Rudy Giuliani Could be Just the Ticket for Social Conservatives

American Thinker ^ | March 19, 2007 | J. Peter Mulhern

[FairOpinion]

Can America's mayor win support from enough social conservatives to win the Republican nomination?

Maybe not, but social conservatives should think long and hard before they decide to pass on Giuliani. This may be difficult advice to credit. Giuliani is thoroughly alienated from the dominant concerns of the social right.

Mayor Giuliani delivered what they needed most. He reclaimed New York City from the toxic leftism of his predecessors but in the process identified himself with the moral elements of their leftism.

social conservatives are concerned about social rot and Giuliani is one of the very few executives in the history of the world with a record of reversing rot. This is appealing.

On September 11, 2001 and the days that followed he auditioned for commander in chief and the audition went well. This too is appealing. If we don't bestir ourselves to win our war with Islamic fascism, the moral state of our civilization won't matter. We won't be around to wallow in sin.

Social conservatives could benefit from the presidency of someone who agrees with them less but fights for them more. This is the crux of Giuliani's appeal to the social right and every other Republican constituency. He is a fighter, and Republicans of all sorts are sick and tired of turning the other cheek and seeking common cause with the enemy both at home and abroad.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Certainly.

Not to detract from Rudy's cleaning up of New York, but that doesn't excuse his position on the 2nd Amendment.

[TAdams8591]

Romney is by far the better candidate. He will wage war against the terrorists as hard as Rudy would.

Social conservatives would be foolish to jump on the Rudy bandwagon, when there is a better alternative. Republicans would be foolish to select Rudy as their nominee. He will not be able to beat the democrat.

[EternalVigilance]

Alright. Let's hear it. I challenge you to make your case.

Only Nixon could go to China.

No Dem Governor could have implemented gay marriage, an assault weapons ban, and socialized medicine, like Romney did in MA. He succeeded in passing the left's agenda where even the Clinton's failed.

There's lots more where that came from...

[Al Simmons]

Facts are not 'Spam'. Out-of-context quotes and wild speculation are 'Spam'.

[Al Simmons]

OH JESUSTH CHRISTH!!!! You done found me out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PhilDragoo]

He is a fighter, and Republicans of all sorts are sick and tired of turning the other cheek and seeking common cause with the enemy both at home and abroad.

I got through to the White House Comment Line (1-202-456-1111) again today and told the operator it was increasingly annoying that the president continues to lie down and let the likes of Chuck Schumer use him as a doormat, that the president should be stressing the U.S. attorneys serve at his pleasure, that Clinton fired all 93--at which point the operator interrupted with "in 1993--great comment!"

You know you're ticking off a substantial percentage of the country when your comment line operators need callers to address their concerns to. . . .

. . .breaking. . . .

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

You're funnier when you're trying to be serious.

[wouldntbprudent]

No Dem Governor could have implemented gay marriage, an assault weapons ban, and socialized medicine, like Romney did in MA.

In Massachusetts? *Massachusetts*?

Try again.

[Kevmo]

Social conservatives could benefit from the presidency of someone who agrees with them less but fights for them more.
***Great premise, as long as you trust a tiger to change his stripes.


Rudy Giuliani video on YouTube: "I would like to run on the Democratic line "
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1793570/posts



Video of Rudy Giuliani in his own words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM

Transcript of video below.




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 December 2, 1999:

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?"

Rudy Giuliani: "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.

[EternalVigilance]

Yes, even in Massachusetts.

[Blackirish]

think the debate has gotten unproductive, so I will attempt to avoid these threads unless someone asks me there, posts to me from previous comments or I screw up again, like this morning.

---

From someone on the other side of the debate...I couldn't agree more. 10 months of round and round debate is a waste of all our times and is creating unnecessary acrimony of allies. Let Rudy and the rest of the candidates make their cases let's watch them debate and discuss civily...lets go on and see if Thompson jumps in........BI

[Victoria Delsoul]

Good point, Phil.

Also from the article:

George W. Bush has socially conservative opinions but he avoids confrontation with the cultural left the way cats avoid water. Even when he does the right thing he feels compelled to do it in an apologetic, almost cringing way that empowers his enemies and dispirits his supporters.

He will nominate sound judges (most of the time) but never make the case that Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned because it is the cornerstone of the left's profoundly destructive jurisprudence of judicial supremacy. He will stand against federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research but never articulate the strong libertarian basis for that stand or attack the callous disdain his political opponents show for the inherent value of human life. He will say as little as humanly possible about the drive for "gay marriage."

Unlike any current or former president named Bush, Rudy Giuliani has never been afraid to appall the left. He may very well be ideally situated to puncture two of the left's most cherished idiocies and hand social conservatives near total victory in the long-running culture war.

You know, America couldn't be the superpower that it is today if it wasn't for its people ability to succeed. If we as a nation didn't have that entrepreneurial spirit that propels us to take risks and put our ideas forward. The idea that we can be anything we want and achieve our dreams is an American phenomena. Those ideals are more alive in America than anywhere else in the world because we are bound by our cultural values: freedom and individual rights. And we couldn't continue as a superpower unless as a nation we didn't have a natural instinct to not only survive, but to reaffirm our place in the world.

That's why I am confident that the GOP will nominate Rudy, and I'm more confident still that the nation will elect Rudy to be our next president. Why? Because Rudy is the man we need today. We don't need a soft, almost apologetic President to conduct the presidency. We need a strong individual who has the capability to even be ruthless sometimes. We need someone who will fight for us. He might not agree 100% with us conservatives, maybe not even 80%, but the remaining 70% makes clear that he will fight for us and won't let us down. And that's why am supporting Rudy, and that's why he is going to win.

Hillary or Obama won't fight the terrorists, and our social conservatism is meaningless if our existence is at mercy of the enemy. Rudy is the man for this time - and as a nation (note I am not referring to groups or particular individuals) we'll make the right choice, because as Americans we instinctively know who can get the job done.

[rob777]

George W. Bush has socially conservative opinions but he avoids confrontation with the cultural left the way cats avoid water. Even when he does the right thing he feels compelled to do it in an apologetic, almost cringing way that empowers his enemies and dispirits his supporters.


He will nominate sound judges (most of the time) but never make the case that Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned because it is the cornerstone of the left's profoundly destructive jurisprudence of judicial supremacy. He will stand against federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research but never articulate the strong libertarian basis for that stand or attack the callous disdain his political opponents show for the inherent value of human life. He will say as little as humanly possible about the drive for "gay marriage."




I am not a Rudy supporter, but must admit that the author really nailed this one. His comments also apply to other issues that conservatives are concerned about.

[rob777]

"The fact that Giuliani could win social conservatives by defending the right to disapprove of homosexuality and attacking Roe v. Wade doesn't mean that he will."



In other words, his strongest argument for supporting Rudy is hypothetical. I for one am still hoping for Fred Thompson to enter the race.

[FairOpinion]

Well, if you like McCain, you are going to love Thompson -- because if he is getting into the race, it's to help McCain get the nomination.

Thompson's Support for McCain Examined

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1803149/posts



Former Sen. Baker pushes Fred Thompson for president (Thompson supported McCain)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1803149/posts?page=81#81

[newguy357]

This is the stupidest headline I have ever seen.

[HitmanLV]

Excellent post and spot on! KUDOS! The only distinction I will make has to do with part of your last paragraph:

Rudy is the man for this time - and as a nation (note I am not referring to groups or particular individuals) we'll make the right choice, because as Americans we instinctively know who can get the job done.

As a general principle you're certainly right, and in Rudy's case i think you are right, too. But remember, Americans drop the ball now and then - they elected Jimmy Carter in 1976 and despite the clear deficiencies in policy, they would vote for Bill Clinton again with open arms.

The instinct is there but Americans sometimes wander off the reservation now and then. :-)

[rob777]

"At this stage there are a couple of other people I believe will also fight, and who agree with me on most social issues as far as I can tell; I am supporting Hunter, and when Gingrich runs his mouth, I like what I hear."



I am as wary of Hunter's record of big government over spending as I am of Rudy's social liberalism. I like Newt, but fear that, in his new incarnation, he would not mind an expanded role for government as long as he could apply the same technology driven efficiencies that make the private sector so much more effective. I anxiously await for Fred Thompson to enter the race.

[Irish Eyes]

Social conservatives could benefit from the presidency of someone who agrees with them less but fights for them more. This is the crux of Giuliani's appeal to the social right and every other Republican constituency. He is a fighter, and Republicans of all sorts are sick and tired of turning the other cheek and seeking common cause with the enemy both at home and abroad.

Great article, thanks for posting.

[Victoria Delsoul]

No question about it. The electorate isn't perfect but it's right more often than it is wrong. This isn't about perfection, and I am just illustrating why the electorate won't vote for Hillary, though they probably vote for her if she runs against a weak GOP candidate. That's why the GOP will nominate the strongest candidate they have, because they know he will beat Hillary. See how things play out?