Posted on 03/04/2007 7:26:41 AM PST by veronica
Fred Wehba is not supposed to be a Rudy Giuliani supporter.
A born-again Christian who helped found an evangelical church in celebrity-soaked Beverly Hills in 2002, Wehba is deeply opposed to Giuliani's pro-choice, pro-gay-rights views.
But Wehba, a successful businessman, is willing to look beyond those traits to something else he sees in the Republican former mayor: a leadership X-factor that he believes could squash Democrat Hillary Clinton and carry Giuliani all the way to the White House in 2008.
"He's someone who can get things done, and he can win," said Wehba. "And I'm not the only Christian who thinks like that."
As 2008 hopefuls start to woo different slices of the electorate, one of the more unexpected shifts appears to be a slow migration of white evangelical conservatives toward the thrice-married Giuliani.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll last week found that such voters are now a major reason why Giuliani is outpacing Arizona Sen. John McCain by 23 percentage points - up from just seven percentage points in January.
Giuliani is pulling ahead with a novel approach: by simply agreeing to disagree with conservatives on social issues, then moving quickly to the common ground he shares on taxes, education and the war on terror.
"You've got to run based on who you are," Giuliani told a group of South Carolina firefighters recently. "If you do it that way, even people who disagree with you sometimes respect you."
Giuliani is aided by the fact that conservatives have no real standard bearer in the top tier. They distrust McCain for once bashing televangelist Jerry Falwell, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is now greeted with beach flip-flops for all his shifts on abortion and other social issues.
"Giuliani has an authenticity that does register with a lot of conservatives," said John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. "They say, 'Well, at least we know where he stands.'"
Which is why Wehba, 59 - a former Texan who last voted for George W. Bush - will be standing with Giuliani tomorrow night when he hits Los Angeles for a fund-raiser.
"Maybe we don't all agree with his social positions," said Wehba. "But that's okay, he's a deal maker."
You're just writing things because you're impressed with your own meanderings. You're so far off topic it's not worth answering anymore.
The "celebrity-soaked Beverly Hills" part sounds a lot like Rudy and his boosters. I'll bet the "born-again Christian" and "evangelical" parts are just so much window-dressing.
name calling and no argument is all that is in your arsenal...
Right, LOL!
A thoughtful post.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I like Newt and could vote for Newt, but even Newt on the ticket would encourage me to vote for Rudy G. But, that's just me.
'Rudy is a liberal... but he's not a liar like Hillary. He doesn't tell people what they want to hear. He's intelligent enough to treat them like adults and not insult them with BS flip-floppery.'
Unless you're married to him or he is your father.
Heehee. Describes the situation perfectly!
I understand - no problem! :-)
I am a Southern Baptist and I whole-heartedly support Rudy. So do many in my church and most of my Southern Baptist family members.
The left-wing media would love for the conservative evangelicals to split; therefore, giving Hillary or Obama a free ride into the White House!
Congrats, that's Jimmy in a nutshell. Well said!
In contrast, I could care less if Rudy's marriage broke down and he had to move in with two gay friends. So what? What's the big whoop about that?
I think you are correct about that. My point was that it would not surprise me that Rudy would pick a conserv like Newt to win the South and SW. Still, a Hunter or Huckabee or Pawlenty could heal those daggers the MSM would hurl at the GOP to offset any conserv on the ticket. Posters wrote that they could not vote for Newt. Perhaps. So far, my money and support is for Rudy G but that is because I believe he can defeat the devilish Dems. To see so many conservs whining, and to see that Newt without organization could draw such high numbers, was my idea that many would indeed flow to him if he did run. His baggage of course, would ruin him and the down ticket. Still, his brilliance is overwhelming when comparing him to all the other candidates. Too bad his personal life has been a shambles.
"You've got to run based on who you are," Giuliani told a group of South Carolina firefighters recently. "If you do it that way, even people who disagree with you sometimes respect you."
Refreshing
I respect and understand your viewpoint .Newt has just as much, if not more, negative baggage as Rudy.
My contention is that Romney can actually enter the general election championing the Conservative platform, and still defeat Hitlary or any other Dim that might be the nominee.Romney is the only one that I see that can do it while advancing our causes .
Rudy, OTOH , appears to be willing to completely write off the social Conservatives under the misperception that our side is all to willing to succumb to the "lesser of two evils game". It won't work this time .
Why can't these Hunter and Romney people just present and cheer for their own candidates? Why do they have to try to destroy not only Rudy but all of us as well? And they do this when they know as well as you and I do that the social misfits from the DU are here looking, and for all we know they are posting in order to start fights. When did we say this election was??!!!
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