Posted on 12/01/2007 5:01:26 PM PST by Jay777
Rudy Panic set in for many Republicans this week, with conservative leaders both nationally and in Iowa concluding they need to settle on a single champion to prevent Rudolph W. Giuliani from winning the GOP presidential nomination.
They fear that victory by the socially liberal former New York mayor could permanently shatter the largely successful coalition of social, religious, economic and national defense conservatives that, more often than not, has worked electoral magic for Republican candidates at all levels.
"The main driving force behind all of that is a belief that Rudy Giuliani is positioned to win the nomination and a belief that, and I describe it this way, the four most central planks in our Republican platform would be sacrificed in the process: life, marriage, guns, border security," said Rep. Steve King, Iowa Republican. He said the calls and e-mails in Iowa grew "utterly intense in the last week" as Republicans urged one another to settle on an anti-Rudy candidate.
A new poll showing a statistical tie between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for the Jan. 3 Iowa first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses is fueling the frenzy.
"What conservatives have to realize is that Giuliani is now relying on Mike Huckabee to take his most viable opponent, Mitt Romney, down in Iowa, and that anyone voting for him there in the caucuses will be inadvertently, and ironically, helping the New Yorker," David A. Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, said earlier this week in a surprise endorsement of Mr. Romney.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Rudy WILL blow the GOP Coalition wide apart. The old Mantra of “We’re not as bad as they are” isn’t going to cut it anymore.
Conservatives fear that Rudy would destroy the party. It’s what I’ve been saying for months.
But the party pros, and the country clubbers, and the RINOs had better start fearing it, too.
If the party explodes, they will suffer just as much as we will. They will deserve to suffer. But never mind that. The only way to avoid destroying the party is to nominate someone else. Rudy is simply not acceptable, and never will be acceptable. That’s just the way it is.
Fred had the south until Huckabee shot up in the polls taking away the hard core social conservative vote. Now the south may be split enough for Rudy to win. Unless the conservatives unite behind one candidate, Rudy will be tough to stop.
A vote for Rudy in a primary is a vote for Hillary in the General.
Reads like an endorsement for Romney. The best advice would be to ignore, Rudy, Romney and Huck all together. Their liberal.
Vote Hunter, Thompson or Paul.
Not Paul thank you. No way.Not Romney either.
Go Fred!!!!
Two things to make clear:
(1) David Keene endorsed Willard as an individual. The ACU has not yet endorsed anyone.
(2) David Keene also endorsed Arlen Spector (ACU 47%) over Pat Toomey (ACU 97%) in 2004.
Gov. Romney has a better position on immigration control, and, if he can be believed, now stands with the Pro-Family movement. On trade he seems to be with the Free Trade advocates.
Interesting match-up. I'd be pleased if either Romney would sincerely advocate for Fair Trade/'Economic Patriotism' or Huckabee would sincerely advocate for strong immigration control.
Fred is good, too. The two of them on the same ticket would be an unbeatable combo.
GOP foes panicky over Rudy...
Now that is funny, seriously, I almost spewed beverage on the monitor...
Rudy looked like a scared puppy dog on a bloody CNN Debate, and yet somehow he is supposed to be the guy who makes Conservative vote for him?
Riiigghht.
“Fred had the south until Huckabee shot up in the polls taking away the hard core social conservative vote. Now the south may be split enough for Rudy to win. Unless the conservatives unite behind one candidate, Rudy will be tough to stop.”
When and if Huckabee supporters see him actually saying in his own words what he believes, they will come to realize that Fred is the best candidate of the top tier four. Very telling, right here: http://www.huckabeefacts.org/
Friday Rush Limbaugh spoke for the conservative movement when he revealed his support for Fred Thompson.
If only they’d rally behind Hunter...
But what if that "someone else" is unacceptable to the 30% that are voting for Rudy?
We have heard a lot about what the anti-Rudy forces are going to do if he is nominated - that they will destroy the party in their anger and frustration.
What are the anti-Rudy forces offering the very large pro-Rudy minority to keep them on board?
So far, all I see on offer are threats and abuse.
That being the case, the destruction of the party appears assured, whatever happens.
That said... I'm not sure if it is enough since the others (besides Rudy) are pro-life in various degrees.
Hunter is the best of all worlds. The only thing holding him back is perception rather than any thing substantial. He's also the single candidate to recognize not only the immediate threat of Islamic extremism, but the long-term threat of Red China. The others seem to be whistling past the graveyard on that.
Exactly. A consistent 26-year record of Pro-Family, Fair Trade, and Immigration Control.
That's what America wants. But have any of the major polling firms dared to take that poll? Not to my knowledge.
Rudy has three Achilles' heels (a pretty good trick for a biped)--abortion, immigration, and his personal life. But he did clean up New York, and sometimes gives terrific speeches.
None of the "top tier" candidates is ideal (Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee, McCain, or Thompson). Any of them would be preferable to letting the Clintons back in, but is any of them electable?
Thompson is probably the most promising of the five, if he can start to give an impression of someone who could actually win. (But Ann Coulter doesn't seem to like him.)
Another way to view this is that the bluest of the blue states, and a few purples, might nominate a candidate (Rudy) that the red states would have to elect, with little or no help from blue states. And Rudy could well lose some red states such as Arkansas, Indiana, or Virginia among others.
It’s past time that Rudy, McCain and Huckabee are called out, every day, on their positions on illegal aliens, positions that are at odds with about 70% of Republicans, or more. All three would favor amnesty, and who can believe a word they say about closing the border or interior enforcement? Jorge redux with those three.
Seems it has to be Romney or Thompson. I’d be happy with either.
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