Posted on 02/16/2007 4:56:04 AM PST by Spiff
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who said Wednesday night he is making a bid for the White House, will not be America’s 44th president because he supports abortion rights and gay rights and has been married three times.
At least so says Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Land is considered an influential evangelical leader, and he has a new book, due out next month, entitled The Divided States of America? What Liberals and Conservatives Are Missing in the God-and-Country Shouting Match — with a foreword written by Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn).
Land told The Hill in an interview this week that as it stands now, the top tier of Republican presidential hopefuls lacks a candidate social conservatives can be fully comfortable voting for.
Beginning with Giuliani, Land said “the vast majority” of social conservative voters will not vote for the former mayor even if he gets the nomination and faces off against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
“If he wins, he’ll do so without social conservatives,” Land said.
While Giuliani’s moderate to liberal stances on social issues are beginning to be discussed more and more in conservative circles, Land said the mayor’s annulment, divorce and subsequent third marriage will seal the deal against hizzoner for social conservatives.
“It’s got to surface at some point,” Land said. “There are too many social conservatives talking about it, and it applies to [Newt] Gingrich, too.”
Land talks often about the weight social conservatives carry within the Republican Party, citing exit polling and warning GOP candidates that they can “no more win without conservative voters than a Democrat can without overwhelming support from blacks.”
“That’s the reality of politics in the early 21st century,” he said.
Land looked at the current field of Republican candidates and offered his appraisal — not endorsement — of those he views to be in contention.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has to “convince” social conservatives his conversions on issues such as abortion and gay rights are authentic rather than politically motivated, Land said, adding that many conservatives will likely give Romney the benefit of the doubt on his changed abortion position.
“Conservatives would see that as ‘He’s seen the light,’” Land said. “They would see it as less of a flip-flop than as a journey.”
Of Romney’s Mormon religion, Land said it’s not a “deal-killer.”
Land said he has encouraged the former governor to reach out to social conservatives about his religion and appeal to “the American people’s sense of fair play,” much as President Kennedy addressed his Catholicism in front of the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in 1960.
As for oft-perceived Republican frontrunner Sen. John McCain, Land paused, then said the Arizona senator’s strengths with independent voters are what is hurting him with socially conservative voters.
McCain’s “maverick” streak may be a winning personality trait for reporters and independents, but social conservatives consider it to be a sign of unpredictability.
“They don’t like being surprised,” Land said.
Though Land doesn’t question McCain’s consistency on abortion issues, he said McCain’s involvement in the “Gang of 14” — the bipartisan Senate group that prevented the “nuclear” option on judicial nominees — and his refusal to support anti-gay marriage proposals severely hurts his chances with traditional-values voters.
In the end, Land said, social conservatives are concerned about the kind of judges a President McCain would nominate.
“Voting pro-life is not enough,” Land said. “He has got to express himself in other venues.”
Add that to the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform law, legislation that sparked an outcry in religious organizations, and McCain, despite a conservative record and his continued, loyal backing of President Bush, does not come in as a favorite of the religious right.
But Land said the second tier of candidates offers voters of his ilk two contenders so-called values voters could get behind — Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R).
Both men are considered long-shots at this early stage of the game, but Land said impressive fundraising or gains in the polls could open a door to either candidate through which social conservatives might run.
“They don’t have to convince other social conservatives they’re one of them,” Land said. “They just have to convince other social conservatives they can win.”
Land called Huckabee a “Republican Bill Clinton,” praising the longtime governor’s charisma and affability with voters.
“I think he could catch fire,” Land said.
As it stands today, probably a good 10 months away from the first votes, Land said Romney and McCain “get the first chance to close the deal,” but concedes with those two as the frontrunners, social conservatives are left without a candidate who makes them 100 percent comfortable.
“That’s why if I were a Brownback supporter or a Romney supporter, I wouldn’t be all that discouraged,” he said.
As for Democrats, Land challenges the assumption held by many that Clinton will be the Democratic nominee, giving her “50-50” chances.
He said as he talks to conservative voters, he hears the word “calculating” used most often to describe the former first lady and cites “Clinton-Bush” fatigue as one of the factors working against her.
“When people talk to me about her, their facial expressions change,” he said.
I can't think of single Democrat that I could vote for.
Thats BULLoney!
People who have a conscience and want to uphold their principles and integrity vote for the person who they see as the best candidate that matches what they belive in.
Conservatives of conscience aren't about to run out and support someone who doesn't respect the right to life of the unborn by supporting abortion on demand and partial birth abortion, along with amnesty for illegals, gay rights, big govt, topped off by being a gungrabber.
Sorry. Not my vote. Not Rudy Giuliani.
Watch and see how Giuliani moderates as the primaries get closer.With the exception of spaceshots like Ralph Nader ALL politicians move in the right hand direction at some point in the election cycle.For Pub's it's the primaries for D'craps it's the general election.Some people see this as lying,politicians see it as the X's and O's of a good game plan !!!
Do you even remotely think that a President Hillary will have conservative positions on guns, gays, and abortion? I think you already know the answer to that question.
Whoever wins the Presidency must be strong on national defense. Hillary is not.
You may not like it, but that's reality. If Giuliani is the nominee, social conservatives won't vote for him and he will lose the general election. So, if you're extremely worried that Clinton could be our next President, you better get busy promoting a more acceptable GOP candidate and hoping that Giuliani gets knocked down far enough to give your candidate a shot. That is what is at stake here and that's what you have to do if you don't want a Democrat to win in 2008.
Rudy would probably win and this Baptist guy is full of crap. Right off the bat, there's this huge disconnect between his statements about Rudy and the fact that he has Joe Liberman write the forward to the book.
We're all going to hear a lot of bluster from the far right griping about mainstream GOP candidates, just as we'll hear it from the far left about Hillary. It's all just political posturing and gamesmanship.
Richard Land nails it.
After losing, let's all go wander in the desert for two generations.
So, you think that support for partial birth abortion, abortion on demand, gun confiscation, gay marriage, an openly gay military, and gay adoption is "mainstream?" And that people who oppose that are "far right?" Did you click the wrong URL and find yourself on the wrong political forum?
You couldn't be more wrong and this is delusional thinking.
In the primaries run to the right, in the general run towards the center.
When you're on a liberal like Rudy Giuliani, not running as something you are not, shows a willful effort to employ political expediency for all its worth.
Ideologues are never ever happy and are always disconnected from the big picture.
Rudy would probably win and this Baptist guy is full of crap.
Don't bet the farm on that statement.
No, look for a Conservative to run either as a Constitution Party nominee or perhaps some other party.
Good swipe at conservative Christian Republicans there. So, how do you think your Christian-bashing strategy is going to work out in the long run?
This is one of the most intelligent analyses I have read. Land really understands social conservatives; Giuliani supporters don't have a clue.
Which is 100% on the Stupid Party.
bump...
Southern Baptists are the core of the Religious Right, accompanied by Pentecostals and Charismatic independent mega churches. A few mega churches are liberal, however. A quick search will reveal the total number of "Evangelicals" that vote. If Rudy thinks he can win the election in 2008 by dissing those voters, more power to him.
You're hysterical regarding these other issues. Abortion and gun rights will not change barely a lick under any current GOP candidate. They will, however, change dramatically under any Dem candidate.
If Rudy or McCain wins the GOP nod and you stay home or vote for some 3rd party, you're voting to lose gun rights, you're voting to expand abortion rights, and worst of all, you're voting to surrender in the WoT.
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.