Giuliani's Star Might Be Rising (Lavish Praise from Gingrich Caps Big Week for 'America's Mayor')

ABC News ^ | Feb. 16, 2007 | TEDDY DAVIS

[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?"

[JulieRNR21]

Mega Dittos to Tyrrell's comments!

[potlatch]

Very cute devolve, you've got me playing for Rudy!!

[devolve]

LOL!

Remote EDIT actvation!

[potlatch]

Yes, I'm now called Schroeder...!! heh

[B Knotts]

Yeah...I saw the headline, and thought "huh?"

Then I read the article and saw that the quotes did not match the headline.

[devolve]

A Star Is Born!

[potlatch]

A Star Is Born!

Ya, like 'yesterday'!! lol

[68 grunt]

You got the first four words right!

[Blackirish]

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.

---

Saying there is no difference between Rudy and Hillary makes as much sense as saying there was no difference between Rudy and Dinkens.

[68 grunt]

... Look, pal, you asked me for a basic reality check and I gave you one. I am not desperate. That is absurd nonsense. ...

Thou doth protest too much ...

[George W. Bush]

Sean Hannity is an embarrassment to conservatism. So is Michael Reagan.

Hannity is embarrassing just to listen to, nothing to do with his politics.

If Michael Reagan is pulling for someone, I think it's Romney. Same with Mark Levin. Both are very reserved though and haven't committed yet. Levin is pretty harsh toward the mayor being a Reagan Republican.

Rudy is just too liberal and unstable and selfish. Romney has been too liberal in the past but can be pretty convincing about why he has changed, at least on abortion. I'm dubious but might be persuaded. I might even be persuaded to vote for McStain (with sufficient nausea medication).

I think Levin and Michael Reagan aren't committed to anyone yet. They're not ruling anyone out or in. But Levin is offering some pretty close scrutiny of Rudi's real record which isn't too good for Rudi. I don't think Romney will escape their scrutiny either.

[George W. Bush]

Check out what the wonderful conservative warrior, R. Emmett Tyrrell has to say:

How come no one has ever heard of this wonderful conservative warrior before? And since we haven't, why should we care what he thinks?

Sounds like some regional guy, probably a northeastern liberal Republican like the ex-mayor or Romney.

If we choose our candidates and define them entirely in terms of what the other side (Hillary) is or what they might do, we hobble our candidate and defeat our ultimate goals as conservatives.

[George W. Bush]

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.

If you guys weren't such northeastern liberals, you'd understand without having to be told that we would need microscopes to see the differences between any of your liberal politicians. They're all the same damned liberal candidate!

Okay, a little hyperbole there. But your politics are very liberal there. Therefore, all your politicians look very liberal to the rest of the country and especially to Republican primary voters.

Come now, you must have at least suspected that you're liberals. Your side here at FR sometimes talks about us like we're the Taliban or medieval papists planning to conduct an Inquisition. I'd hate to think what you write about us in your little FReepmails.

[justshutupandtakeit]

You are right I should have said "spoken as glowingly of" rather than "endorse".

[Al Simmons]

Wake up Rip Van Winkle!! I think you missed the last 30 years! (Either that or you haven't gotten around much).

I humbly suggest you use your Google to look up Mr. Tyrrell....then you can come back to this thread and eat crow.....

[Al Simmons]

OK, I'll save you some time. Here is the link to Tyrrell's on-line version of "The American Spectator" - which he founded in 1967 and which, for decades, was second only to National Review as a conservative favorite.

P.S. Long before Ann Coulter, Bob Tyrrell was skewering liberals mercilessly....

http://www.spectator.org/

[George W. Bush]

American Spectator is okay, I've liked some articles, quoted a few myself. It is kind of tabloidy and has had a few downsides in the last decade. Certainly, as a voice of the Right, its influence has greatly declined, mostly due to Fox News and the growth of conservative talk shows.

So I still don't know or care who Tyrrell is. I have nothing against him. But I don't know why his opinion a year before the primary should sway anyone.

[Al Simmons]

Well, like I said above, he is the founder and publisher of the American Spectator. I post that quote because I think its a rational analysis of the differences between a Rudy vs. Hitlery presidency..

[PDR]

oh my, what a poor display of understanding... i guess it goes in the file cabinet with the other ideas that were bad just because he didn't think them up first

[Senator Pardek]

"How come you have to ping JR then? The only time I ping JR is when I am replying to a post."

LOL - you a badass!