Posted on 04/11/2007 2:10:09 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
LaGRANGE, Ga. -- You wouldn't expect the Rev. Mike Reeves to like Rudolph Giuliani much.
The conservative Baptist preacher from this city near the Alabama border is adamantly against abortion and gay marriage. Nonetheless, if he had to choose from the current Republican presidential candidates Reeves would pick the thrice-married former mayor of liberal New York, who supports abortion and gay rights.
"He's strong," Reeves said. "I think we need a president who's going to look our enemies in the eye and say, 'No more,' and they'll know he means it."
Giuliani's emergence as a Republican frontrunner in the crowded race for the White House has been dogged by questions about whether he can win over conservative Christian voters in the South, the bedrock of his party's national support. Reeves offers a glimpse of hope. But there are plenty of others who are a lot more skeptical.
So, expect to see a lot more of Giuliani in Dixie.
Already, he has been spending time in South Carolina, the earliest primary state in the South. His latest swing through the South took him Tuesday to Alabama, where he addressed a joint session of the state Legislature. On Wednesday, he'll touch down in Atlanta, where he will visit the USO, meet privately with Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue and scoop up donations at a glitzy fundraiser thrown by Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot.
Marcus supported former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed's failed bid last year to become Georgia's lieutenant governor and could be instrumental to Giuliani's Southern strategy by helping pave the way with some of the state's influential conservatives.
"I will do anything I can to help him," Marcus said in an interview with The Associated Press. "He is unlike most political candidates in that he doesn't say what everybody wants to hear. I think people will connect to that kind of candor."
Reed, who works as a political consultant and campaign strategist for Republicans, didn't return a telephone call seeking comment about Giuliani, who headlined a fundraiser last May for Reed's campaign for Georgia's No. 2 executive post.
Nationally, Giuliani draws 37 percent of the white evangelical vote, more than any other Republican candidate, according to a recent AP-Ipsos poll. Still, his support in the South is weaker than in the Northeast and Midwest.
Emory University political scientist Merle Black, author of the new book "Divided America," which examines deepening regional divisions in politics, said Giuliani might split the South with other GOP candidates during the primaries. But if he becomes the Republican nominee, he would almost certainly win the Southern states that President Bush did.
"Any Democrat in the field today would have far more issues carrying the South than he would," Black said.
And Black said the South's influence in the primaries is waning as big states _ such as New York and California _ move their primary election dates up on the calendar. Moderate Republicans in those states could play a larger role in picking the party's candidate.
Still, Giuliani will have his work cut out for him as he tries to woo Southern conservatives.
Some conservative Christians say they simply don't see themselves voting for someone whose views on social issues are so far from their own, even if they are left a little starry-eyed by the way Giuliani led in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.
"I respect him," said the Rev. Aaron McCollough, a missionary with the Troup Baptist Association in LaGrange. "But I vote my values, and I don't have a candidate yet."
And even Reeves said he could change his mind if a conservative candidate to his liking entered the race. His choice? Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, of Tennessee, who plays a fictional district attorney on television's crime drama "Law and Order."
"He seems like he could be from my hometown," Reeves said.
Fuhgeddaboutit.
No RINO liberals. Fred is our only choice.
I find it amazing that so many “conservatives” are willing to accept the choices given to them by the media. If they vote this way, we are all screwed. The time to choose between the truly revolting and the little less revolting, needs to come to an end. The only way we can elect a conservative, is to, first, find one and then work very hard to get that person elected. Acceptance of the status quo, especially since the GOP has chosen to mimic the Dems, is long past.
Look at the source.
I agree with you. I won’t be voting for a liberal, even if he is a Republican.
The only thing they are looking for in Rudy is a tree to hang him from. No way a pure yankee that wants to take their guns away could carry the south.
That's good to know.
Northeastern-corridor, inner-city, gun-grabbing, abortion-supporting, gay-agenda-loving, jack-booted-big-government-thug, liberal lawyer-bureaucrat RINOS...
are about as welcome in the South as William Tecumseh Sherman was.
Just say NO to ANY and ALL RINOS (and liberal demonRATS, of course).
“I find it amazing that so many “conservatives” are willing to accept the choices given to them by the media.”
You’re amazed because your premise is faulty. It’s not the media who gives us the choice—it’s Rudy’s actual record—which you choose to ignore. If you want to be honestly amazed, then you might delve into his real achievments which are spectacular and stretch over decades. How many other Republican candidates, for instance, can claim to have broken the back of the NY Mafia, helped cleaned up Wall Street’s biggest scams, took NYC out of the sewer and put it in the black for the first time in 50 years, reducing its murder rate by 67%, making it one of the safest cities in America, then topped it all by acting brilliantly at Ground Zero on 9/11, calming the nerves of the nation? While you’re at it, ask yourself how many other candidates are as articulate and experienced in executive leadership or have the political clout to bring blue and purple states into the GOP column in the next general election. If you want to be truly amazed, start thinking about some of this.
Great post.
Remember FDR calming the nerves of the nation? He spent nine years exacerbating the depression with his socialist solutions and setting precedents that have done more damage to this country than anyone in history. Stalin was very good at calming nerves.
Hemlock may be tasty but not my cuppa.
It is completely possible that someone so untrustworty in his private life, could be trustworthy in public life. The two do not always equate. When he comes after my guns though, I will question that trustworthiness. Not to mention when all the gays who used to flock to Denmark, start coming here instead.
Ambitious, he certainly is. But the USA, is not New York City, Thank God
This southern conservative is giving him a look, one of disgust.
(((RUDY PING)))))
Oh really? Rudy is very welcome down south. They really like him. Where era do you live in? 1860?
“Ambitious, he certainly is. But the USA, is not New York City, Thank God”
Major USA dittos! Being the *mayor* of a US city, no matter how large, does not equate to being POTUS.
And what does being a senator or congresscritter equates to?
I think cleaning up a city of 8 million people gives you the right to run.
Man, when the democrats finally unleash there millions of dollars against Rudy (in the general election) all they have to do is take him down on this ONE issue “strength” and he’ll have nothing at all.
Never pick a guy for a single issue, even if that single issue is “he’s really strong”. It’s too easy to prove he isn’t, and then his support will fail.
Anyone who meets the guidelines has the *right* to run for President.
Point is, NYC is without a doubt the birthplace and hotbed of Liberalism in the US. Most Conservatives agree, this is not something We want translated to the office of the Presidency.
I think I have to agree with you. Fred is a McCane guy.
Who knew we had that many evangelical RINOs? /s
What era are you living in? 1860?
~snip~
The conservative Baptist preacher from this city near the Alabama border is adamantly against abortion and gay marriage. Nonetheless, if he had to choose from the current Republican presidential candidates Reeves would pick the thrice-married former mayor of liberal New York, who supports abortion and gay rights.
“He’s strong,” Reeves said. “I think we need a president who’s going to look our enemies in the eye and say, ‘No more,’ and they’ll know he means it.”
....And even Reeves said he could change his mind if a conservative candidate to his liking entered the race. His choice? Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson...”
~snip~
I looked at him, puked, and then decided never to vote for his liberal worthless hide.
Ha! I read that too. We’ll see what happens.
“Remember FDR calming the nerves of the nation? He spent nine years exacerbating the depression with his socialist solutions and setting precedents that have done more damage to this country than anyone in history. Stalin was very good at calming nerves.”
Nothing could be further from the truth than your mindless post. Rudy applied Ronald Reagan’s fiscal principles in administrating NYC, not FDR’s. He cut taxes and levies over and over, saving billions for taxpayers. He cut NYC’s top income-tax rate by 20.6%. Local city taxes on a family of four dropped 23.7%. He cut the commercial-rent tax. He cut sales taxes, including taxes on clothing. He cut the marriage penalty tax. He cut taxes on commercial rents and on small businesses and self-employed New Yorkers. He privatized municipal assets, selling city-owned radio and television stations and divested the City from the New York Coliseum adding $345 million to erase the City’s red ink. He cut NYC’s hotel tax from 6% to 5%. Tourism increased 50% in the city per year during Rudy’s tenure. Personal income increased 50%. Unemployment in the city went form 10.3% to 5.1%.
His administration was as far from socialism as you can get—in a city with a larger population than most states and one that is five-to-one liberal. In spite of this he pushed through his reforms—all of which was fought by the liberal media, beginning with the NYTimes, every step of the way. But he fought back and won the backing of public opinion time and time again. So please get your facts straight.
“Ok, I’ve looked at Rudy. Next.”
Newsflash: there is no “next.” Thompson, Romney, Hunter, Gingrich—all are losers. None would pick up a single blue or purple state.
I do not recall saying Rudy was a Socialist, just way too far to the liberal side. Calming nerves is an altogether different claim and that is where there was a comparison to FDR. Even someone as mindless as I, should be able to see that is where the comparison was.
I do not think Rudy will win. As soon as the media gets him nominated, the Dems will shred him like a piece of cheese. They will be able to run to the right of him in several areas. I think I recall that being done last year to a number of GOP candidates. The Dems don’t have to live up to what they run on. They only have to get elected and they will stop at nothing to do that.
If we have nothing to offer but Dem-lite, we are in deep doodoo. There is no compromising with the left, no middle of the road. You either agree with them or they hate you. There seems to be far too many candidates who think they can hold the middle ground and get elected. We have already seen the damage that can do to a country.
This Southerner has looked ... considered ... and rejected Mr. Guiliani.
The more folks down here learn about him, the more support he loses. He still has decent numbers here because a lot of folks aren’t paying attention this far away from the election but he will not do well in the South once more Republicans start finding out about his liberal worldview.
” Not to mention when all the gays who used to flock to Denmark, start coming here instead.”
What the hell are you talking about?
“He still has decent numbers here because a lot of folks aren’t paying attention this far away from the election but he will not do well in the South once more Republicans start finding out about his liberal worldview.”
It’s been a year now since folks here have been saying that.......and it still isn’t happening.
This GRITS has too. I do not want him anywhere near the White House. He is a liberal.
It was a very lame attempt to point out Rudy’s view on homosexuality.
The primary voters will settle this Prez question. Not Freepers like you and me. Rudy could win the primaries and if he does, I will support him over any Quisling pacifist socialist Dem, any! Staying home allows the real enemy to win. 2006 showed that.
“I do not recall saying Rudy was a Socialist, just way too far to the liberal side. Calming nerves is an altogether different claim and that is where there was a comparison to FDR. Even someone as mindless as I, should be able to see that is where the comparison was.”
So what was the point in bringing up FDR’s liberal socialism then—or mentioning Stalin in the same breath, for that matter? Were you just mentioning their socialism in passing? I don’t think so. You were trying to put Rudy down, implying he shared a socialist philosophy with FDR and Stalin—and you were dead wrong.
Looks like plenty of people in the GOP are not ‘sudden death’ abortion fetishists.
Yup, good record there....
On a bad day at FR, someone can get called a socialist for almost anything shy of a seething, irrational hatred for anything connected to the government.
I think you are insulting the intelligence of millions of conservative Republicans who will vote for Mr. Giuliani, the media be damned. Some of us have thought Rudy would be the next Republican candidate since his speech during the Convention and we were awed by his performance during the 911 disaster. Even though I don’t agree with all of his social politics, he is more honest about his choices than any other candidate. Many of them have flip-flopped, changed their views or in the case of Mitt Romney, have run out and joined the NRA for the first time and are trying to deceive the public. Rudy is the real deal and that’s why he will have millions of conservative Republicans in his corner.
You are already in deep doo doo with Duncan Whathisname.
lmao.....NO, Hillary, Obama and Edwards are LIBERALS. Rudy is a fiscally conservative Republican. Our next President.
Your sig line cracks me up. You don't know what "taxed2death" is until a Hillary administration.
Go Rudy!!
I do not mean to put Rudy down. I am sure his own words will speak volumes for him. He would make a fine Mayor of New York. Frankly, I do not trust him very far. But he still would be preferrable to her we do not name.
News flash: Who ever is in the Whitehouse in 2008 will raise taxes. Sorry if you havn’t figured this out yet......
I’m a southern conservative(Texas native)though living in New York. I would encourage my fellow southern conservatives to shorten their consideration of Rudy to something less than brief and forget about him completely. Let us encourage Fred Thompson to run and see what his mettle is.
Rudy has a history of cutting taxes, not raising them!
I guess I am still out-to-lunch about what Rudy did on 9-11. All I’ve ever heard is various media types saying what a great job he did. I know it was better than Nagin’s performance, but what did he do
Maybe I brought up FDR because you cannot find a Democrat anywhere that does not revere him, not to mention most of the moderates, and a great deal of the moderate Republicans. He got us through the Depression. Or did he drag it out and make it worse than it had to be for seven years longer than any President in History. The Depression only ended because of the war. BUT HE WAS A GREAT LEADER. Great leader my a$$, great con-man was more like it.
Rudy did produce some good numbers in New York. He fits in New York. But at a time when conservatism is being sorely tested, I don’t think someone with the amount of liberal baggage he carries, would be good for the party or the country.
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