Rudy Giuliani Snubs Conservative Base

Although his rivals are scheduled to address the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention this weekend, Rudy Giuliani has decided to skip the gathering and avoid having to defend his position on social issues that put him squarely at odds with conservative Republican base voters needed to win the GOP nomination.

His conspicuous absence comes after Family Research Council President Tony Perkins sharply rebuked his candidacy last week. Perkins said, "...most pro-family Americans do not yet realize how far outside of the mainstream of conservative thought that Mayor Giuliani social views really are." [CBN, 2/6/07, http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/99908.aspx] Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, this week also said "the vast majority" of social conservative voters will not vote for the former mayor even if he gets the nomination. [The Hill, 2/16/07]

Jerry Falwell, who is on the NRB Board of Directors as broadcaster on WRVL-FM, also expressed opposition to Giuliani's candidacy. At a private breakfast last year Falwell said that "moderates such as former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani could not be allowed to win the GOP presidential nomination." He said, "It can't be a Giuliani and it cannot be a [New York Gov. George E.] Pataki." [Frontrunner, 9/25/06]

"Tony Perkins, Richard Land, and Jerry Falwell know what Republican primary voters don't yet know about Rudy Giuliani: He's out of step with conservative voters," said DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. "No doubt it would have been a tough sell for Rudy this weekend, so it's no surprise he won't even show up to try to make his case. No doubt, the more conservative voters know about Rudy's real record, the less they'll like the idea of him in the White House."

Conservative Leaders Oppose Giuliani's Candidacy:

Pat Buchanan Said Rudy Couldn't Win. Buchanan said, "I just don't think Rudy can do it. I may be wrong, but I'm not usually." He added, "I'm telling you, as Giuliani -- if he should get somehow the nomination, as he marches to the podium, the Republican Party explodes right in the convention hall. The Republican base cannot go along with Rudy Giuliani, his views on social and cultural and moral issue, the background, the record. The party would explode, Joe. It would come apart. You would have a third party candidate, and that would kill Rudy in the South." ["Scarborough Country," MSNBC, 11/14/06]

Grover Norquist Said Giuliani Can't Run for President Because He Is Not Aligned Politically with Republican Primary Voters On Issues Including Gay Rights. Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist said, "Well, its name recognition and general positive before you start asking questions. I don't think Giuliani runs for president, because if you try and get into the weeds, where is he going to be on a series of issues that would matter to Republican primary voters? Guns. Gay rights, abortion. And I don't quite know where he is on taxes." [Charlie Rose Show, 12/6/05]

Frum Said Giuliani Can't Win. Neoconservative David Frum, ex-speechwriter to President Bush, put it bluntly when asked about Giuliani's shot at the nomination. "He has one obstacle in his way: the social conservatives. And he shouldn't just assume he can get past it," Frum said. [New York Daily News, 11/15/06]

Lott Warned Giuliani About Roadblocks in His Presidential Bids. In 2005, columnist Robert Novak recalled the events of a visit by Rudy Giuliani to Trent Lott's Mississippi. Novak reported that Lott warned Giuliani about roadblocks in his presidential path. "Lott, who likes and admires Giuliani, told him that the New Yorker's support for abortion, homosexual rights and gay marriage are heavy burdens for a Republican to carry nationally. Giuliani protested that he never supported same-sex marriage, only civil unions. Lott advised that in Mississippi, they don't see any difference between gay marriage and civil unions." [New York Sun, 4/18/05]

Klein Said Giuliani Victory Would Be Difficult. The American Spectator's Philip Klein wrote that "a Giuliani victory would be difficult, not impossible." [GayPatriot, 11/19/06]

Rick Scarborough, A Southern Baptist Minister And President Of Vision America, Said Giuliani Would Send Social Conservatives Home and Thus Can't Win Nomination. Scarborough said, "If the Republican Party wants to send the social conservatives home for good, all they have to do is nominate Rudy Giuliani.It's an insult to the pro-Christian agenda.He's going to spend a lot of money finding he can't get out of the Republican primaries." [Washington Post, 12/19/06]

Conservatives Find Giuliani's Positions on Gay Rights Untenable. According to right-wing leader Paul Weyrich, Giuliani's pro-abortion and pro-gay rights positions, "were two things, which the conservative movement really couldn't swallow." [New York Times, 2/04/00, 9/05/02]

SC Republican National Committee Member "Can't Vote" For Giuliani. "He's a good man," said Buddy Witherspoon, a Republican national committee member from Columbia. "He has done a great job and will go down in history as one of the great heroes." Witherspoon, however, said he can't bring himself to support Giuliani for president. "I can't vote for him," said Witherspoon. "There are others on the ballot that have the same thoughts that I have. Naturally, I'm going to vote for someone who thinks the way I do." [State (Columbia, SC), 11/19/06]

SC 1st District GOP Chairman Doesn't Think Giuliani Will Win. Wayland Moody, 1st District GOP chairman from Summerville, said of Giuliani, "He'll be a contender, but I don't think he'll win." [State (Columbia, SC), 11/19/06]

The Giuliani Conservatives Don't Yet Know:

Giuliani Opposed Bush Tax Cut. "Although Mr. Giuliani is running as pro-gun control, pro-abortion-rights Republican who likes tax cuts, he did shy away yesterday from the large tax cut proposal of his political benefactor, George W. Bush, which has been criticized as too large and favorable toward the rich." [New York Times, 2/04/00]

Giuliani Is Pro-Choice. When asked to respond to social issues on CNN's Inside Politics, Giuliani replied, "I'm pro-choice." The New York Times claimed that Giuliani's support of abortion rights was comparable to John Kerry's. [CNN, 12/2/99; New York Times, 6/17/04]

Giuliani Doesn't Support A Ban On Partial-Birth Abortions. When asked whether he supported a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions, Giuliani replied, "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing." Giuliani also told The Albany Times Union that he would not support a ban on late-term. Moreover, when asked "If you were in the Senate and he [President Clinton] vetoed the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure.you would support the president on that." Giuliani replied: "Yes. I said I then that I support him, so I have no reason to change my mind about it." [CNN, 12/2/99; New York Times, 11/26/99; CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, 2/6/00]

Giuliani Supported Gun Control. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Giuliani was adamant about his support of licenses for handguns. Giuliani said, "The idea that we should have a uniform law, a uniform set of requirements, much like we do for driving an automobile. So that right now we don't have that. So that if people have a handgun, they can display like people have to drive automobile, that they are able to use the handgun, that they can take a written test, pass a test in terms of character and fitness..I have been in support of that since 1980-1981 when I first started testifying about it before the Senate.Meanwhile, Bush does not even favor licenses for handguns." [CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, 2/6/00; Los Angeles Times, 5/15/01]

Giuliani Identified Himself As Pro-Gay Rights. When asked to respond to social issues on CNN's Inside Politics, Giuliani replied, "I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-gay rights." [CNN, 12/2/99]

Giuliani Supports Civil Unions and Liberal On Gay Benefits. Giuliani stated "I supported civil unions, however, partnerships, and I signed that legislation when I was mayor of New York City. The distinction is that you protect people's rights.You make certain that they get the benefits the way Senator Kerry described it." [MSNBC's "Hardball", 10/13/04]

Giuliani Would Marry Gay Couple if Gay Marriages Were Legalized. Howard Koeppel, one of the openly gay men Giuliani lived with during the unraveling of this second marriage, said "He [Giuliani] did tell us that if they ever legalized gay marriages, we would be the first one he would do." [New York Times, 8/04/01; Newsday (New York), 5/19/06]

As Mayor, Giuliani's Closest Adviser Was Liberal Party Boss. The New York Times reported that Giuliani's closest political adviser, Raymond Harding, was best known for his role as leader of the Liberal Party. [New York Times, 2/23/97]

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