "marriage" or "civil union" between same sex couples. And he wouldn't hang out at Planned Parenthood or a gay bar, either. Sorry, your dog don't hunt either.

[WalterSkinner]

Perhaps he's got that whole "church and state" thing our forefathers talked about all figured out as well.

..and what church and state thing would that be?

[Gamecock]

Does this guy even rate one?

It depends. To be included we use a complicated mathematical formula:

how many people attend his church /number of books sold x putting foot in mouth*

So Warren has 20,000 members/24,000,000 x 5=0.041
Osteen has 42,000/3,000,000x3=0.042

Amazing how close they are, isn't it?

*i.e. denying Christ on national TV or saying that Christians are treated well in Muslim countries or having your wife remove from the first class section of an airline for throwing a hissy fit.

[McGavin999]

The thing where the government stays out of the church and church areas. Aren't you familiar with that?

[WalterSkinner]

..I missed the part of the Constitution which precludes Christians or any other religious group from vigorously expressing their political views based on their spiritual values...

[aimee5291]

I would not support Rudy for some of the reasons stated and also...the way he treated his wife and children when he was 'dating' his current wife....this says a lot about his character.

[Mom MD]

sorry, I was not rebutting you personally. I'm glad we agree and didn't mean to say you believed the article.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Amen.

[McGavin999]

You can vigorously express anything you want. It's the government that needs to stay out of it, and the last time I looked, the president was part of the government.

[EternalVigilance]

Dittoes.

[WalterSkinner]

..We The People are the government

and as citizens, people of faith have every right to vote for those candidates who will reflect their views--which BTW are the foundational values and ethics on which the nation was built...