Posted on 04/23/2007 2:17:05 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
Judging by the cranky feedback, supporters of Rudy Giuliani's bid for the Republican presidential nomination did not like my column last week. To sum up, I argued that Giuliani was pro-abortion and therefore did not deserve support from conservatives.
Rudy backers offered three comebacks. Some simply chose to ignore his shameful pro-abortion record. Others proclaimed that abortion was just one issue and Rudy is a conservative on most others, especially fiscal issues. Finally, another group decided that his policy positions really don't matter because Rudy is the only guy who can beat Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Since we dealt with Giuliani's sordid abortion background last week, let's move on to the other two responses. Is Rudy a conservative on most other issues? Based on his record, he is, at best, a mixed bag.
He does deserve a conservative thumbs-up in a few areas. Obviously, crime in New York City declined by big numbers while he was mayor from 1994 to 2001, due, in part, to policing changes during his administration. Mayor Giuliani also frequently spoke about school choice. While not investing any real political capital, his stance took courage as mayor of the big-union Big Apple.
For good measure, Giuliani put together a deal to privatize the city's bloated, patronage-ridden Off-Track Betting Corp., but his successor dropped the ball....."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
PS: Flame away!
If nothing else, I look forward to Rudy’s treatment of the insane D.C. press corps. Should be an interesting 8 years!
The only reason Rudy endorsed Bob Dole in 1996 was because Mario Cuomo was not the Democratic nominee!!
He has been stripped, revealing his shortcomings!
IBTZ?
I’m just trying to point out that attacking Rudy are the same big thinkers who attacked imperfect northern senators in the senate, and attacking Republicans is a losing strategery.
The so called real conservatives, whoever those ethereal beings are, need to be attacking democrats NOT REPUBLICANS!!!
I live in the Deep South too.
People I talk to about Rudy are either:
A) Respectful but uncomfortable with his positions.
B) Shocked when I tell them about his positions on abortion, homosexual rights, guns, and immigration.
Or C) Disgusted.
Fairly accurate statement there!
The purpose of the primaries is to weed out the contenders until we arrive at a clear-cut winner.
If Giuliani became the nominee, the conservative wing of the Republican Party would, in effect, be marginalized. After all, if the RNC knows they can nominate someone as far to the Left (compared to other candidates) as Giuliani, why should they bother courting conservatives in the future?
Not when a liberal RINO is running in the primaries, in an attempt to hijack the Republican Party! All's fair in the primaries. He must deal with his own record against his GOP opponents.
Hunter is wonderful, but he is not a national figure, and he WOULD LOSE the general election. If he were veep, he would become a national figure. The conservatives must come up with a candidate who can WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
Exact same responses from people I talk to! Most are not aware of Rudy’s positions on abortion, homosexual agenda, guns and illegals. 100% have expressed negative comments when they hear that for the first time. So far, there has been little interest except with political activists, because no one wants to think about the dirty world of politics until they have to. It’s a tradition here.
Having read the anti-Rudy rants on these boards, I can just imagine that conversation:
Anti-Rudy conservative:
What?!!! You think you like RUDY???!
DO YOU KNOW his positions on abortion, homosexual rights, guns, and immigration???!!!!!!
He’s a vile, yankee, homo-lovin’ liberal. He’ll NEVER be nominated by the GOP!!!!!!!!!
And anyone who would support him should be thrown out of the party!
Other person:
Ummm, yeah. That’s disgusting.
Anti-Rudy conservative:
Good. Gotta go. Gotta get on FR and tell everyone how I straightened out another Rudy voter.
I live deeper in the South than either of you! LOL!
I asked my Father, who lives in the Houston area and is in a political position, who was the leading presidential candidate in his area. He told me there was NO consensus even though Rudy works in Houston. (Bracewell-Guiliani LLC)(Rudy supporters should really look into who this partnership represents)
One would expect Rudy to have some sort of foothold in the 5th largest metro area in the US but, that’s really not the case.
I don't know a single southern who actually uses the word "Yankee" except to complain about the poor TV coverage of Major League Baseball. And the term "homo-lovin'" ranks right up there with the "N" word here. Glad to see you never stereotype. (/sarcasm)
Just gotta love the prejudice. ;)
Honestly, I just talk to them about the things he was for, and they act surprised. Aside from 9/11, not a lot of people I’ve spoken to don’t really know his positions.
Your idea of what my real-life conversations are like could use a bit more temperance.
You’re talking about the general election as if it’s going to happen next month.
We’e still months away from the start of the primaries. A lot of things can happen. Things change.
To act as if Hunter - or anyone else, for that matter - is a lost cause is jumping the gun, IMHO.
I live in the upper south - and you are exactly on the money - the only person I've talked to that likes Guiliani where I am is a homosexual democrat (and before anyone flames me and says I'm "homophobic" - this man is a very good friend of mine - I'm merely pointing out his demographic status).
(A) Most conservatives I talk to, can't stand Rudy.
(B) Most conservatives I talk to, are not that crazy about the current crop of GOP candidates that are running.
(C) Most conservatives I talk to, are eagerly looking forward to Fred Thompson getting in the race.
My God, what happened to Republicans/conservatives?
What exactly do you classify yourself as?
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