Posted on 10/20/2007 10:21:39 AM PDT by Ol' Sparky
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, walking into a political lion’s den, told the year’s largest gathering of social conservatives that he is “not always the best example of faith” but that their similarities are much greater than their differences.
“Isn’t it better that I tell you what I really believe instead of changing all my positions?” Giuliani told an audience of 2,000 at the Family Research Council's Values Voters Summit at a Washington hotel. “I believe trust is more important than 100 percent agreement.”
The audience, generally hostile to Giuliani, recognized the shot at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and laughter and a few cheers spread across the room.
The former mayor, who left the stage grinning amid applause after his 40-minute speech, went for an authenticity contrast with Romney, substituting his law and order credentials for the family values emphasis of Romney, a long-married father of five.
Giuliani paid obeisance to the group’s concerns by speaking at length about his support for school choice, home schooling, conservative judges and Israel.
All drew earnest – even enthusiastic – applause. He also gave a detailed plan for reducing abortions and increasing adoptions, the meatiest policy element of his speech.
It was the “everything but” approach – he could agree with the audience on almost everything except whether a woman should be able to choose an abortion, which he supports.
"You and I know I’m not a perfect person,” he said. “I pray for forgiveness, I pray for strength.... I feel my faith deeply, although perhaps more privately than others, because of the way I was brought up.” He said he had prayed to God at the toughest parts of his life.
“During our lives, at some time, all of us need forgiveness,” he added. “If we expect perfection from our political leaders, we’re just asking for disappointment .... We lose trust when they’re not honest with us.... I don’t always agree with myself. [Laughter] … You’ll always know where I stand.... I will continue to extend my hand to you. I hope you’ll take it.”
Giuliani showed humor, noting that he almost entered seminary: “I know that’s hard to believe.” Noting that he attended Catholic school, he said the first school he attended where a prayer wasn’t said at the beginning of the day was the New York University School of Law.
He said that on the first day, out of confusion, he made the sign of the cross. “I looked around and realized people were staring at me,” he joked.
Giuliani pointed out that as New York mayor, he reduced murder, drugs, prostitution and other vices. "I don't believe in inevitable decline," he said, adding he shares President Ronald Reagan's belief in optimism.
"You put Republican ideas into action.... We got results. Humbly, I would say, the best results anyone in that time got in government."
"We drove pornography out of Times Square and other public spaces," he said, drawing hearty applause. "The pornographers lost and they were driven out of Times Square."
Instead of pandering to the group, Giuliani held his ground.
“We’ve got to find a way to be more inclusive,” Giuliani said. “Christianity is all about inclusiveness. It’s built around the most profound act of love in human history, isn’t it? … I’m running for president of the United States because I believe I can bring us together. Strong leadership can help us find common solutions to our problems.”
Giuliani drew laughter by saying he spends as little time in Washington as possible: “I’m afraid there’s something in the air here.”
“I’m not going to pretend that I can be all things to all people,” he declared. “I’m just not like that.”
But he added, in another dig at Romney, “I’ll always be honest with you.... You will always know where I stand.”
“You have absolutely nothing to fear from me,” Giuliani went on, adding that he was puzzled by those who make him out to be some kind of liberal activist: “Just read any New York Times editorial when I was mayor of New York City.” That got a big laugh.
Giuliani was speaking to one of the most conservative audiences in American politics. During a Christian worship service from the podium an hour before Giuliani spoke, leader Ron Freeman interspersed the praise hymn “Blessed be the Name” with the hopeful wish:
“We’ve got the right Senate and the Congress!” The prayer included: “We’ve tried hard to make your agenda, our agenda.”
Politico’s Jonathan Martin contributed to this report.
What conservative knows details of Mayor Dinkins term? Much less touts Dinkins in front of Giuliani?
Ol' Sparky. So you're the Hillary worker on the thread. How much does Soros pay anyway? How dumb of me not to have guessed right off.
Host Alan Colmes:
"Now, Roe versus -- now, you are pro-choice. How important is it to you as a pro-choice Republican to have a pro-choice on the court as someone...
Giuliani:"That is not the critical factor. And what's important to me is to have a very intelligent, very honest, very good lawyer on the court. And [John Roberts] fits that category, in the same way Justice Ginsburg fit that category. I mean, she was -- she maybe came at it from a very different political background, very qualified lawyer, very smart person. Lots of Republicans supported her. I expect, and listening to Senator Nelson, I expect that John Roberts will get support from a lot of Democrats."
“But it’s a fact that if conservatives have any hope of getting any issue they want, such as judges, then they’ll support the Republican party and no other.”
Nope. Not when they go liberal on me. You folks nominate that profane JOKE from New York City and you are not so politely asking social conservatives to leave.
Don’t get pissy at the results of your folly.
The votes fall where they will. I haven't picked a candidate, but if people like you leave, don't get pissy about the resulting Hillary presidency. It will be your decision to go.
“It will be your decision to go.”
To every action, a reaction.
It's called doing a Google search. Try it some time.
But, those are facts -- that crime had begun to drop under Dinkins before Giuliani took office.
And, one of the FEW conservative things Giuliani allegedly did was clean up crime in NY and he didn't even do that.
Take that away from him and all one is left with is a liberal record.
Never let facts get in the way of worshiping at the altar of the Republican party, though.
Hey Grunthor. You and Ol' Sparky working a tag team here?
Don't take your "hyperbole post police" role so seriously. Obviously, any direct parallel you perceive was deliberate exaggeration. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a indirect degree of a parallel, for you demean the millions of tragedies of the preborn dying at the hands of our political leaders--the protectors & partial funders of the abortion industry.
Rudy wasn't yet in power when a pre-Roe NY state opened the door wide open for abortion; but he saw fit to back the status quo when he was power (as has Hillary)...and frankly, the # of NY-related abortions makes 9/11 look like kid's play.
The moment you start ignoring that either way there are millions of victims and a lot more via the abortion industry--which Giuliani has personally and politically supported, then you don't even recognize that there is at least something to argue about.
BTW, which state has perenially been in the top 2 or 3 every year in abortions? (That's right, Hillary & Rudy's state)
To do a Google search you've got to know there's a there there.
So what did you search on? The Democrat talking points against a Giuliani campaign? A conservative might oppose Giuliani, but would never use talking points that present Dinkins as superior to Rudy. That was a Democrat list.
No, you knew what you were looking for because you had seen the Dem talking points against Giuliani.
Kept us going all afternoon Ol' Sparky.... that was fun.
How well does Soro's pay anyway?
My statement is a question of fact. First of all I am speaking about a hypothetical match-up in the general election and am not talking about the primary. You do not have to vote for an “evil vs. evil” confrontation. however, if the nominee is not to your liking then you are faced with a choice.
.
=================================================
What of the following facts do you disagree.
1. If Hillary is the Democratic nominee she will be facing the Republican nominee.
2. What choices do you have? They are as follows:
a. Vote for Hillary - I assume this is always a 0% chance.
If it is your choice then I have nothing to say to you.
b. Vote for the Republican (or more importantly for some vote against Hillary) - My contention is that any other choice helps Hillary out.
c. Sit out the election - this in itself is a choice.
Conservatives who opt for this choice has the effect of diminishing the Republican vote. This by definition is a decision that helps Hillary out.
d. Vote 3rd party - Unless a groundswell of support and very unusual circumstances, this will not happen. Perot was initially a realistic possibility until he showed he was a nutcase. For 2008, a conservative alternative for 3rd party has a 0% chance and is effectively the same as electing Hillary.
Part "1" I disagee with, Hillary might face another democrat if Rudy is elected. You knew this and again did not put that posibility in for your own selfish reasons. This takes us back to my previous post.. Which I stand by... evil vs. evil.. Again I go back to Biblical reasons here not to vote for evil even if it could possible perchance lead to some good in the future.
If it came down to Rudy vs. Hillary right now, I would vote the write-in choise (which you don't list)... Duncan Hunter would probable be my write-in choise, but I would consider other good candidates at the time of course. I have seen little of other third party's that I like at the moment, and the Constitutional party has not produced a person that I have heard of. If Duncan Hunter endorsed Rudy, I would probable vote Roy Moore in the write-in position.
Jim Robinson has just posted a thread that pretty much sums up my feeling about this possible evil vs. evil matchup..
“Hey Grunthor. You and Ol’ Sparky working a tag team here?”
You mean there are more of us than of you?
Which only proves why the entire comparison was faulty. OTOH a political party, like a church, that doesn't stand for anything will wind up tolerating anything.
The unpopular truth here is that there will be a lot of social conservatives that will stay home or vote third party if a pro-abortion pro-gay candidate is the GOP standard-bearer. You can choose not to believe it but it will happen. Pro-lifers are more loyal to their issue than they are to the party. For that matter, so are pro-gun rights people, another issue on which Rudy is on the wrong side of his party.
You can wag your finger all you want and blame them for electing Hillary by default but, I assure you, that argument will fall on deaf ears. No need to waste your breath.
No president, Democrat or Republican, can seriously affect the abortion argument. They will eventually change things by judges, but I would trust Giuliani to support the Constitution over any pro-abortion stand. Even if Roe is overturned, many, if not most states will keep abortion legal. Likewise, he can't do much to change gun laws. Even liberals are finally discovering the 2nd amendment exists, even if they don't like it.
I suppose I should never underestimate the stupidity of conservatives.
And here I thought the biggest dumb thing they did was attack evolution.
You're not thinking rationally. Hillary isn't going to become dictator.
If she tried either of those things, Republicans would filibuster both attempts. I would guess the majority in Congress would vote against anything like that before a filibuster was needed.
I suppose I should never underestimate the stupidity of conservatives.
And here I thought the biggest dumb thing they did was attack evolution.
The stupidity of conservatives?
They?
And you have the unmittigated GAUL to sit on this thread and accuse others of being liberal trolls?
If “those conservatives” are “stupid” in your eyes, what are you? You ARE aware are you not that this is a CONSERVATIVE forum, NOT a moderate nor a Republican one.
Oh, and hey, since you are the "hyperbole post police monitor," may I suggest you rush right on over to this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1914023/posts
Why? Well, Liz has posted the following today:
"Hey Rooty, nice job fooling the dumb Christians. Remember the plan---the believers get dumped once you got their votes and assume office."
Go, ahead, rush right on over...(Look for the nasty red picture of a Satanic-like entity)
Then, to be consistent, you can post the following: You demean the tragedy wrought upon Adam & Eve & the billions that physically and spiritually have died at the hands of demonic dictators. The moment you start comparing anyone in US politics to Lucipher, you've lost the argument. The comparison is just plain stupid.
It is obvious that you are not from New York.
The Dinkins administration was miserable. By far the worst in my lifetime. That was the main reason that a Republican could win the mayoral election in NY. Rudy came in and turned the city around. The difference was demonstrable. By the way, Rudy’s criticisms did not come from conservatives.
We have a majority conservative nation. Just pointing out the liberal views of Giuliani.
No Giuliani, NO PROBLEM
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.