Straightening out NYC -- it took a vision and true leadership to accomplish what everyone thought was hopeless. And he did it with conservative principles.
Great communicator -- imagine, after 8 years of W, having no fear of a presidential blunder during a press conference! During his time as Mayor, he was giving probably at least one press conference a day, and wowing the press all the time. One thing we know about the war on terror: it is going to take a GREAT COMMUNICATOR to rally the country to stay with this mission (and many other challenges). Who in the GOP field can hold a candle to Rudy?
How well he handled the crisis after 9-11 -- on the day itself, it was as if he substituted for the President. W did well, but Rudy was the on-the-ground leader and guy everyone rallied around. His personal involvement with the cops and fire fighters was inspiring and seemed instinctive... nothing phony about it.
Now a few things you didn't note: he cut taxes; he cut spending; he cut the welfare roles; he did innovative things (threatening to privatize certain government services if the agencies didn't get more productive and efficient); he supported school choice and vouchers; he pressed law and order at the local level and achieved miracles in NYC. Yes, his personal views on abortion rights and gay marriage violate my sense of what's right, but he also assures me that he'll appoint strict constructionists to the Supreme Court, so those social issues will hopefully be relegated back to the states where they belong. Reverse ROE and send it back to the States!
I don't consider Rudy a Reagan by any means, but as far as I can see, he's the most effective conservative leader we've had since the Great One. Despite the venom we see here on the FREEP for Rudy, I believe he will be well accepted by conservatives across the country -- and bringing back those Reagan Democrats we need for our political majorities. JMHO.
I don't consider Rudy a Reagan by any means, but as far as I can see, he's the most effective conservative leader we've had since the Great One. Despite the venom we see here on the FREEP for Rudy, I believe he will be well accepted by conservatives across the country -- and bringing back those Reagan Democrats we need for our political majorities. JMHO.