As ’08 Candidate, Giuliani Strikes a New Tone on Guns

NY Times ^ | March 23, 2007 | RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

[Pharmboy]

David Scull/The New York Times
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, left, at a 1995 news
conference with Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat
of New York, and James S. Brady, who was shot in the
assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

As mayor of New York City, Rudolph W. Giuliani became the favorite Republican of gun control advocates.

He spoke in favor of a licensing system for gun owners that would require trigger locks and firearms training, and he lobbied Congress to outlaw most military-style assault weapons. He was the only Republican mayor to join a lawsuit by dozens of cities against the gun industry, and he complained that Southern states had lax gun laws that fed the illegal weapons trade in the Northeast.

“It was very important to have a visible Republican to make the case that this wasn’t some liberal Democratic agenda,” said Paul Helmke, a former Republican mayor of Fort Wayne, Ind., and the president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “I was at the signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House when Bill Clinton signed the crime bill with the assault weapons ban, and Giuliani had the most prominent seat in the front row.”

But as a presidential candidate, Mr. Giuliani now talks very differently about guns as he tries to allay the concerns of Republican primary voters. He says he supports the right of individuals to bear arms, and that states — and generally not the federal government — should decide whether to put some limits on that right. He also spoke in favor of a federal appeals court ruling this month that struck down a District of Columbia ordinance barring people from keeping handguns in their homes.

[Pharmboy]

HA! Maybe Rudy is a lurker here...but, he sure took my CCW away (as he did thousands of others) when he was mayor.

[Pharmboy]

Give a holler to the other folks about this...

[Fierce Allegiance]

Rudy doesn't give a damn about the constitution. Supporting him certainly is not a conservative position.

[Vaquero]

Its not really a flip flop though....he still thinks the 2nd amendment is about hunting and target shooting....

[aruanan]

If he so callously screws over his wife and family for his own personal reasons, how can you trust him on anything else?

[bondjamesbond]

I heard him on Hannity yesterday. He said that he supports the 2nd Amendment, and that people have a right to own guns, but that the states could regulate guns pretty much however they want. This position, of course, makes no sense at all.

BTW, when is Sean going to change the name of his radio program to The Giuliani Show?

[NucSubs]

"How can I trust a man if his wife can't?"

- Harry S. Truman

[tiger-one]

"He says he supports the right of individuals to bear arms, and that states — and generally not the federal government —should decide whether to put some limits on that right."

And this means nothing has changed in Rudy's world...look at these words, [states] [generally] [some limits] [on that right]

Now lets change the right from the 2nd Amendment to the First, Fifth or all.

[IGOTMINE]

Nail in Rudy's political coffin for me bump

[Vaquero]

I use to like Sean, he is no Limbaugh...and he fawns all over Rudy...

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

The rudy is a dangerous liberal. He will not get my vote under any circumstances.His campaign will turn into a train wreck in the south.

[tcostell]

This is getting so old.

We know the story with Rudy. He's anti-second amendment so people like me who care about that won't vote for him. Nothing is changing my mind.

At the same time, there are a bunch of people around here who think that beating Hillary is the only issue, and they are prepared to sacrifice on everything else to do it. They think Rudy is our only hope. Nothing is changing their mind.

Everyone else won't be making up their minds for another 18 months or so.

There... it's all said. Can we do something else today please?

[Pharmboy]

By primary time, Rudy will be portrayed as a gun-toting tax protester.

[Hatband]

Actually, there is a new AWB that Rooty could take a stand on. Its HR 1022 and at last count it has about 30 co-sponsors, all democrats. How about it Rooty, got anything to say about HR1022?

[caver]

Rudy has more skeletons in his closet than I could imagine. He hasn't and won't convince me that he's not a liberal.

[Peach]

Maybe you didn't know, but even Newsweek said last week that he was estranged for years from his second wife when he met Judith.

She's a nut and I don't blame him at all for leaving her.

[Renegade]

Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing !

[Fierce Allegiance]

Wow, you sure do keep on sucking it up for Rudy. The guy is a frickin disaster of a candidate but you and the rest of the Rudy faithful keep on saying all his "little faults" are no big deal, all while claiming to be conservatives.

Rudy fans are no conservatives.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

No thoughts on the article Peach?