GIULIANI: I think so. Depending on how powerful the credentials are. Are they very accomplished lawyers, very accomplished judges, do they have the intellectual capacity and the integrity for the job? if they're very powerful candidates, I think there isn't going to be as much focus on one individual position.
That statement says nothing about judicial philosophy, adherence to the constitution, etc. As a matter of fact, it sounds eerily similar to his oft discussed remarks on Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Throwing out a few platitudes about former colleagues in the justice department who already sit on the court means very little to me.
Maybe that's because the quote was taken out of context. What was the question? Was it about judicial philosophy? I know that a lot of what the Bashers put up on this forum about Rudy is an interpretation filtered through their fevered brains, so let's see the context of the quote before we judge, OK?
MATTHEWS: the good old days when f.d.r. could pick Felix Frankfurt and discover he was a conservative or Ike could pick out war yep and find out he was a liberal or suitor could get picked by George bush sr. aren't the days oh when you could pick a guy and not know which way he'll go?
GIULIANI: I don't think so.
MATTHEWS: what about the interest groups, leak you have the people for the American way. And you have James Dobson, focus on the family on the right side of things. Do you think those crowds will let you get by with picking somebody they don't know about?
"GIULIANI: yes. I think they have to. In many cases, first of all, you might select somebody who hasn't really taken a position on any of these issues before.
MATTHEWS: can you get them passed if they have no paper trail?
GIULIANI: I think so. Depending on how powerful the credentials are. Are they very accomplished lawyers, very accomplished judges, do they have the intellectual capacity and the integrity for the job? if they're very powerful candidates, I think there isn't going to be as much focus on one individual position.