Posted on 04/27/2007 12:50:05 PM PDT by areafiftyone
(Raleigh, NC - AP, April 27, 2007) - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani continued his offensive against Democrats on Friday, saying his party is best qualified to deal with wars against poverty at home and terrorism abroad.
"I'll be darned if I'm going to concede that Democrats care more about poor people than we do," Giuliani said during his brief base-building trip to the home state of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards.
Giuliani said Democratic calls for mandatory universal health care would only exacerbate the cost of care by putting the system in the hands of bureaucrats.
Democratic candidates renewed their calls for universal health care during a debate in South Carolina on Thursday, saying that a new system would help streamline costs and cover the nation's 45 million uninsured.
"They're moving toward socialized medicine so fast, it'll make your head spin," Giuliani said of the debate, adding that private competition and limits on malpractice lawsuits could help bring down the cost of care. "When we want to cover poor people, as we should, we give them vouchers."
He also echoed that call in discussing education, saying that Democrats are unwilling to reform the nation's education system with charter schools. The former New York City mayor said he struggled to reform the schools in that city.
"We weren't really able to fundamentally reform them," Giuliani said, saying he was young and naive to think he could. "They have to be (reformed) if they are going to be a ladder out of poverty."
The combative criticisms added a new chapter to Giuliani's offensive against Democrats. He drew the ire of several Democratic leaders earlier this week when he said the country needs a Republican leader to maintain safety from terrorism.
He stood by those remarks Friday, telling a conference of North Carolina conservatives that Democratic presidential candidates, most of whom want to begin timed troop withdrawals from Iraq, are "retreating in the face of this terrorist threat."
"When, in the history of war, has a nation that decides to retreat, printed up a schedule of that retreat and handed it to its enemies?" Giuliani said.
Giuliani, who served as New York City mayor during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, praised President Bush for his response to the event. Giuliani said the United States needs to continue to fight terrorism abroad and at home with "aggressive" use of military strength, the Patriot Act and electronic surveillance and interrogation.
"(Terrorists) do not respect weakness, they take advantage of weakness," Giuliani said. "They certainly respect strength."
I like your response - and I fully understand it.
Consider this:
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.
Just understand that I hope he loses the nomination to either Duncan Hunter or Fred Thompson. :) I agree with virtually none of his social positions (way too liberal for me), but am willing to concede that he’s really good and charismatic on the stump. Communicators are one of the things that the GOP (and conservatives) are lacking right now. I think Rudy will get a run for his money on the oratorical front if Fred Thompson finally jumps in, though. I really wouldn’t mind seeing the two of them debate.
}:-)4
Hillary’s response to Rudy was to slam George Bush. Rudy will slap her silly IF he wins the nomination.
I support Rudy and agree, but it must also be noted that John McCain and Duncan Hunter have come out strongly in support of our troops and strongly opposed to the Harry Reid (D-Vichy) surrender monkey approach.
If and when Fred Thompson formally enters the race he needs to do the same, and I expect he will.
All Republican candidates need to hit the 'rats hard on this. I fully expect to be marking my ballot "R" in November 2008. Frankly, I care FAR LESS about WHICH Republican gets nominated than I do about making sure we elect Victory (R) instead of defeat (D) in November 2008.
Thanks for your fair comment. I have no doubt we will be on the same team come Election Day.
That’s okay I respect your opinion. I’m supporting whomever wins the primary 100% regardless of whether it is Rudy or not.
You said it - nice post - man oh man do I ever agree
Is there a Republican candidate besides Hagel that doesn't have a clear picture of our enemy?
Inquiring minds (well....at least mine) want to understand what you meant........
Rudy’s competitive advantage as a mayor and as a candidate is that he is willing to vigorously and relentlessly defend his position in the face of furious left wing smears, lies, villifcation and stupidity. He just wont stand for it, and he will call it what it is, and he will have the last word.
After Bush’s New Tone fiasco, this is like an oasis in the desert for republicans fed up with the lies and smears of the left.
Even the social conservatives who are dead set against him admire this quality in him.
Here lately he has been playing to his advantage - it’s smart campaigning.
Difference is Rudy can get down and dirty to the point that McClain and Hunter can’t. Rudy is a former prosecutor. You don’t become a federal prosecutor unless you are competitive and vindictive. He has the same mentality that a athlete does. He hates to lose.
He has a the mean streak the others don’t. Rudy enjoys a fight and he enjoys making the other person look enept.
John
Talking about Democrats - the Real Enemy.
But I understand what you're saying........
Yep, keep it up Rudy. It has to drive the “All or Nothings” here on FR crazy when Rudy takes on the Rats.
Very true.
And if Fred enters the race, he can do the same. After all, he was the Republican Counsel in the Watergate hearings and therefore he’s already been a direct competitor to Hillary.
Whoever will be the Republican nominee MUST be a fighter. A tough, take-no-prisoners, return-with-your-shield-or-on-it fighter. Dick Cheney has it (too bad he can’t run). Rudy has it. Fred can do it. Newt is a fighter. Duncan called out Reid. Everyone needs to step up and fight — we can’t let the likes of Hillary and Reid and Pelosi beat us because we won’t fight.
You know what Rudy is doing, he wants Hillary and others to fire away at them so Republicans will rally around him in support. Hillary did not fall for the bait in the debate last night.
Thaks, as I stated am am sick and tired of the New Tone, we are nice Conservatives.
Sometimes being a leader means getting mean, junk yard dog mean.
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