Pat Robertson Endorses Rudy Giuliani For President
WASHINGTON (Fox News) — Evangelical Christian leader Pat Robertson on Wednesday endorsed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has struggled to bridge with conservatives some of his socially moderate policy positions on abortion and gay rights.
posted by BP News Bureau | 12:59 PM
17 Comments:
I just spoke with Gary Bauer, president of American Values, past president of the Family Research Council (and a presidential candidate himself, back in 2000) about his thoughts on Pat Robertson endorsing Rudy Giuliani.
“I did have some sense it was going to happen, so I wasn’t completely surprised,” Bauer said. “Those leaders who are endorsing are going through the same thought process that a lot of conservatives around the country are wrestling with, which is that whatever one thinks about the field, it’s clear to everybody that a Hillary Clinton presidency with Democratic control of the House and Senate would be a disaster no matter what kind of conservative you are.”
“Pat Robertson has a loyal following, and I’m sure his endorsement will influence them. He has spoken highly of [Giuliani]during this process, and had him on [his television] show a few times. What the full impact is, we’ll have to see.”
Despite the expectations of some pundits, it seems increasingly clear that social conservatives won’t be swarming around one candidate – Richard Land and Tony Perkins have praised Thompson, Bob Jones III and Paul Weyrich back Romney, the FRC straw poll attendees went strongly for Huckabee, Sam Brownback just backed McCain, and now Robertson threw his weight behind Rudy.
“We will continue to see leaders go off in a variety of directions…. I suspect in this cycle endorsements will mean even less and performance in the primaries will mean even more.”
When the Republican nominee is chosen, will social conservatives be able to patch up their differences and unite behind that nominee?
“We’ve made a real effort to try to avoid the passions that inevitably result in a political year,” Bauer said. “We all believe it’s important for the entire coalition to come together behind a candidate - not just social conservatives but foreign policy and economic conservatives to come together at the end of this process. I think at the grassroots level, the supporters will probably be more passionate and more likely to get really crosswise with each other. But we’re hoping at the end of it although many of us will be backing different candidates, we all will close ranks.”
Could social conservative close ranks behind Rudy Giuliani?
“He’s the toughest candidate to do that on. It would require a sell job that goes beyond anything he’s done up until now. It probably would mean very specific assurances on a handful of key things that people that would want to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt. But I think it can be done.”
I asked Bauer if he would be making an endorsement.
“I’ve been literally working with all of the candidates on a variety of their positions trying to get them more solid on the things we’ve cared about… As soon as I endorse one, six doors will slam in my face, and the one I endorse will probably turn out to be an ingrate!” he said with a laugh.
The so-called leaders of social and religious conservatism are just as hypocritical and self-serving as the so-called black leaders. All of them seek to polish their own eggs and line their own nests.
I still have to laugh at the mentality that says anyone is better than Hillary. Giuliani doesn't have a prayer of beating Hillary and a Giuliani presidency would not be significantly different than a second Clinton presidency.
I'll say it: Anybody is better than Hillary. I don't care for the Clintons.
Just talked to a top social conservative. He says, hinting that more prominent social cons will end up going with Rudy, "There's plenty more where this comes from." On the impact of the Robertson endorsement on the race: "What it does for Rudy is it says, 'It's OK to vote for Rudy.' I think there will be more of that, pre-nomination and post-nomination." On conservative evangelical voters and Giuliani: "If Rudy is the nominee, they're going to vote for him—period."
Hopefully, evangelicals have gotten smarter than all that. After all, the scions of the religious right sold them on George W. Bush.
I also think it's ironic (not to mention funny) that all the people who insist that Satan himself would be better than Hillary are pushing the candidate who is most likely to make her victory the easiest.
I don't see why the religious right would have a problem with George W. Bush. Other than the far-left, most everybody believes he's a good Christian man.
...most everybody believes he's a good Christian man.
Wonderful, but pointless. Bush has done absolutely nothing to further the agenda of the religious right in any tangible way. Everything his Administration has done for religious and social conservatives has been lip service. One would have to be a little soft in the head to sit back and be satisfied with Bush's performance on the basis that he is a "good Christian man."
I love it: So Giuliani needs to bone up on his "family values." Meanwhile, in an attempt for some personal MSM stage time, this senile old crackpot endorses Giuliani. Republicans are celebrating; everyone seems elated that the pubbie troops are rallying around one man, Mr. 9/11 himself.
This is just proof of how weak all these candidates are. Pandering every which way they can, the 'frontrunners' are left with a fractured, confusing identity. Further, we're still left with lousy choices come Nov. 4, 2008.
Wonderful, but pointless. Bush has done absolutely nothing to further the agenda of the religious right in any tangible way. Everything his Administration has done for religious and social conservatives has been lip service. One would have to be a little soft in the head to sit back and be satisfied with Bush's performance on the basis that he is a "good Christian man."
As a whole, I don't see what Bush has done to disappoint social conservatives. Granted, they were upset with him when he picked Harriet Miers to be on the Surpreme Court, but they were pleased when he dropped her and nominated Sam Alito.
I personally don't know anyone who gives Bush a pass just because he's a "good Christian man." With that said, they don't have the anger toward him like you do.
This is just proof of how weak all these candidates are. Pandering every which way they can, the 'frontrunners' are left with a fractured, confusing identity. Further, we're still left with lousy choices come Nov. 4, 2008.
I agree with you on that.
As a whole, I don't see what Bush has done to disappoint social conservatives.
Ummm, the point is what he has not done. That being pretty much what I said, I'll point out that someone needs to bone up on their reading comprehension.
I personally don't know anyone who gives Bush a pass just because he's a "good Christian man."
Apparently Andy does. Maybe you should check with him.
With that said, they don't have the anger toward him like you do.
Careful, Nature Boy, blaming every criticism of Bush on "anger" is straight out of the bushbot training manual. You could at least try to ad lib a little bit.
Even though I believe Bush 43 is a good Christian man, that doesn't mean I don't criticize him when he does something I don't agree with. I just don't take it to the personal level like some do.
You do have a lot of anger towards Bush 43, Steve. That's how it comes across on here anyway.
You do have a lot of anger towards Bush 43, Steve. That's how it comes across on here anyway.
Sorry, Andy, but so do a lot of people of all political stripes. Some of them include parents of military kids currently in Iraq. I say that the anger is valid.
Dubya is a fool and a presidential failure, sure to be reported in history as one of the worst American presidents.
A final thought on the Giuliani/Robertson alliance: if this man is your front-runner, Republicans, be afraid. Be very afraid.
By the way, I just talked to a top social conservative, too. (I won't reveal his identity, but he's tops!) Anyway, he says that nearly every choice in the Republican primary sucks, and that he doesn't even care that Ron Paul won't win ... he's gonna vote for him anyway.
Strother opines: "Sorry, Andy, but so do a lot of people of all political stripes. Some of them include parents of military kids currently in Iraq. I say that the anger is valid."
I'm sure their are plenty of people angry at Bush... That comes with the job.
Dubya is a fool and a presidential failure, sure to be reported in history as one of the worst American presidents.
The true history of the Bush presidency will be written by people who aren't even born yet. Remember, once upon a time, Harry S. Truman was considered a "fool" and a "presidential failure" at the time he left office... Now he's considered one of our greatest presidents. It also reminds me of what Richard Nixon said one time after he left office, "History depends on who writes it."
Dubya is a fool and a presidential failure, sure to be reported in history as one of the worst American presidents.
There are several milestones along the path of American history that will be seen as elements of the downfall of the great American Experiment.
The first will be the SCOTUS decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803) in which they extra-constitutionally declared themselves supreme arbiters of everything constitutional.
The second will be Lincoln's declaration of war on the South and his suspension of habeas corpus.
The third will be the Wilson era, with the birth of globalism and individual taxation.
The fourth will be Roosevelt's introduction of rank socialism in a knee-jerk reaction to a bad economy.
The fifth will be Nixon's normalization of relations with China.
And the sixth will be Dubyah's destruction via triangulation of what little remained of an opposition political party and his completion of the creation of an imperial executive branch.
George W. Bush will go down in history as one of the presidents most destructive to the constitutional republic. He will also go down in history as a borderline imbecile and puppet of the neocons. He is America's Prince John.
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