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?"
LOL -- well, I guess black is white, up is down and who the heck knows what's next? Shall start a pool to guess which conservative hero will disappoint them next?
Rudy and Newt on the same ticket would be great...then Newt can use his influence to bring Guiliani further towards the right.
It is early, but Rudy is consistently polling well. Oh, I know polls don't mean much...but they do mean he has good name recognition.
Having seen him in action as mayor, I may end up voting for him -- or not. As I said, it's early.
Your source, Wayne Barrett, is a Bush hating, America hating, Radical Leftist. Why are "conservatives" using the smear tactics of the Radical Left? True Conservatives should be above that.
In a black and white world, there are only liberals and conservatives. A world where all the liberals think alike, and all the conservatives think alike. And then there is the real world.
I must have over slept when the "conservatives" gave out the secret hand shake.
We should! I have to think about a candidate for the next conservative hero to disappoint.
"Newt running to be Rudy's VP? Hmmmm...."
I've thought for quite some time that Rudy would win the nomination and would pick Newt as his running mate. It makes perfect sense. No one is going to vote against Rudy b/c of Newt. But for those not convinced Rudy is conservative enough, who better to be your running mate than the leader of the revolution?
I'm not necessarily voting for Rudy, but I think he's going to take the nomination. My (conservative) buddies mostly disagree. I think he will survive the backlash of some of those past positions b/c of moderate and crossover voters, in addition to the real conservatives who believe in him.
Do you deny that Rudy said this? Because he did. Reliable politicians who don't open their mouths and say stupid things like "I agree with Clinton" don't have to resort to attacking the sources that report them.
Of course Gingrich likes Giuliani. Adulterers do tend to stick together.
I'm looking at the strategy from the Bush family perspective - if Jeb wants to be president someday, he has to make a choice. Internal polling data will tell the party whether Jeb would help, or hurt a ticket.
what would impress you?
FYI...I've been advocating that ticket for some months..see my tagline...only "problem" I see is the "Rudy/Newtie" slogan..
For starters, it would be great to see so-called, self-professed conservative Republicans everywhere, especially around Free Republic, stand up and denounce Rudy Giuliani for the liberal he is. Then we could begin marshalling all the forces of conservatism in order to get behind a candidate who represents the GOP`s platform of the last 30 odd years.
We Republicans do ourselves no good supporting a liberal to be the party standard bearer in 2008. We don't need a pro-big govt, pro-abort, pro-amnesty, pro-gay rights, pro-global warming and gungrabbing kook to represent the GOP. Besides, its still somewhat early. We're a full year away from the start of primary season. Dubya didn't make his official announcement until May1999. Bush wasn't offically recognized as the GOP`s choice until 2000! FReepers have already crowned Giuliani the GOP nominee. I call that nuts!
Don't forget Sean Hannity's daily chin wiping performance.
I would think the better way is to find someone whose views you admire and promote the hell out of them ...Im just not sure you are gonna find them
If Newts comments mean anything its gonna happen Im not saying its good or bad ...at this point it just looks like the way its going
The 'logic' of those refusing to vote for Rudy:
Rudy is a too 'liberal' 'New Yorker' so they will place their de facto vote for missus clinton, a Stalinist New Yorker, albeit fake, (fake New Yorker, not fake Stalinist), who
as one-half of the 'twofer,' is the proximate cause of 9/11,
is an abuser of women in her own right,
is avidly pro-abortion,
would nominate justices in the mold of Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
would resume clinton sale of our nuclear secrets and mineral rights to the enemy,
would sic the IRS and the clinton 'secret police' on all opponents and critics,
would nationalize healthcare,
would decimate the military,
would reinstitute the clinton policy of ignoring of terrorism,
would raise taxes...
even as she and her rapist husband rake in millions in quid pro quos for their slush fund foundation,
would confiscate profits, end capitalism, if she could, etc., etc.
It does the conservative cause no good to become petulant and self-destructive.
Do conservatives really want
a Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court instead of an Alito, Roberts or Scalia?
marginalization, if not worse, of their religious beliefs?
a return to the amorality, immorality and corruption of the clinton years?
and G-d knows what depth of failure in the War on Terror?
I find it hard to believe that those people aren't able to discern the difference between Giuliani and Clinton. Frankly, if true, it is frightening.
I am advocating for Giuliani not because of his ideology. I am advocating for him because I believe he possesses the qualities that this country desperately needs in these perilous times... and because I believe he, unlike all the others, will win.
The other night, I heard a man who is not perfect, but a man of rare intelligence, humility, warmth, competence, strength and leadership.
We will be fortunate, indeed, and our babies, born and unborn, living and not yet imagined, will be infinitely safer, if he is our next president.
No matter what world or tempting shade of gray you choose, Giuliani isn't anymore a conservative than is Hillary.
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