Posted on 4/6/2007, 12:43:31 PM by Cincinatus' Wife
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani often enjoys poll scores above all presidential rivals from both sides of the political aisle. He inarguably projects the kind of appeal normally foreign to most candidates trying to convince voters that citizens matter more than a party’s agenda.
However, that likely centrist advantage in the general election can be kryptonite in the primaries because centrism has so often been antithetical to the ideologues selecting each party’s nominee. But things are changing and Giuliani’s tough stances in defense of moderate positions are continuously embraced by the respondents of all surveys. Republicans have begun demonstrating more acceptance of moderates than have the Democrats, and this is a dramatic shift.
While having parity with the loons of the Right in the 90’s, those on the Left have since morphed into greater episodes of unhinged behavior. Yes, the right-wingers have Ann Coulter. However, the leftovers have Rosie O’Donnell, and she has grown to equal six snapping Coulters.
Let us be candid in the way we measure their respective fringe-like behavior. Coulter wrongfully resorts to name-calling while O’Donnell likens Iran’s taking of 15 British sailor and marine hostages to a cabal arranged by the United States government. Apparently the Baker-Hamilton Commission was right all along when recommending diplomacy with Iraq’s surrounding hostile regimes possessing a vested interest in our demise. We need only talk with the Iranians and look how quickly they’ll kidnap on our behalf! By Rosie’s measure however, we’ll now appear to have lost our influence because President Mahmoud Ahmedinijad let them go – U.S. cabal neutralized.
Back in our own galaxy, hard right elephants are uncomfortable with Giuliani’s progressiveness despite respecting his globally witnessed 9/11 heroism – but they’re not as disquieted as the liberals would prefer. Hard-Left donkeys are paranoid that if he does win the primaries, his centrism will then be unleashed upon its most target rich audience, the general election voters.
This is reminiscent of Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, who lost the state’s Democratic primary in ’06 only to win the statewide election thereafter as an independent. The militants rejected him while mainstreamers decisively returned him to power.
Why are the rigid partisans on both sides so frightened? Because even the wing-nuts have learned over the years that a preponderance of polling data illustrates that most Americans are socially moderate and fiscally conservative while being strong on national defense.
A more strangling frustration however will tighten around the Democrats because while the hierarchies of both camps are unnerved by centrists, a Giuliani victory would become a Bill Clinton moment for the GOP. Just as Bill extricated control of the Democratic Party from the far-Left, Rudy would take from the far-Right that similar influence. Republicans would accomplish in ‘08 the broader appeal once enjoyed by Democrats in the ‘90s. This of course was before they succumbed to the authoritarian collectivism of Moveon.org and the pro-Tiananmen Square massacre mentality of International ANSWER (Act Now To Stop War and End Racism).
Mr. Giuliani will nonetheless encounter battles with his own party’s old guard, but it’s a healthy and necessary process. Social conservatives will never come around to his perspective on gay rights and abortion, but will continue admiring his law enforcement prowess, contempt for a legislative judiciary, and zealous advocacy for free trade. He’s also the only candidate who has spoken extensively on the dangers of crossing the separation of powers between the branches, and how Constitutional law outranks legislative law each and every time - regardless of whether or not it’s liked by Congress, the Supreme Court or the Executive Branch.
Yet these are cautionary challenges juxtaposed to the well-grounded nervousness felt by Democrats over Giuliani’s prowess. In a column entitled, “Democrats Should Go After Giuliani – NOW,” popular left-wing syndicated columnist Roland Martin recommends going after the pre- 9/11 Rudy:
He was accused of being grossly insensitive to the family of a black man shot numerous times by the police and his rudeness was the talk of City Hall. (Creators Syndicate, February 16, 2007.)
However, Martin later admits in that column:
There is no candidate that strikes fear in the hearts of Democrats more than Giuliani. He has mass appeal, can raise money, has a huge name I.D. and is strong on defense. He talks tough and walks even tougher.
A month later, a quasi-progressive magazine published an opinion piece by Robert Polner entitled, “What an anti-Giuliani add should say,” wherein he supports the need to emphasize the benefits of disparaging the Mayor’s 9/11 credentials just as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth did in the 2004 election against Senator John Kerry’s military service. He argues that the Democrats should use the International Association of Fire Fighters’ drafted letter of rebuke:
It blasted Giuliani for his "disgraceful" order of November 2001 that forced hundreds of New York firefighters to stop searching ground zero for the remains of their fallen brethren. (Salon Magazine, March 17, 2007)
Somehow, this scheduling dispute pales when compared to the veteran-turned-activist’s own comments before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he characterized the confessed actions of a minority of soldiers as if they were the atrocities of most:
They relived the absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do. They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, tape wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the country side of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country. (Government transcript of John Kerry’s testimony, April 22, 1971, courtesy of C-SPAN)
However, the country will soon see the benefits of Giuliani’s pre-9/11 record. During his tenure, crime dropped, employment rose, the economy strengthened, drug use plummeted, and Time Square stopped being the toilet everyone wanted to flush.
He accomplished what 40 years worth of predecessors could not – he allowed my city to radiate again with pride.
Good luck with that :-)
Rudy isn’t perfect, but then, we’ve never had a perfect president. I want someone who doesn’t take garbage from the EU, UN, DNC, or the media and unless Rudy has mellowed, he’s that guy.
Heh. Good luck with that.
Here's my two-cents (and I did read the article): What could be more popular than a hawkish-Democrat, running as a Republican?
I thought she was always that fat.
what else can be said here on a conservative forum where so many have said, vote for Rudy because he can win, or we'll end up with Clinton. Hello, he is a Clinton in drag. They are not that different.
Thanks for a great laugh.
Perhaps a hawkish former Democrat, running as an Independent, like Lieberman did in Connecticut.
Please. Reread that and understand the meaning.
This jouranlist is not paying attention. The more conservatives familiarize themselves with Guiliani’s positions (ie federal funding of abortions) the lower his poll numbers go. He has peaked and is now heading in the opposite direction. Romneys numbers are improving and will continue to do so unless of course Thompson gets in and then it will be all over.
Tone deaf is too mild a characterization of this article.
Anatomy of a crash and burn.... http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2007/04/giuliani-to-social-conservatives-take.html
Rudy is NOT in the “center.”
He is a leftist: anti-gun, pro “gay rights,” claims abortion is a “Constitutional right” and even favors the return of welfare abortions.
Even Hillary is not this far left.
With the super-dooper primary Giuliani will garner many votes. Do not disregard him out of hand.
Romney took a hit yesterday with the hunting issue. I read a lot of comments here on FR and they weren’t very flattering.
I believe the writer makes valid points.
And this is a good thing how, unless you're a mushy moderate?
Plus, during Clinton's tenure, he held the White House but lost Congress and many state houses and legislatures.
Hillary sucks up to the National Education Association.
Hillary wants nationalized health care.
Hillary "Don't let a military person in this White House" Clinton is not a hawk.
Hillary will raise taxes.
Those are good points.
But hey! One could also argue that afterwards the Dems tilted left.
So will the GOP tilt more right?
Good luck with that :-)
Heh. Good luck with that.
I think it’s working.
I would say so, given that the GOP lost power in 2006 largely because they failed to hold to core principles.
Giuliani raised taxes and spending to unprecedented levels in NY. (See latest piece from National Review ?)
And has Hillary EVER called for the return of state and federal funding for abortions as Giuliani did? I would imagine she is too smart for that.
So many here on FR argue that a Hillary presidency would bring forth a glorious conservative surge.
Well, why not a Rudy presidency? He certainly has much more in common with conservatives than Hillary. And he will win. I don’t see any other candidate (declared or coyly waiting in the wings) that will keep the White House.
That’s because Hillary is a liar.
By your definition that makes her smart.
I guess Rudy is stupid for being honest.
Back in our own galaxy, hard right elephants are uncomfortable with Giuliani’s progressiveness
The correct term for liberalism is regressiveness. Our forefathers came here to escape that big government,european garbage.
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