Giuliani to star at GOP convention (What happen to the lovefest with McCain and What about Duncan?)

Ventura Star ^ | 2/9/07 | Timm Herdt

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO — The 2008 presidential campaign will take center stage this weekend at the California Republican Party convention, as one of the leading GOP contenders — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — addresses delegates Saturday and seeks to build on an already strong organizational advantage in the Golden State.

Although delegates are also scheduled to hear from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tonight, the partisans at the convention are already looking ahead.

"This won't be an Arnold convention," said former Assemblyman Tony Strickland of Moorpark. "This will be more of a Giuliani convention."

Giuliani, who this week formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run, is scheduled to remain in California for several days, making stops in Silicon Valley and at an annual agricultural expo in Tulare. He already has formed a strong network of supporters in California, largely with the help of former gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon, a one-time colleague in the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York.

Simon has enlisted many from his 2002 campaign team to help his old boss' efforts in California, including Simi Valley conservative strategist Steve Frank.

Frank, who has been known to stir up controversy at past state conventions, said Thursday he is "heavily involved" with the Giuliani campaign and promised to be on "my best behavior" at this convention.

The attention given to the presidential campaign and a hotly contested race to select the state party's new vice president is probably good news for Schwarzenegger, because those two issues will deflect potential protests from the conservative wing of the party.

Schwarzenegger has drawn the ire of some conservatives since his re-election by declaring an era of "post-partisanship" and by proposing a universal healthcare plan that includes billions in what he describes as "fees" on businesses, doctors and hospitals.

Conservative critics describe those fees as taxes — and contend that, by proposing them, Schwarzenegger has broken his pledge not to seek a tax increase.

Among his sharpest critics has been Ventura County Sen. Tom McClintock, who as the party's nominee for lieutenant governor in the fall, had been described by many as the governor's "running mate." This week, in comments to a news reporter, McClintock offered this pointed criticism of Schwarzenegger's recent performance: "I'd say he was governing as a Democrat, but that would be an insult to Democrats."

Ventura County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Osborn of Ventura, who will lead a contingent of perhaps three dozen county delegates at the convention, said he expects Schwarzenegger will receive a polite reception.

"There's been a lot of smoke, but I haven't seen anything happening," he said of GOP dissatisfaction with the governor.

Asked about Schwarzenegger's theme of "post-partisanship," Osborn acknowledged: "I would like to hear him mention the word ‘Republican' a few more times."

When asked earlier this year whether he was considering becoming an independent, Schwarzenegger said he entertained no such thoughts and proclaimed himself "a proud Republican."

Although Giuliani will be the only presidential candidate to attend the convention, advocates for other candidates are expected to work the partisan crowd — including Strickland, who is backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Those two, along with Arizona Sen. John McCain, are considered the early front-runners for the party's 2008 nomination.

[basil]

And the difference is

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[George W. Bush]

...they would rather take down the party than meet the base even half way.

If they want a suicide pact, we can't stop them. But my vote can't be blackmailed. And I'm more scared of them than Hillary. If Rudy gets the nomination, it will be the end of conservatives in this country. We'll end up like Canada or Britain: our choice between two very liberal parties.

Better to lose one election with a conservative or a moderate than to lose every election hereafter to an entrenched system of two liberal parties.

I think Rudy will help Democrats downticket. His presence on the ticket will harm conservative or even moderate Republicans at every level.

[tobyhill]

I don't want a third party candidate but if even the threat of a third party gets the Republicans off the RINO bandwagon then let's start talking third party. I don't think Rudy can beat Hillary anyway because she will fool just enough moderates in the South where Rudy can't run from his pro-abortion, pro-gay and anti-gun stand. That one cross dressing photo will doom him in the South.

[George W. Bush]

Let me make this as clear as I can, I will vote for whom ever I want, even third party, and that doesn't make me a "traitor" if I choose to do so.

Consider the source. The idea that casting your vote legally is 'treason' indicates that the accuser is more wed to the party than to the Constitution and the country at large. There's a big difference between patriots and self-appointed commissars.

[calcowgirl]

Huh? Is that in response to something I said? Who are church ladies?

[tobyhill]

You're right and the Republican party is trying to box in Conservatives in a place where we once again have to pick the "but at least he's not Hillary" candidate.

[calcowgirl]

Rudy's fiscal record is way better than the Terminator's.

Everyone's fiscal record is better than the Terminator's. That's not sayin' much!

[George W. Bush]

But...he's going to sneak into gunowner's homes and grab their guns, that's all that really matters.

What happened to your pledge to stay off the Rudy threads after JimRob clearly called him a gungrabber and a danger to the nation?

[CommerceComet]

The problem with the Republicans is that when they built this big tent party they invited too many NE and NW Republican Liberals that haven't given a crap about what us good-ole Southern Conservatives thought and they would rather take down the party than meet the base even half way.

To meet half-way, both parties have to move. I have yet to see anyone proclaim on this forum that they would never vote for Newt or Duncan Hunter. "Good-ole Southern Conservatives" got their candidate in 2000 and again in 2004 and for the most part, the NE and NW liberals in the Republican Party came along.

Supporting the candidate of their choice isn't taking the party down. Throwing a hissy fit because your candidate lost and voting third-party is taking the party down.

[AdamSelene235]

However, if Rudy get's the nomination, ANY conservative or Republican who endorses and votes for a third party candidate is a traitor scumbag and will hav cast a vote for Hillary.

I'd rather be stabbed in the chest than stabbed in the back.

If this Domestic Enemy of the Constitution is nominated, the GOP will lost for a generation or more.

[calcowgirl]

That thread is still alive. Rudy on gun control: "You've got to REGULATE consistent with the Second Amendment"
FOX News ^ | Feb 6, 2007 | Hanity and Colmes
Posted on 02/07/2007 2:40:44 PM PST by Jim Robinson

[George W. Bush]

...we once again have to pick the "but at least he's not Hillary" candidate.

We're preparing to repeat the mistake of '06, namely, the idea that the base and the indies are more afraid of Dims than Republicans.

Well, I got news for them. The voters aren't that scared of Hillary. And running her soulmate, Rudy, doesn't help us at all. It'll do tremendous harm to us even if he runs and fails.

We didn't fail in '06 by being too conservative. We got beat by being too liberal and by a war that seemed stalled or directionless.

[Fierce Allegiance]

I knew you were FOS yesterday. LOL!

[airborne]

You don't suppose the drive by media could have a sinister motive in pushing Rudy on us, do you?

[processing please hold]

I guess the MSM is voting for Rudy.

Only until or if he wins the nomination. Then they will destroy him and that'll split the GOP vote. Their job will have been accomplished.

[tobyhill]

It is dragging the party down. The NE and NW liberal Republicans are incompatible to the Southern Conservative Republicans. There is no halfway and Reps like Snowe, Collins and Specter have fought the Conservative Republicans every step of the way.

[mysterio]

ANY conservative or Republican who endorses and votes for a third party candidate is a traitor scumbag and will have cast a vote for Hillary, Surrender and Defeat.

A vote for a third party candidate is a vote for a third party candidate and nothing more.

Nominate an acceptable candidate and you'll not have to worry about that in the first place.

[mysterio]

I feel like I'm communicating with a bunch of f***ing retards.

Another well crafted argument. I'll bet you have an endless spring of name calling and swear words to beat us all down with, lol.

[George W. Bush]

I feel like I'm communicating with a bunch of f***ing retards.

Lovely.

The liberal wing of the party had better understand we have no interest in the GOP except inasmuch as it serves as the vehicle for conservative policy and safeguarding the Constitution.

If you want liberals, go vote for the Dims. That's what you really want anyway if you want Giuliani.