Fred to Rudy: “New York City is not emblematic of the rest of the country”
posted at 5:48 pm on November 23, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Brilliant, as a quick scroll through the comments to the Rudy/NYC post from a few days ago will attest. This crack was ostensibly aimed at Giuliani’s gun control policies but Fred’s tapping into something much bigger here and he knows it — namely, the mixture of disgust, resentment, and envy with which the rest of the country regards New York and its cultural influence. Smart regional politics, especially in the context of his new offensive against “phony conservatives.” Who could be phonier to the GOP’s southern base than a city boy from Manhattan calling himself a Republican?
Thompson, campaigning at a New Hampshire gun store with stuffed moose and deer overhead, told reporters that Giuliani too often turns to his time as New York mayor to explain his support for stronger gun restrictions.
“He relates everything to New York City. Well, New York City is not emblematic of the rest of the country, I don’t think. I think the sentiments of those people in the rest of the country are in support of the Second Amendment — which is where I’ve always been and I don’t think he’s ever been,” Thompson said…
“(Giuliani) simply supported just about every gun control legislation that came down the pike. I just disagree with him on that,” Thompson said. “I saw he was at bill signing ceremonies with (New York Sen.) Chuck Schumer and President Clinton and others for gun control legislation over the years. Of course, he’s not as outspoken about it any more.”
He also copped to having had his own skeet shoot, bought his infant son a camo t-shirt, and paused for a few bites of moose chili. Authentic.
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Sorry AP, southerners don’t envy northern carpetbagger arrogance.
conservnut on November 24, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Mitt has spent a lot of money but nationally his polls are not very good. He only seems to be doing well in a few early states where he has put a lot of time and money. Why do you expect that to carry over to all the states?
Rose on November 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM
I think you are spot-on with your assessment, but please don’t judge us by our lawyers. Even New Yorkers find the lawyers at the big Manhattan firms generally snotty.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM
I think you get this with many major cities. I know that in Japan there are people who move to Tokyo become a little snobby over time. With half the population living between Osaka and Tokyo every other prefecture is a backwater place.
Until the mid 80’s or so there were bars in Tokyo in which Okinawans were not allowed because they were considered “too rowdy”. If you have lived in Okinawa you would know how funny that really is.
Bradky on November 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Exactly. CNN, Fox News, etc is not broadcasting from my part of the country. It’s all in NYC. And the last time I checked in my local newspaper no major plays and art exhibits were being held in my town. So New York is definitely a leader in the media and arts area.
terryannonline on November 24, 2007 at 2:44 PM
He could win Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina. If he does, I’d expect a big national bounce for him.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 2:47 PM
As Frankie says:
If I can MAKE it THERE, I can MAKE it ANYWHERE,
It’s up to you, New York, NEW YORK!!!!
Bump Bump Buddy Bump
Bump Bump Buddy Bump
tommylotto on November 24, 2007 at 2:55 PM
Only one part of your statement which is wrong:
Fred is not gaining strength.
He did better as a non-candidate than he is doing today as, well, he’s a non-candidate at this point too after his quick post-announcement bounce. Huckabee is beating the crap out of him, and Ron Paul(Nutter-TX) raised more money in a day than FDT has in his entire campaign. The man is shooting for third in Iowa, gave up on New Hapshire, and isn’t doing anything noteworthy in South Carolina.
And I would never call Fred himself a babykiller. He just enables them through his “personal life,” by which I mean his past 3 jobs. It would also be very poor English on my part to call him an incest with his kids.
Besides, the Fred Sloth is already slain, it’s really more akin to beating a dead horse than it is to slinging arrows.
BKennedy on November 24, 2007 at 3:00 PM
Yes… New York, New York
terryannonline on November 24, 2007 at 3:01 PM
Interesting, but would either man want to live there now?
MB4 on November 24, 2007 at 3:45 PM
I guess the 9/11 sympathy is over.
I Love NY
hadsil on November 24, 2007 at 4:10 PM
I don’t think Rudy is saying that he saved New York. I think he is trying to drive home the point that managing a city as complex and huge as New York qualifies him, in many ways, to run the country. And up to a point, it does. But, he does have to remember that much of the rest of the country is a very different place with very different needs and outlooks. Perhaps this is something he needs to focus on more? He needs to convince a large segment of voters that he knows their problems are different and listen and try(within his principles) to adapt and modify.(No, NOT flip flopping–gaining a new perspective).
jeanie on November 24, 2007 at 4:23 PM
Did you see the latest raft of shows on Broadway?
Remake of Young Frankenstein?
Remake of Xanadau?
Remake of Monty Pythons Holy Grail?
Remake of the Producers?
Grease?
Mary Poppins?
Color Purple?
Lion King?
Legaly Blonde?
Do you notice a trend there from the oh so great “Cultural Center”?
Romeo13 on November 24, 2007 at 4:23 PM
Very hard to speculate what either would do in today’s world. Both were odd characters who were brilliant and brutal commanders, given to depression, ill-suited for politics, beset with bad financial judgment, and phenomenally good writers.
Sherman spent more time than Grant in a New York City that was more corrupt, more dangerous, and had more of an immigrant mix than the city today. Given Sherman’s interest in painting and theater perhaps he’d still choose to live here.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 4:26 PM
I give the members of my family whom I like–and who have senses of humor–a lot of pretend harassment. However, I don’t tease the members who are prone to blowing things out of proportion–such as whining about me being envious of them or about me not having sympathy for them for an issue whenever a little justified criticism regarding a separate issue is offered. And then there are some members of my family I dislike so much that I avoid them altogether when possible.
But woe unto the outsider who hurts/murders any member of my family whether I like them or not.
baldilocks on November 24, 2007 at 4:27 PM
If this thread full of the most sophomoric in-fighting and painfully childish generalizations about whole cities and regions is now par for the course … if this embarrassment is typical of the current state of conservatism, we are going to get slaughtered in 2008. And deservedly so.
Jesus wept. What an ugly, stupid, useless thread. Remember “united we stand?”
Apparently not.
Even among conservatives, I guess we are no longer simply Americans.
Ugh.
Professor Blather on November 24, 2007 at 4:29 PM
The shows are for tourists. You can check out BAM, The Public, Lincoln Center or off-Broadway for more intellectually challenging stagings.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 4:29 PM
Also, there hasn’t been much mention of the probable recession in 2008, the decline of the dollar, the increase in gas prices, and the real estate collapse. The Dems would make the problem worse, of course, but the Republican nominee is going to have to run against a bad economy.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 4:32 PM
You are just now noticing this?
Bradky on November 24, 2007 at 4:32 PM
I’ve never seen a Broadway show but I hear there’s off-Broadway also. But I concede your point that they are mostly remakes of movies.
terryannonline on November 24, 2007 at 4:35 PM
It would be interesting to know where their descendants are living right now in 2007.
MB4 on November 24, 2007 at 4:35 PM
Actually all this a step up from the “current state of conservatism” where a liberal like Rudolfo is the front runner for the GOP Presidential nomination.
Make that several steps up.
MB4 on November 24, 2007 at 4:40 PM
All the dims will have to do is say what they would do about a bad economy. The Republicans will have to explain why they didn’t do something already.
MB4 on November 24, 2007 at 4:43 PM
Come now. It’s not that bad….race relations threads are far worse.
And we may get “slaughtered” in 2008. Let’s hope that a few thousand more of us don’t get slaughtered–regardless of party or of color.
baldilocks on November 24, 2007 at 4:51 PM
Your blog is great BTW. Judging from what you’ve written you might enjoy a Broadway show called “Spring Awakening”. It is a rock musical based on an 1890 German play. They don’t change the play’s original setting, which makes the anachronistic music more effective. Really nice production, much more interesting than Rent.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 4:54 PM
Professor, don’t you think you’re overreacting a little bit? Why do people take these things so seriously!
Rose on November 24, 2007 at 5:05 PM
With all due respect… Do you really consider Rudy a Conservative? He’s attempting to take on that mantle… but his past actions do not match his present rhetoric.
Hmmm… to potentialy coin a phrase… He’s a Rudyist… he’s out for Rudi first, and does not espouse either Libertarian, or Conservative, outlooks.
Romeo13 on November 24, 2007 at 5:23 PM
One would have to trace it through his daughters. Of his 4 sons, 2 died before adulthood, 1 became a Catholic priest, and 1 never married.
The death of his 9 year old son Willie from yellow fever in 1863, just after Vicksburg, devastated Sherman, and some speculate that it helped to fuel his commitment to “total war”.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 5:26 PM
AP, You got the first one right.
The other two though… Not at all.
LegendHasIt on November 24, 2007 at 5:29 PM
Gee whiz … Can’t say hi to all of them, but there is ample opportunity standing at street corners, on the subway, … Just notin what I observed.
Re: y’all in AZ; Mostly rural, but not unheard of by any stretch in the city.
We also own more guns than we have teeth.
AZ_Redneck on November 24, 2007 at 5:43 PM
And name calling and lying about a fellow conservatives record is relevant? Fred’s record is so much better than Mitt’s. Fred was never pro-choice. Mitt has been. Fred was born into a middle class family. Mitt was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Fred served as a prosecutor and a Senator. Mitt was governor for one term and spent the last 18 months of that term running for President.
I know of no other candidate’s supporters that are so duplicitous as Mitt’s have been on this board. Csdeven, bkennedy, and Tommylotto are the worst of them. Here is the worst insult I can give- you argue like liberals. Twisting facts, the incessant name calling, it really has gotten old and if Allah is going to allow then I am willing to wallow in the mud because you guys deserve it.
Stay tuned for some world class Mitt bashing…
Bill C on November 24, 2007 at 6:10 PM
Let’s think about the various life stories represented by the candidates:
Fred; a middle class guy makes good and gets famous.
Mitt: a rich kid gets into politics.
Rudy: a liberal gets, well, less liberal.
I like Fred’s story best. He will always be the champion of the middle-class in America, 100% pro life, pro gun, anti amnesty, and a former prosecutor.
Go Fred!
Mojave Mark on November 24, 2007 at 6:28 PM
Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ll look into the play. I enjoyed Rent (well, the CD and movie at least, never seen the show) so if it’s more interesting sounds like a winner.
terryannonline on November 24, 2007 at 6:50 PM
That is the dumbest thing I’ve read in a while. Fred lobbied for an abortion group. Stated in prior election questionnaires that he favors legal abortion in the first trimester. He refuses to support a constitutional amendment banning abortions, and just a few weeks ago he stated that he does not want to make criminals out of women, parents and doctors that choose to have or perform an abortion.
Does that describe to you a candidate who was never pro-choice. It describes a candidate that IS pro-choice today!!!
tommylotto on November 24, 2007 at 7:37 PM
Campaigning with a position to make women criminals for having an abortion wouldn’t work too well in a general election.
dedalus on November 24, 2007 at 8:25 PM
evenin, y’all from AJ.
AZCON on November 24, 2007 at 9:27 PM
As a fellow Houstonian, I couldn’t say it better myself!
Neocon Peg on November 24, 2007 at 10:22 PM
The prior election questionnaire you reference was not filled out by Fred. He denies it. Do you think the National Right to Life Committee would give him a 100% rating and their endorsement for President if he had been pro-choice, like your man Mitt.
His refusal to support the Human Life Amendment is based on practical political considerations and his commitment to Federalism. Unlike panderbear Mitt who is willing to change his beliefs at the first sign of a election, Fred has stated principles that go back more than a few years.
Bill C on November 25, 2007 at 1:32 AM
Perhaps I wouldn’t have called you Fraud!heads pathetic if it wasn’t your standard operating to procedure to act, I think I’ll borrow this one from you, like liberals and play the “you’re attacking me! I’m a victim!” care every time someone criticizes Saint Fred. Maybe if your last response had more substance than snark I would have refrained, but both you and Gatordoug seem to think your opinion of someone else’s credibility is enough to discredit them… just like liberals.
The fact is that only McCain can claim absolute purity on pro-life forever. Possibly Ron Paul too, but that guy is too insane for me to care.
The fact is that Mitt being born rich is completely irrelevant to anything. For all that supposed spoiling that rich kids get, Mitt has a better work ethic than country boy Fred does. Mitt spent time in a mission in France, and he wasn’t sipping wine in the Riviera like some of you Fraud!heads seem to believe.
Give Mitt and Fred any task, any task at all, and Mitt will get it done faster and more effectively. Fred will just sit there lazily and lumber around too it, and if it gets too hard he’ll just give up. Fred Thompson has never had to work an honest day in his adult life. He went from skeezy lobbyist to irrelevant (except for non-conservative measures, he’s famous for those) senator to pretend DA. All of Fred’s past jobs inherently rely on gamesmanship and deceit, at least the way he did them, anyway.
Please Fred, tell us all the great things you did as DA of New York. We know you were just acting and weren’t really DA, and had none of the problem’s a DA actually faces, but you looked real good doing it on Law and Order.
Governorship is also a lot closer to the Presidency as far as actual function. Being a Senator means you live in committee and talk a good game, then never make good on your word. Conservatives hate that quality, but it’s an admirable quality for Democrats, which is why all the top tier Dems are Senators and Richardson is getting smoked.
Fred’s record:
Pro-life: Never challenged on it in his state, never fought for anything because he left the heavy lifting to Frist, but apparently he thinks NARAL has a valid argument in “we can’t imprison women.”
Anti-Crime: Yeah right, the Fraud!ster himself has violated the spirit of the law and bent the letter of the law his entire life.
Free Speech: Basically authored McCain Feingold. Thanks for all the 527s Fred.
BKennedy on November 25, 2007 at 5:04 AM
Heh, me too. And my brother’s collection puts mine to shame.
(I still have all my 32 teeth, BTW.)
Texas Nick 77 on November 25, 2007 at 6:39 AM
Did anyone see on Foxnews this morning with Chris Wallace and Fred Thompson? Fred sure did have some fire in his belly and wasn’t about to let Chris walk all over him. At the end Chris seemed to be a bit amazed with Fred Thompson’s responses.
Allah, did you get that one? I think the fire-in-his-belly is just starting.
Sen. Lindsey Graham was great in defending the successful surge, best in history on this type of success we’ve had in Iraq. Went head to head with Sen. Levin who was backed into a corner on saying that they’ve always supported the troop.
Uh huh…
Yeah.
Kokonut on November 25, 2007 at 11:44 AM
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