Free Republic

NEW YORK (CNN) -- These days, it seems as if it is good politics for conservatives to address the annual convention of gay Republicans. "Keep pushing the Republican Party because you're pushing it in the right direction," New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told the Log Cabin Republican convention over the weekend. That is a far cry from the 1992 Republican convention, when the party's far right wing attacked the gay community. "Bill Clinton and Al Gore represent the most pro-lesbian and pro-gay ticket in history," said Pat Buchanan at the 1992 GOP convention. The convention crowds responded with enthusiasm....

As a presidential candidate, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is for real. Despite his unorthodox Republicanism — his support for legal abortion, his embrace of gun-control, and his unwillingness to act against court-imposed same-sex marriages — Giuliani now leads in several polls for the GOP nomination. The common wisdom is that most Republican voters know nothing of Rudy’s social liberalism, and so his support will dwindle as they learn more. But this may prove wrong. Knowledgeable folks on the Right, disheartened by a presidential field that lacks viable, trustworthy conservatives, are talking themselves into supporting the man who...

Secret study cited "weirdness factor" among candidate weaknesses FEBRUARY 12--As he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination, Rudolph Giuliani will have to contend with political and personal baggage unknown to prospective supporters whose knowledge of the former New York mayor is limited to his post-September 11 exploits. So, in a bid to educate the electorate, we're offering excerpts from a remarkable "vulnerability study" that was commissioned by Giuliani's campaign prior to his successful 1993 City Hall run. The confidential 450-page report, authored by Giuliani's research director and another aide, was the campaign's attempt to identify possible lines of attack against...

FEBRUARY 12--As he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination, Rudolph Giuliani will have to contend with political and personal baggage unknown to prospective supporters whose knowledge of the former New York mayor is limited to his post-September 11 exploits. So, in a bid to educate the electorate, we're offering excerpts from a remarkable "vulnerability study" that was commissioned by Giuliani's campaign prior to his successful 1993 City Hall run. The confidential 450-page report, authored by Giuliani's research director and another aide, was the campaign's attempt to identify possible lines of attack against Giuliani and prepare the candidate and his staff...

One of Rudy Giuliani’s early achievements as mayor of New York City was to make people think twice about urinating on the streets. “If somebody was urinating on the street,” he once told the New York Times, “the reaction would be, oh, we can’t do anything about that. And then the idea would start to develop that there must be some inherent human right to urinate on the street. So the police started ignoring all kinds of offenses. They’d even stand by when drug deals were going on. The police became highly skilled observers of crime.” Something had to be...

Giuliani Nabs Key Endorsement "Rudy Giuliani, fresh off a weekend visit to California, is set to nab the support of one of the Golden State’s most influential lawmakers as sources confirmed that" Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) "is expected to endorse the former New York mayor’s 2008 GOP presidential bid," according to Roll Call. "Dreier, the ranking member on the Rules Committee, is chairman of the state’s GOP delegation and his extensive ties to California’s lucrative business community make him one of his party’s leading fundraisers. He also is extremely close to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)."

Reports from the state Republican convention this weekend suggest that state GOP members are excited about former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is likely to run for president. Think about this: The state GOP is becoming the party of liberal Arnold Schwarzenegger, supporter of socialized health care, minimum wage hikes, global warming extremism, debt spending and tax increases. Giuliani is the premiere police-state Republican. This is no longer the party of Reagan. Is it time for supporters of limited government (remember that idea?) and a humbler foreign policy (to use GW Bush's election words) to jump ship?