Jim Gilmore for President?

Human Events Online ^ | 8/19/06 | John Gizzi

[indemnify]

LOS ANGELES -- The latest, hottest, and most unanticipated rumor to emerge from the State Republican Convention at the Century Plaza Hotel here was that former Virginia Gov. and Republican National Chairman Jim Gilmore would enter the 2008 Republican presidential sweepstakes.

Talk of Gilmore-for-President began as the former governor and staunch conservative arrived in Los Angeles to address the state GOP's top officials. In a fighting luncheon speech, Gilmore call for securing the borders and a Republican agenda of "security, safety, and long-term civil values and freedom." Recalling his stint as head of the RNC in the first Bush Administration, Gilmore said he perceived an impression from the public that political parties "raise money, buy media, and that's it." However, he said there was "still room for the parties" to carry out a strong agenda and that a "value program" for the Republican Party still packed a political punch. Gilmore's address drew a prolonged ovation from the GOP leadership.

"I haven't made a decision yet," Gilmore told me after his remarks, adding that he had "several choices" for a political future that included a race for the U.S. Senate in 2010 (when Republican Sen. John Warner is expected to retire) or "a race in '09"(referring to a comeback bid for the governorship he held from 1997-2001, governors of Virginia being limited to one consecutive four-year term). But the Virginian quickly pointed out that "I have a lot of friends across the U.S." who have encouraged him to run for the top job in '08. For now, Gilmore insisted he is focusing on speaking across the country to "provide some leadership for the middle class."

Already, the former governor has some fans among Golden State Republicans. Republican National Committeewoman Barbara Alby told me "He'd better run! He has a great message. And the field for '08 needs a Jim Gilmore, who talks the values we hold dear in the Republican Party and has a walk to back up the talk. He's presidential timber." Alby recalled her service on the RNC while Gilmore was national chairman and said she had "a special fondness" for him. When I asked her colleague, Republican National Committeeman Tim Morgan, whether Gilmore should run or not, he replied without hesitation: "I do."

Gilmore, who currently heads the homeland security section of a major law firm in Washington D.C., also has a political action committee known as ACORN (A Council for Policy Reform) and heads a 501-C-3 known as NCorp. Among others in California reportedly urging a Gilmore bid in '08 is former Commissioner of Baseball and 1984 Olympics czar Peter Ueberroth.

The budding talk of a Gilmore for President movement in '08 comes as his predecessor in the Virginia governorship and fellow Republican George Allen, who has also been mentioned as a presidential candidate in '08, finds himself in a closer-than-ever re-election bid for his U.S. Senate seat.

[AlGone2001]

I know very little about Gilmore, but maybe he is the "Reagan conservative" we need.

[angkor]

"maybe he is the "Reagan conservative" we need."

He's very much the Reagan conservative.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[AuH2ORepublican]

Gilmore would make a far better candidate than the Republicans currently running. I'm still hopeful that Governor Pawlenty of Minnesota and Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania win reelection and are part of out 2008 ticket (either one would do great as the presidential candidate, and the other would add geographic balance).

[Nightbird]

Friends, no way no how. I haven't a clue who is behind this website, but this is ridiculous.

Gilmore has way too much "baggage," of the personal sort.

[Clintonfatigued]

I thought that Gilmore wasn't popular when he retired. In any event, wouldn't he run only if George Allen decided not to?

[Coop]

FYI, Gilmore was RNC Chairman during President G.W. Bush's first term. The author needs to rewrite that section.

Gilmore did lose popularity, mostly because of the tough fiscal environment. I can't see him making much headway against George Allen, not this late in the game. But who knows? Dubya didn't get rolling until after the '98 mid-terms.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I'm rather mild about Jim, if not a tad disappointed with him. I'd be hard-pressed to cite any major accomplishments during his administration (as Coop cited, he ran into some fiscal problems towards the end), and unfortunately, one of the best indicators of a successful Governor is passing off the office to a member of the same party. In that regard, Gilmore failed (if he had utilized his position as the de facto head of the state party, he could've brokered the ugly internecine battle between the Atty Gen and Lt Gov that resulted in the election of Mark Warner and his buffoonish successor).

[fieldmarshaldj]

Left out, more embarrassingly, that he was Chairman of the RNC during the Gubernatorial election to succeed him, so the loss of the office was a decided black mark.

[mrsmith]

Has the best anti-terrorism credentials of anyone running.

Former cold war counter-intel officer. The Gilmore Commission was well respected.

Not exactly a "fire-brand" though.

[Corin Stormhands]

Abortion was not a key issue in the '97 Virginia Governor's race. George Allen signed Virginia's Parental Notification Law the last year he was Governor.

Gilmore ran and won on his "No Car Tax" Pledge. Brilliant campaign strategy that turned into lousy policy. But that's another story.

Even if George Allen were out of the picture (and he's not), I wouldn't support Gilmore for the nomination.

[Kuksool]

No to Gilmore for President. Although, I prefer him to run to replace John Warner in 2008.

[Gone GF]

Depending on who he's running against, I have a hard time envisioning Gilmore even being re-elected governor.

[Spiff]

Gilmore supports legal abortion through the first three months of pregnancy.

This is an animated ultrasound of child at 10 weeks of development. Gilmore supports keeping the murder of this and similarly aged children legal. That's not a good thing for a Republican to support.

This child has not reached 3 months of development and Jim Gilmore believes that killing him should be legal.

While not as pro-abortion as someone like Rudy Giuliani, Gilmore is still too pro-abortion to be an acceptable Republican candidate.

In 2001, Jim Gilmore also expressed support for the principles embodied in the terrible Equal Rights Amendment. ERA was, thankfully, defeated through the efforts of the Grand Dame of conservative women, Phyllis Schlafly. That is not an acceptable position for a Republican candidate to have.

He supports socialized, government paid full college tuition funding for "needy" students. This is a very liberal position for a Republican candidate to have.

This is what I've pulled up in just a few minutes of Googling his postions on conservative Republican issues. Giuliani is MUCH worse, but Gilmore doesn't strike me as a candidate that I can get behind.

[txrangerette]

You're, "not exactly a firebrand", comment is relevant.

I remember Gilmore well from some of his past gigs, though others from his area undoubtedly know him better. Just my observation that - issues and job performance aside - he lacks the personal appeal to be elected nationally.

Gilmore = Gilbore.

And I have nothing personally against the guy.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I prefer him to run to replace John Warner in 2008."

---

I would prefer Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, but Gilmore would certainly be an improvement over Warner.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Gilmore supports legal abortion through the first three months of pregnancy."

---

I wasn't aware of that. If that's still his position, count me out as a potential supporter for a presidential run even with our current crappy field.

[JohnnyZ]

He supports socialized, government paid full college tuition funding for "needy" students. This is a very liberal position for a Republican candidate to have.

That's what the free market is offering, if you look at private colleges and universities. Is it "very liberal" to suggest government to follow the lead of free market business practices?

[PikesPeakGOP]

Gilmore didn't support abortion in the first three months of pregnancy, he was just conceding that as Governor he couldn't single-handedly overturn Roe v. Wade. He supported the strongest possible laws he could enact.

Pat Robertson was one of the guy's biggest contributors for crying out loud.

http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.8275/pub_detail.asp
"Gilmore acknowledged that the Supreme Court has held abortion to be legal under the Constitution, and, as governor, he could not change that. By accepting the status quo, he defused concerns that he might threaten abortion rights. Almost half of those who voted for Gilmore said they wanted abortion kept legal. They voted for him for other reasons, like his opposition to Virginia's highly unpopular personal property tax on automobiles, which Gilmore made the core issue in his campaign."

[VAGirlieGirl]

go visit www.draftgilmore.org - Gilmore is a staunch pro-lifer.