Posted on 02/16/2007 4:34:15 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
Long dismissed by Washington insiders as incapable of receiving the Republican Party's presidential nomination because of his pro-abortion rights, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control views, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was lavished with praise Friday by an icon of American conservatism.
"He is much stronger than anyone could have predicted six months ago," said former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich from Georgia. "New York is four times safer than it used to be. It's one of the greatest achievements of government capability in the 20th century. And Rudy just has to go out and say, 'This is who I am. If you think the world's dangerous, and you need a tough guy … that's me.' "
Gingrich, who co-wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed with Giuliani last month, said he is not endorsing the man who led New York City through the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and he noted that he may still jump into the presidential race against him.
But the words of praise from the architect of the GOP's 1994 takeover of Congress capped a big week for Giuliani, which included more encouraging poll numbers, a raucous reception from California Republicans, and the latest round of softball interviews in which he has been able to downplay his liberal social views by espousing his commitment to appointing "strict constructionist" judges.
Nearly a year before the first presidential primaries are held, a Gallup Poll released Wednesday found that Giuliani has a 16-point lead among Republicans over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
In general election matchups, Gallup found that Giuliani leads Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., by nine points and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., by two points, within the survey's three-point margin of error. McCain, by contrast, ties Obama and trails Clinton by three percentage points.
Saying that former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., is going through a "little bit of a rough patch," Gingrich was noticeably cooler toward Romney today than he has been in the past.
Back in November, while appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Gingrich singled out Romney as someone who is working "very hard" to fill a vacuum in the GOP for a "clearer voice of conservatism," adding that Romney "may well succeed."
Gingrich adopted a different tone toward Romney today after cost estimates for his health care plan, which have soared above the former governor's expectations, which revealed.
"I think that he's very smart, he's very articulate, and he's had a little bit of a rough patch with the cost of the health plan is Massachusetts," said Gingrich, "But he's a very smart guy, and I think he'll be a very significant candidate."
In assessing Giuliani's potential appeal to conservatives, Gingrich pointed to Giuliani saying in recent interviews that he would appoint "strict constructionist" judges.
Gingrich predicted that one of Giuliani's GOP rivals would air television ads attacking him for having made positive statements in the past about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Supreme Court justice appointed by former President Clinton, who has upheld abortion rights.
Gingrich, however, seemed unconvinced that the line of attack would work
"And as he said the other day," said Gingrich, "he would have appointed the same two Supreme Court justices as Bush did. So conservatives have got to decide, you know, is that acceptable or not acceptable?"
What, like our host?
Sounds good, Chief. Did the angel give you his name?
Not surprising, one of them happened to be Ron Paul.
This is not about some fictitious notion of who Pres Reagan would or wouldn't have supported for POTUS, 4-1/2 years after his death.
Read above. I didn't say REagan would have endorced Rudy.
Reagan bolted from the Democratic Party in 1962. If alive today, Reagan could just as easily bolted from the GOP and joined another political party. A third party!
That's your ficticious notion 4 1/2 years after his death.
There is no evidence that Reagan was a friend of Giuliani.
Say what you want, Rudy admired Reagan greatly.
That, of course, is the premise of the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey-played, as it happens, by a very close friend of the Reagans, the late Jimmy Stewart-learns what the fate would have been of Bedford Falls if he hadn't lived . . . what would have happened to his town and to all of his friends and relatives. And the picture is not a very pretty one.
But it's nothing compared to what our country-and the world-would look like had Ronald Reagan never been born. We can't know for sure, but consider some of the possibilities.
The American economy might well still be mired in "stagflation." Taxes might still be stuck at the 70% rate-or higher. And unemployment might be still high, and growth anemic. And millions and millions of people would be on welfare and dependent on the government and not a sense and ability to take care of themselves.
There might have been no "devolution revolution" in giving power back to state and local governments. Maybe there'd be no Republican Mayor of New York City.
And what would the map of the world look like? Would globes from the 1980s, depicting a huge Soviet empire and a divided Europe, still be current? And for how many more years would be people have been enslaved if Ronald Reagan hadn't been born, and if Ronald Reagan hadn't had the strength and the courage of his principles in the way that he did? We really can't know . . . but there's no reason for thinking that we would be in the position of freedom and opportunity that we're in today if it weren't for him.
And, last but not least, let's not forget how Ronald Reagan restored our nation's spirits . . . how, at a critical time when America needed confidence and faith to weather the fears of inflation and insecurity and nuclear annihilation, Ronald Reagan was there . . . standing by our side . . . standing tall, rallying us to build again and invent again and believe again in this most incredible nation that we're all very, very privileged to be part of.
In history, nothing is inevitable. Great events-both good and bad, noble and tragic-are caused by men and women . . . individuals who exert every ounce of their strength to change the world.
Ronald Reagan is one such person . . . one of history's causes . . . and a force for good in the world. Had he never been born, the great good that he wrought might never have happened. And the world would be a sadder, poorer place.
Let's then be thankful that he was born . . . and that the human family can reap the countless benefits that his life has brought us. And thank you, Mrs. Reagan, for continuing that legacy for my children and all the children yet to come. Thank you.
It frustrates me to have my side in this national debate remain virtually mute in it's own defense or to set the record straight.
You posted that, gulp, ALONE?
You mean you didn't call in for backup?
LoL. How childish.
For a while I wondered if Hillary really was using those stolen 900 FBI files on Republicans against them. Then I decided that even if she was, those Republicans needed to go because they're unable to represent us. And if she's not using the files, they have to go because they're unable to represent us.
I know the president campaigned on changing the tone in DC, but once it became obvious that he was emboldening them into ever bigger lies, he should have changed HIS tone.
Yep, one is Ron Paul, so I went ahead and blasted him and he's the only GOP candidate I've slammed. Of course, he is a Libertarian, and only runs under the GOP banner for reelection purposes. He voted against the war, so it's of no surprise that he's willing to lose it and our brave troops be damned. I despise him.
I asked him that question, he had me guess, so I ran down the list, each name I rattled off, he tilted his head back and laughed, and when I got to "Rudy" he stopped and pointed at me and smiled. So, that must be the one.
LOL! Okie dokie.
I didn't know who voted which way until an hour or so ago when I tuned in C-SPAN, they ran the list of Republican's voting with all the Democrats. Only two Democrats voted the other way.
I felt like I was playing charades with my Guardian Angel. But, it was fun nonetheless. :)
Who cares what Rudy thinks about Reagan or anyone else for that matter. Rudy is no conservative. He's a liberal. He opposes just about everything conservatism stands for. That means he opposes everything I stand for. Wake up already. STOP wasting your time building this guy into some type of savior of the GOP. He won't get the nomination. End of discussion.
LOL!!! I love it!
There's a thread posted here --- names them all, complete with contact information.
One of the democrats is Gene Taylor of Mississippi.
Makes no sense either!
That one did not surprise me. The one that I am surprised about is Keller from FL.
They've been playing some tape of speeches made earlier and I saw Bennie Thompson reading off a list of those killed in action from his district and one was from your hometown.
Unfortunately, yes. He's a pig.
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