Video: Rudy defends his social liberalism in Texas
posted at 9:38 pm on May 12, 2007 by Allahpundit
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As advertised. We link Fred! every time he clears his throat so I thought it was time for a good, strong, sustained dose of Rudy. Here’s the speech every social con needs to see: guns, gays, and abortion, front and center, followed by his reasons for why they shouldn’t matter. I think it’s quite good, actually, especially the end, but I’ve got a feeling that by the time the primaries get going the Rudy fan club will be down to me and Ace.
Click the image to watch. FYI, Jarvis’s time cues are all wrong; he gives them as they would be if the timer was counting up, but it’s actually counting down. Subtract his numbers from 30:50 for the correct cues if you’re inclined to skip around.
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Beautiful screen grab AP. LOL!
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2007 at 9:56 PM
I am curious…how many people are one-issue voters whether it be abortion, “gay rights”, illegal immigration, etc. ?
SouthernGent on May 12, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Not me. I’m more interested in getting in someone who’ll fight terror, than be socially Conservative. We need to nominate someone who can defeat the Clinton/Obama machines in the general, not the person we like best. The last one that was able to do both, was Reagan.
amerpundit on May 12, 2007 at 10:05 PM
LOL! I’d say that makes you a one issue voter…
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Same here. I’ve said on this site and in several others that fighting and winning the war on terror is THE issue.
Gottafang on May 12, 2007 at 10:19 PM
I like Rudy and I think he’d be a good President. I agree with him on abortion and gays. What I’m afraid of is he’ll sell gun owners down the river to get something he considers more important from a Dem Congress. A new AWB being the most obvious restriction.
PeteRR on May 12, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Exit question: If the above is true, then, isn’t it time for Rudy to go all-out with the ABH card?
Kid from Brooklyn on May 12, 2007 at 10:31 PM
No, I’m interested in both. I take both into consideration. I certainly hope we can get someone who takes all of our views. All I’m saying is that if we can only get a President who tackles one issue well, it would be the WOT. I’m not specifically looking for one issue. I’m looking at all of them.
amerpundit on May 12, 2007 at 10:37 PM
I donknow, can you consider Fred! an issue?
- The Cat
MirCat on May 12, 2007 at 10:42 PM
I am assuming Rudy Gumbah’s priority issue of national security includes illegal immigration, although conspicuously missing from his speech. I liked his inference on energy “cracking a special interest group”. Could he be refering to domestic oil? Mabey I could get behind Rudy, if he pushes back enough whacko special interest groups. I thought he got into too much detail about interpereting the words of the constitution. Remember “It all depends on what your definition of is,is.” In essence Rudy is saying’trust me’on his second ammendment stance. Hmm yeah, and the check is in the mail?
sonnyspats1 on May 12, 2007 at 10:42 PM
I dunno. I actually like that Rudy isn’t running from his beliefs to appeal to social conservatives. I’d much rather have a guy stand on his principles (even if I disagree) than have them move to the right (or left, if your a democrat) just for a few votes.
If you’re gonna go down. Go down for what you believe.
lorien1973 on May 12, 2007 at 10:42 PM
At least you know he’s not going to lie or appease.
amerpundit on May 12, 2007 at 10:45 PM
But Rudy has lately done his best to hide from his principles. It’s more like he’s been impaled upon them.
Stephen M on May 12, 2007 at 10:54 PM
Appoint him has the head of DHS or CIA. I’d be all about that.
- The Cat
MirCat on May 12, 2007 at 11:03 PM
While the GOP front runners give me nothing to get excited about voting for, at least the Dems are giving me lots of stuff to vote against.
Lawrence on May 12, 2007 at 11:17 PM
Rudy would be a good president, I think. He would also demolish Hitlery in the general election no question; provided he gets through the primary. He has a track record as a kick-ass manager. She has a record as a kiss-ass enabler. Nuff said.
Mojave Mark on May 12, 2007 at 11:22 PM
So tell me folks, with a congress as it is currently configured, how does a President Rudy fights a terror war?
A President Rudy will sign bills from a liberal congress. Whats to stop gun bans, gay marriage, illegal amnesty, or global warming type limits to our manufacturing or carbon caps? He is a social Lib and believes in every one of these topics. And I did not even mention abortion.
rockdalian on May 12, 2007 at 11:41 PM
Rudy is the best candidate period. Those people that just vote on the abortion issue are kidding themselves thinking that it will ever change.
Bodhi on May 13, 2007 at 12:13 AM
This is the best clip of Rudy I’ve seen yet. Thanks for linking it.
Spirit of 1776 on May 13, 2007 at 12:29 AM
The most important issue for me is judges. I will vote for whoever the Republican candidate is in the general election but in the primary I will vote for the one I trust most for judges. If we don’t have conservative judges the WOT will be lost in the courts.
Rose on May 13, 2007 at 12:29 AM
I don’t know which is worse.
Killing your enemies on the offense while disarming your allies at home, or fleeing from your enemies overseas and watch the fireworks fly in the middle east.
My exit question: If Rudy is elected, would he turn the US into the UK? (big brother anyone?)
Note: For those of you who think Rudy would defeat Hillary in the general, keep dreaming. You can refer to all the polls you want, but I am telling you most evangelicals will not vote for either in the general, making the election a deja vu of Bush Sr, Clinton, and Ross Perot.
If a pro-choice GOP is “anointed,” we will lose against the Dems in the general as Evangelicals would rather vote for a third party nobody than violate their conscience on judgment day.
Besides, Hillary can easily pull the “womanhood victim” character (thanks to Bill), while Rudy’s attempts at playing a family man will fall on deaf ears when images of wife number three are broadcasted worldwide.
Darnell Clayton on May 13, 2007 at 12:44 AM
I like what he said and how he presented it. It’s pretty clear that he feels a real responsibility as an elected official to represent as much of america as he can. His stance on abortion can be a unifying issue if both sides give a little. If pro-lifers would allow for the personal choice a woman has to deal with her body the way she sees fit, and the pro-choicers would agree to strict limits on abortion and a real push toward personal responsibility BEFROE preganacy occurs, both sides will be closer to achieving their goals.
csdeven on May 13, 2007 at 12:49 AM
fred? isn’t an issue, he’s a talking point.
While we need a president that will fight the war against islamo-fascism, we MUST remember that the next president may nominate two supreme court justices. THAT is huge. A much bigger issue than gay rights and abortion because the only thing that’s going to kick abortion and gay special rights to the states (where it belongs) is a conservative SCOTUS. If we get two conservative justices, the court will swing conservative for several years. We need a conservative bench to defeat these crazy moonbat leftie libs whose soul purpose in life is the destruction of our culture.
csdeven on May 13, 2007 at 12:55 AM
It’s taxes for me, SouhternGent. Any candidate even hinting of a tax increase is dead meat to me, no matter what their other positions are. Everything else positive they may have is gravy.
BacaDog on May 13, 2007 at 1:22 AM
Rudy is a good guy and a good leader but I don’t believe he is as forthcoming as he should be about what his Presidential actions would be concerning second amendment rights, globalization and especially not about the unprecedented illegal invasion into this country by people from third world nations.
Rudy puts up a great speech but perhaps he should consider a move to Texas.
Speakup on May 13, 2007 at 1:29 AM
Is there any question that Rudy is the most honest and capable candidate in this election?
You don’t have to agree with him to agree with the question I pose. Rudy speaks his mind, and speaks it well. Only his gun stance scares me, but I think he’ll leave it alone.
Vincenzo on May 13, 2007 at 1:46 AM
Man watching this again, Rudy has got i set in his mind he’s going to be up against Hilary.
Vincenzo on May 13, 2007 at 1:49 AM
I like Rudy a lot, but the more I see of Mitt, the more I think he could be the guy. Fred doesn’t seem to want it that bad, if at all. Still early. Plenty of time for things to take shape.
Buck Turgidson on May 13, 2007 at 2:07 AM
Social conservatives and Rudy:
Gun. Foot. Shoot.
The one candidate sure to trounce Hillary, the one meanest SOB needed to crush the global jihad, and too many conservatives are making him pass through the eye of the social conservative agenda (most of which I am on board for) needle. How many times will the foot get shot, before the Dems start picking out the White House draperies?
Halley on May 13, 2007 at 2:10 AM
Guiliani is the best man for the job.
dougless on May 13, 2007 at 2:29 AM
Halley on May 13, 2007 at 2:10 AM
“How many times will the foot get shot, before the Dems start picking out the White House draperies?”
How many times will it take?
Buzzy on May 13, 2007 at 2:33 AM
I’m way more interested in things like fighting Terrorism, cutting taxes, reducing spending and being generally fiscally conservative. Social issues I’m more inclined to see those issues filtered through federalism. Let the states figure out what they want to do.
Dash on May 13, 2007 at 7:04 AM
I’ll be there right with ya AP. Go Rudy!
Roark on May 13, 2007 at 7:27 AM
I like Rudy, but when I look at his social positions I begin to understand how John Paul Stevens, David Souter and Harry Blackmun got appointed to the Supreme Court…by Republicans.
Jaibones on May 13, 2007 at 7:28 AM
I cannot imagine what it would take for me to not vote for Rudy. I’ve waited a long time for him to be President.
MayBee on May 13, 2007 at 7:37 AM
Rudy is corrupt. He dropped out of his senate run against Hillary because he was facing indictment and his ties with Bernard Kerik certainly raise doubts about his character. The bs line about being personally opposed to abortion but believing in a woman’s right to abort was exposed as ludicrous by Laura Ingraham’s interview with him.
I’ve posed these question before: What makes anybody think that Giuliani will beat Hillary? She carpet-bagged in his home state and he ran from her. He had the opportunity to run against her in ‘06. He no longer had cancer and his nasty divorce was behind him. He chose to run from her again. He won’t deliver NY in the general election and will probably lose a lot of the more purple states in the South. Can you imagine the gun rights friendly state of VA voting for him? I can’t.
What makes anybody think he’s the best person to fight terrorism? He has no track record with the military or diplomacy. Even worse, the WTC was bombed in 1993. In 1994 Giuliani became mayor of NYC. One thing is clear (and not partisan) is that there was no disaster preparedness or evacuation plan for the WTC. There were systemic problems with the comm equipment between the police, fire department and Port Authority. Ray Nagin is rightly criticized for not following his disaster preparedness plan in New Orleans. Giuliani didn’t even have one.
Remember, also, that Bush won the last two elections with very small margins–one small to moderate size state. Alienating voters within your own party is not the road to victory. The usual strategy is to run to the base in the primary and back towards center in the general election. Giuliani is certainly not doing this. Some folks would have you believe it’s out of honesty or conviction. It’s not; listen to his interview with Laura Ingraham. He tried to craft his message in more right-leaning terms. He sounded idiotic, and he knew it. So, if Giuliani wins the primary, we can expect to see him running against his own party while he is running against any Democrat nominee. I’m not sure how this helps the Global War on Terror.
cmay on May 13, 2007 at 7:51 AM
But you do see VA voting for Hillary? Or you think there will be a massive write in vote in an attempt to posthumously re-elect Reagan.
Dash on May 13, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Rudy is the best candidate period. Those people that just vote on the abortion issue are kidding themselves thinking that it will ever change.
Bodhi on May 13, 2007 at 12:13 AM
You are kidding yourself if you think having pro-life Presidents (and pro-choice ones) HAVEN’T made a difference. From a ban on partial birth abortion to parental consent to informed consent, these are NOT small things. Clinton was so determined to have every abortion legal he vetoed the PBA and insisted on military doctors performing abortions. (which they refused)
I could go on and on. The point is…it matters. It matters a great deal to those of us who care about this issue.
I will never vote for Rudy unless he gets the nomination and Hillary gets the Dem nomination. Then I bite the bullet and vote for him. But that is the ONLY way I will.
Rightwingsparkle on May 13, 2007 at 10:45 AM
Fair point, do we know where Rudy is on those specifics though? I can see him being against late term abortions certainly, the consent issue I really dont know.
Dash on May 13, 2007 at 11:03 AM
We’ve seen time and again candidates that mystically change their minds during an election and then after being elected change their minds back to the same policies they held before.
If you want to see Rudy as President, look at him as Mayor.
Has he really changed his mind on important issues?
Speakup on May 13, 2007 at 12:06 PM
The best you can say about Giuliani the candidate is that he has tried to present a moving target on these specifics. In a questionnaire from NARAL, Giuliani favored late term abortions (including partial birth abortion) and was against parental notification. Lately he’s been trying to sound like he’s moving back toward the middle on these issues. But it depends on who’s asking the question.
cmay on May 13, 2007 at 1:44 PM
Rick Santorum was run out of office by all accounts because he supported Arlen Specter. Exit polls showed that values voters didn’t show up and that some voted for Casey. So it’s happened before.
You may notice that VA has one Republican and one Democrat senator, a Democrat governor, a Democrat state congress and house. Even after the Va Tech shootings there was no knee-jerk response in VA to implement new gun restrictions. I take from this (and living just across the border) that VA is a Democrat state that is very strongly pro-2nd Amendment. Bush carried it twice against the specter of gun control nuts running against him. Giuliani and Clinton are cut from the same cloth. In this case, the center-left (which is what VA is) votes for the Democrat.
VA isn’t the only state like this. NC, KY, FL, LA, NE, OK, ND, SD and OH (all states Bush carried) as well as PA, IA, NM and MN will be lean-Democrat if Giuliani is the nominee. Which states will Giuliani flip? NY? Nope. CA? Nope. WA? Nope. OR? Nope.
Rather than hoping that the electorate is so repulsed by the opponent, I submit that the Republican party would do better by nominating someone who is different than the Democrats. This is not Giuliani.
Bush is a much better person than either Gore or Kerry. He barely beat them. Giuliani’s “Get over it” mentality is precisely prescription for victory . . . for the Democrats.
cmay on May 13, 2007 at 2:04 PM
I like Rudy, but I’m not voting for him in the primaries. I want it all. I want victory in the WOT, So-Con Principles guiding the courts, and Eco-Con principles guiding the economy. Rudy seems to get only 1 of the 3.
A real problem that Rudy (and to an extent Pataki) contributed to in NY, was that they didn’t build the party in NY. Rudy had all this success, but there was no corresponding success for the part/movement at large. It was all about Rudy!. We need someone who will not only be a good administrator (and Rudy was, especially compared to his predecessors) but we also need a movement builder. We need someone with coattails because we need Congress back. Someone who’ll put like minded people in positions of power throughout governement. Rudy doesn’t have a history of that.
Iblis on May 13, 2007 at 2:11 PM
What good is a pro-security anti-terrorism pres if he puts in judges that will stike these things down?
- The Cat
MirCat on May 13, 2007 at 2:50 PM
I would prefer a conservative as the Republican candidate. …yes, I’m asking someone to dare me to show you how Rudy is not a conservative.
RobertCSampson on May 13, 2007 at 4:04 PM
You can count on it if he is the #2 man on the ticket. And I think he may very well end up there.
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 7:39 PM
I don’t vote on just the abortion issue, but it is number one issue on my list. The fact that we as a country have permitted people to kill their unborn child for convenience sake absolutely astonishes me.
Issue number two on my docket is guns. Rudy doesn’t like the fact that one of the checks and balances in our system of government, installed by our founding fathers, is the fact that citizens possess guns. Just check his history on the issue.
Rudy will not receive my vote.
AZ_Redneck on May 14, 2007 at 1:39 AM