Republicans 2008: Giuliani 32%, McCain 26% (Angus-Reid's latest)

angus-reid.com ^ | 1/27/2007 | Staff

[Dark Skies]

Rudy Giuliani is the favourite presidential candidate for Republican Party sympathizers in the United States, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 32 per cent of respondents would support the former New York City mayor in a 2008 primary.

Arizona senator John McCain is second with 26 per cent, followed by former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich with nine per cent, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with seven per cent.

Support is lower for former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, former New York governor George Pataki, Kansas senator Sam Brownback, Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, California congressman Duncan Hunter, Texas congressman Ron Paul, Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, and former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson.

On Jan. 25, Tancredo called for the abolition of race-based caucuses, saying, "It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a colour-blind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race—and restrict their membership based on race."

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2008.

Polling Data

Please tell me which of the following people you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.

	Jan. 2007	Nov. 2006	Oct. 2006
Rudy Giuliani	32%	33%	29%
John McCain	26%	30%	27%
Newt Gingrich	9%	9%	12%
Mitt Romney	7%	9%	7%
Jim Gilmore	3%	--	--
George Pataki	3%	1%	5%
Sam Brownback	2%	2%	1%
Chuck Hagel	1%	--	--
Mike Huckabee	1%	--	--
Duncan Hunter	1%	2%	--
Ron Paul	1%	--	--
Tom Tancredo	1%	--	--
Tommy Thompson	1%	3%	--
No opinion	12%	8%	11%

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN Methodology: Telephone interviews with 365 Republican American adults, conducted from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.

[NapkinUser]

How many times does the media plan to throw these worthless, all-in-the-name polls at us? If Kerry could win the democrat's primary while polling at just 4% in December of 2003, I think it's safe to say someone other than the media-pushed big three of McCain, Giuliani and Romney can win the nomination. We don't care media, it's what the primaries are for. Giuliani will NEVER be president, he can't win the primary of the general.

On President Bill Clinton: Shortly before his last-minute endorsement of Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, Giuliani told the Post's Jack Newfield that "most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." -Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

The Real Rudy Giuliani:

From Human Events:

Rudy's Strong Pro-Abortion Stance

As these comments from a 1989 conversation with Phil Donahue show, Rudy Giuliani is staunchly in favor of abortion:

"I've said that I'll uphold a woman's right of choice, that I will fund abortion so that a poor woman is not deprived of a right that others can exercise, and that I would oppose going back to a day in which abortions were illegal.

I do that in spite of my own personal reservations. I have a daughter now; if a close relative or a daughter were pregnant, I would give my personal advice, my religious and moral views ...

Donahue: Which would be to continue the pregnancy.

Giuliani: Which would be that I would help her with taking care of the baby. But if the ultimate choice of the woman - my daughter or any other woman - would be that in this particular circumstance [if she had] to have an abortion, I'd support that. I'd give my daughter the money for it."

Worse yet, Giuliani even supports partial birth abortion:

"I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-gay rights,Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing," he responded." -- CNN.com, "Inside Politics" Dec 2, 1999

It's bad enough that Rudy is so adamantly pro-abortion, but consider what that could mean when it comes time to select Supreme Court Justices. Does the description of Giuliani that you've just read make you think he's going to select an originalist like Clarence Thomas, who would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade -- or does it make you think he would prefer justices like Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony Kennedy who'd leave Roe v. Wade in place?

Rudy's abortion stance is bad news for conservatives who are pro-life or who are concerned about getting originalist judges on the Supreme Court.

An Anti-Second Amendment Candidate

In the last couple of election cycles, 2nd Amendment issues have moved to the back burner mainly because even Democratic candidates have learned that being tagged with the "gun grabber" label is political poison.

Unfortunately, Rudy Giuliani is a proponent of gun control who supported the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapon Ban.

Do Republicans really want to abandon their strong 2nd Amendment stance by selecting a pro-gun control nominee?

Soft on Gay Marriage

Other than tax cuts, the biggest domestic issue of the 2004 election was President Bush's support of a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Unfortunately, Rudy Giuliani has taken a "Kerryesque" position on gay marriage.

Although Rudy, like John Kerry, has said that marriage should remain between a man and a woman, he also supports civil unions, "marched in gay-pride parades" ...dressed up in drag on national television for a skit on Saturday Night Live (and moved in with a) wealthy gay couple" after his divorce. He also very vocally opposed running on a gay marriage amendment:

His thoughts on the gay-marriage amendment? "I don't think you should run a campaign on this issue," he told the Daily News earlier this month. "I think it would be a mistake for anybody to run a campaign on it -- the Democrats, the president, or anybody else."

Here's more from the New York Daily News:

"Rudy Giuliani came out yesterday against President Bush's call for a ban on gay marriage.

The former mayor, who Vice President Cheney joked the other night is after his job, vigorously defended the President on his post-9/11 leadership but made clear he disagrees with Bush's proposal to rewrite the Constitution to outlaw gays and lesbians from tying the knot.

"I don't think it's ripe for decision at this point," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I certainly wouldn't support [a ban] at this time," added Giuliani..."

Although Rudy may grudgingly say he doesn't support gay marriage (and it would be political suicide for him to do otherwise), where he really stands on the issue is an open question.

Pro-Illegal Immigration

As Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics has pointed out, Rudy is an adherent of the same approach to illegal immigration that John McCain, Ted Kennedy, George Bush, and Harry Reid have championed:

"While McCain has taken heat for his support of comprehensive immigration reform, Rudy is every bit as pro-immigration as McCain - if not more so. On the O'Reilly Factor last week Giuliani argued for a "practical approach" to immigration and cited his efforts as Mayor of New York City to "regularize" illegal immigrants by providing them with access to city services like public education to "make their lives reasonable." Giuliani did say that "a tremendous amount of money should be put into the physical security" needed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants coming across the border, but his overall position on immigration is essentially indistinguishable from McCain's."

That's bad enough. But, as Michelle Malkin has revealed, under Giuliani, New York was an illegal alien sanctuary and "America's Mayor" actually sued the federal government in an effort to keep New York City employees from having to cooperate with the INS:

"When Congress enacted immigration reform laws that forbade local governments from barring employees from cooperating with the INS, Mayor Rudy Giuliani filed suit against the feds in 1997. He was rebuffed by two lower courts, which ruled that the sanctuary order amounted to special treatment for illegal aliens and were nothing more than an unlawful effort to flaunt federal enforcement efforts against illegal aliens. In January 2000, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, but Giuliani vowed to ignore the law."

If you agree with the way that Nancy Pelosi and Company deal with illegal immigration, then you'll find the way that Rudy Giuliani tackles the issue to be right down your alley.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF GIULIANI'S LEFT-WING POLITICAL POSITIONS

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Those numbers are actually quite accurate. The same numbers come up across the board Nation wide in nearly every poll out there. (With the exclusion of straw polls)

The latest Iowa poll is very close to this and reflects the averages that Rasmussen is showing.

Hunter is a not well enough known nor does he have the financial backing or executive experience to be a viable candidate.

[Dog Gone]

It seems to be fairly consistent with other polling we've seen.

The exact percentages can't be trusted, but it's pretty clear that the public this far out is leaning toward the people with name recognition.

Everyone has heard of Guiliani, McCain and Gingrich. Everyone else is not a household name.

The poll is not useless because it pretty much sums up where the public is right now. Not paying attention.

It's a year until any votes will be cast, so the poll is useless in predicting what voters will be thinking at that time. But this will hardly be the last poll taken between now and then.

[BipePilot]

Watch DUNCAN HUNTER's progress. He's more like Reagan
than any of the others.

http://www.GoHunter08.com

[TomGuy]

2008 Presidential Poll number 13,201,906 and it is only January 2007.

[nitzy]

I wonder what the "Republican-at-all-costs" crowd would do if Hitlery put an R after her name and ran as a Republican. I'll bet alot of heads would explode.

"What should I do?....She is a Republican who could actually win..."

[JimFreedom]

Where is SPIFFY! I need him to 'turn' some more freepers!

[chaos_5]

Well they never polled me. =o)
Down with the RINO liberals! booooo

Go Hunter 2008!

[GoMonster]

How bout the rest of us say no to single minded, single issue weasels. If you get the picture w.....

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Rudy admits he was wrong for his past beliefs. He has since made major changes in his moral outlook. (Being a cancer survivor has a tendency to do that) We all can say that we are not perfect, as well as, most of us can say that we are completely different people than we were 18 years ago.

You can keep on thinking you are morally superior but it only makes you appear as extremely self righteous. When you prejudge others and maintain rigid bias without giving other select people the right to change, or fail to give them credit for the changes they have made, then the true character defect does not belong to the ones who you are condemning. They belong to you.

For the most part, the general Public could care less about something that happened 20 years ago, or even 5 years ago for that matter. They look at the overall character of the person, where they have been, what they have overcome and who they are now.

[JimFreedom]

I just know I have seen this before? It didn't work then and it won't work now.

[TomGuy]

There are PubbieBots just like there are DemBots.

They will vote for their party regardless. Many of them have no idea what the actual positions are of the candidates. They simply vote for the R or D.

Sadly, many average voters are the same way. They have little or no idea of the candidates' actual positions on issues. Instead, they vote for or against a candidate based on 'nice hair' or 'a sweet smile' or 'a scowl' or a rumor of a romp in a sleezy motel. They have no idea what conserative or liberal really means. They are too busy taking the kids to soccer practice, getting their hair done, grocery shopping, picking up the kids from school, getting to work on time. They may manage to catch a few moments of the evening news on broadcast TV while they are preparing dinner. Most of them could not give an accurate list of those candidates who have formally announced or formed exploratory committees. Most of them won't even pay attention until a primary hits their state or the Conventions next summer.

[Dark Skies]

Here's an interesting poll...

Free Republic Opinion Poll: If Romney, McCain, and Giuliani were the only names on the ballot for the GOP 2008 nomination, whom would you vote for?

Composite Opinion
Giuliani	44.8%		3,237
Romney	28.6%		2,068
Sit it out	21.2%		1,532
McCain	5.4%		391
	100.0%		7,228
Member Opinion
Giuliani	44.6%		1,350
Romney	31.2%		943
Sit it out	19.5%		591
McCain	4.7%		143
	100.0%		3,027
Non-Member Opinion
Giuliani	44.9%		1,887
Romney	26.8%		1,125
Sit it out	22.4%		941
McCain	5.9%		248
	100.0%		4,201

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Cultural Warriors WILL lose in '08. Only a Centrist will, it's a political reality. The Democrats understand this fact all too well which is what has made them so dangerous.

[FreeManWhoCan]

If Giuliani ran he has a good chance of winning. If McCain ran he would loose. The conservatives will not vote for Giuliani in order to teach the "RINOs" and liberals a "lesson". They would vote for McCain or a true conservative to keep the "conservative movement" moving, but will loose it all. If George W is not even a true conservative how can they skip on Giuliani? This election will be won by a democrat because the "true conservatives" want to make sure that the GOP stays truly conservative. McCain will be the republican's John Kerry. What a shame. I can see it coming down to that.

[DManA]

I don't think he has the political skills to get elected outside of Nu Yawk.

[shempy]

This is not a poll of likely primary voters, nor is it a poll of likely general election Republican voters. It isn't even a poll of registered Republicans. It is a poll of "Republican Party sympathizers", whatever the heck they are.

These folks in the media are setting up the RINOs for a pie in the face come primary time. They are hoping to build false momentum by the samples they are choosing so that when actual Republicans participate in the primaries they will think a RINO is the inevitable choice. I think they will fail at that,

[aligncare]

IMO, a RINO is more electable in the general election--example GWB. I'm not saying I agree with this tendency. It's just the way it is.

BTW, the example of Ronald Reagan is not a good argument against my assertion, as RR wasn't much of a conservative either--he promised to get rid of the Education Dept., but failed to; he chose to run from the Middle East after the attack on the marine barracks in Lebanon killed over 230 troops; and he granted amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.

[BipePilot]

Duncan Hunter will make the top five simply because of his Reagan philosophy and congressional record. He's the man to watch!!

[narses]

I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights, Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded. Source: CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999 http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Rudy_Giuliani_Abortion.htm

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES (November 14, 2006)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: I'm pro- choice. I'm pro-gay rights.

KING: Giuliani supports a woman's right to an abortion, and back in 1999, he opposed a federal ban on late-term abortions.

GIULIANI: No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing.

KING: Immigration could be another presidential landmine. Back in 1996, Mayor Giuliani went to federal court to challenge new federal laws requiring the city to inform the federal government about illegal immigrants.

JEFFREY: He took the side of illegal immigrants in New York City against the Republican Congress.

KING: Giuliani opposes same-sex marriage but as mayor, he supported civil unions and extending health and other benefits to gay couples. He also supported the assault weapons ban and other gun control measures opposed by the National Rifle Association.

GIULIANI: I'm in favor of gun control. I'm pro-choice.

Republican Big-Wigs Support Pro-Abortion Event in NY

Pro-abortion Governor George Pataki and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also supports unrestricted abortion, are co-chairs of the 2000 Choice Award Presentation to be held on May 30 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. The event is sponsored by the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition, a group that is campaigning for the removal of the pro-life plank from the Republican National Platform.


http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock200503010743.asp