I’m fascinated by the Giuliani candidacy because it makes so little sense. The only thing that makes Giuliani a first tier candidate in the Republican primaries is his national name recognition (and his high positive approval ratings) in the same way the Joe Lieberman was the front runner. Except that Giuliani would be even more unacceptable to his parties base than Lieberman was to the Democratic base in 2003.
Giuliani sat down with right-wing extremist radio host Sean Hannity for a post announcement interview. After a few moments of fluff about Giuliani’s campaign for president and his background Hannity asks the questions that are going to be asked of Guiliani at least a million times from here to the moment he drops out of the race. Sean Hannity is a friendly interviewer for Rudy. He asks the inevitable questions but does so in the most friendly and unpronounced way he can.
What’s Giuliani’s views on Abortion? Sets the answer up with a handful of pathos and comes back to the fact that he’s pro-choice though he’d appoint anti-choice judges though he doesn’t think that Roe v. Wade will ever be overturned. Doesn’t even say whether he thinks Roe v Wade is bad law. Wants a provision for the life of the mother for partial birth abortion. Judicial bypass for parental notification.
What’s Giuliani’s views on Gay Marriage? He believes in equality for everyone but only favors civil-unions.
Why was he for gun control? He believes some places like New York City need tough gun control laws and he supported the assault weapons ban in 1994.
Where’s he on the fence? He doesn’t want one, wants a “technological fence.”
Path to citizenship? Regularize illegal immigrants who are here and let them earn citizenship. Though he throws a bone to the English first crowd.
The two video’s are embedded below and at the moment I don’t really need to go through what percent of Republican primary voters actually hold these beliefs. Without digging through Polling Reports I can safely say that it’s probably single digits and those voters aren’t “hard core” Republican primary voters. Despite their similarities to people like Ralph Nader the two political parties have to generally subscribe to some differing political views. Giuliani’s views on abortion are essentially pro-choice (though no one on the abortion debate on the left would nominate anti-choice judges like Scalia.) The right’s ability to motivate it’s voters comes directly from the above four issues and on each one Giuliani is well to the left of his party and to some Democrats outside of the Northeast and the west. How can Giulini convince the anti-choice, nativist, pro-gun, anti-gay marriage Republican base to support him and mobilize for him while at the same time beating up Democrats who share his views on these issues?
It’s a circle that can’t be squared! Hannity has to play nice on TV but there’s no mobilizing principle for the Giuliani candidacy on the right unless he’s willing to put some life into Nixon’s Southern strategy, and unfortunately for Giuliani, McCain hired the guy who does that best. Don Imus’s dreams of a radioactive Mecca may be the only organizing issue for Giuliani.
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6 Responses to “Don Imus – Giuliani’s Limited Republican Base”
[...] Don Imus – Giuliani’s Limited Republican Base [...]
It’s about Iraq stupid… this will be the mantra in 2008. This sits well with Giuliani. Most Americans see him as someone who has a track record of being competent and getting the job done. He’s a good speaker, and will not use fear as a tactic to get his points across on Iraq but realistic straight talk. As far as the typical Rep. criteria for candidates, on abortion, gay marriage, etc., this could be the election where those issues take a back seat. Remember, the Reps have had total control over Washington for six years, appointing judges, making laws, but still, no movement on the major concerns of their conservative base. It might be payback time and Giuliani definitely fits that bill.
Hello,
Interesting comments you have on this Blog.
Perhaps you should visit Congressman Ron Paul’s web site? Congressman Ron Paul is a man who truly believes in freedom and he is running for the Republican nomination for president in Texas.
Why don’t you visit his website, watch his video and show him your support?
A significant proportion of support for Giuliani on the Right is related to the belief that Giuliani is the only Republican who can/will finish up and follow up on Bush’s Middle East/Iraq policy while ALSO being able to EASILY DEFEAT whoever the Democrats run in ‘08. One need only imagine what a rank-and-file Republican thinks when he/she sits down to read media (both televion and internet/print) coverage of President George Bush/Iraq War and the politicians who support him (i.e. ‘06 Congressional elections) — the overwhelming message is that America is way past fed-up with Republican policies and that a call for change has never been louder. Thus, most Republicans appear to stand about a snowball’s chance in hell of winning in ‘08 against the Democrats.
Then, enter Giuliani. Republicans seem to understand that Giuliani could easily defeat Obama or HRC if just given the GOP nomination, and one need look no further than several recent polls to understand this. Many Republicans will no doubt remember that liberal Giulian WAS GIVEN ONE OF THE FEW PRIME SPEAKING SPOTS AT THE 2004 GOP CONVENTION
Then, enter Giuliani. Republicans seem to understand that Giuliani could easily defeat Obama or HRC if just given the GOP nomination, and one need look no further than several recent polls to understand this. Many Republicans will no doubt remember that liberal GiulianI WAS GIVEN ONE OF THE FEW PRIME SPEAKING SPOTS AT THE 2004 GOP CONVENTION, as was the socially liberal but also pro-Iraq war Schwarznegger. Despite the fact that GOP Convention attendees tend to lean further Right than your average Republican, these two liberal Republicans were two of the most popular and well-received speakers, along with Zell Miller. And somehow, Republicans may just be smarter than most pundits give them credit for, remembering that George Bush in 2004 was TRAILING JOHN KERRY UP UNTIL the wildly successful GOP Convention and then never again, and that this fateful week in 2004 and the favorable influence of Giuliani and Schwarznegger on the national polls for the GOP seems to be a memory deeply embedded and at work in the minds of the rank-and-file GOP.
Giuliani will steamroll, literally, whoever his opponent may be. WITHOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK, which Giuliani should easily carry given the fact the he won NYC twice and is even more popular in the Upstate region, the ‘08 race will be OVER BEFORE IT HAS EVEN BEGUN. And anybody remember how well anti-war Democrats fared in neighboring Connecticut running against pro-War Lieberman?? Wait until Giuliani runs there against Obama or Hillary. Toast, plain and simple. And New York and Connecticut are just the beginning of the number of Blue states that will bleed Red for Giuliani (think Reagan versus Carter or Mondale).
So come on, Don, is Giuliani’s attractiveness to Republicans as evidenced in the GOP polls really so hard to understand in the face of an apparently Bush-Hating and obviously Democratically-leaning mainstream media machine (except Right-leaning Fox, MSN comes across as unbiased sometimes too, but these are the extreme exceptions). No, GOPer’s know that Giuliani is the only candidate with the skill to easily outmaneuver Democrats, having done it in NYC twice, and if he can do it there, he can do it anywhere or so goes the thinking driving his extremely high poll numbers.
Something to say?
[...] As Kombiz noted below, Giuliani is opposed to a border fence and would prefer to use technology to slow illegal immigration. [...]
Left by Emboldened » Blog Archive » Giuliani on Immigration
February 8, 2007 at 8:45am