The Wall Street Journal Interview of Rudy Giuliani

WSJ Interview>>> Do We Remain on Offense?

Pat Robertson Comments on Rudy Giuliani's Speech

Pat Robertson (host of the 700 Club) reviews Rudy Giuliani's speech at Regent University in Virginia earlier this week.

Robertson comments that he believes Rudy Giuliani will appoint conservative judges which will be faithful to pro-life positions.

Nevertheless, some remain skeptical. They include the following blogs -

TheCrOnline

Slice of Laodicea

Giuliani sweeps through capitol

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL DOESN'T GET TO MEET WITH SCHWARZENEGGER
By Kevin Yamamura
Sacramento Bee


SACRAMENTO - Rudy Giuliani did not visit Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday, even though he was mere steps from the state Capitol and held a fundraiser in the governor's Sacramento hotel home.

No matter. The former New York City mayor and Republican presidential candidate made do with a downtown lunchtime mix of high school girls, legislative aides, ladies meeting for lunch and activists on break from college.

Giuliani swept through Ambrosia Cafe on Thursday, disturbing the usual lunch-hour murmur at the gourmet sandwich shop a block from the Capitol. He shook hands, wished patrons a "good Fourth of July" and scarfed down part of a salad before diving into a scrum of television cameras.

Some diners praised Giuliani for his work as mayor after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, even if they were less acquainted with his political positions.

"I don't want them just to look at Sept. 11," Giuliani said. "I want them to look at my entire record as mayor, taking a city that was the crime capital of America and turning it into the safest large community in America."

read>>> Sacramento Bee


related -

Giuliani Claims Centrist Position - Captain's Quarters blog

Giuliani Meets with Voters in Irvine

Rudy's The One

The Jewish Press

By Daniel Greenfield

Instead of beginning with hosannas for Rudy Giuliani, as is usually done when one writes favorably of a candidate for public office, I’m going to begin with his faults.

Giuliani is authoritarian. He can be a bully. He has a low tolerance level for dissent and criticism. He doesn’t listen to people so much as tell them what to think.

The upside to those qualities is that he makes up his mind on what the right course is and pursues it regardless of opposition. He is not a figure of democratic virtues – rather, he’s the man you bring in to rescue you when democracy fails.

Rudy! Rudy! Say College Students

Giuliani Gets a Standing Ovation At a Christian College
New York Sun | Russell Berman


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Mayor Giuliani's battle to win over social conservatives in the Republican Party may not be the impossible task that many political pundits have predicted.

That certainly appeared to be the case yesterday at Regent University, the Christian college founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, where Mr. Giuliani's message of leadership and strength on terrorism met with a standing ovation.

AP: Giuliani Slams Clinton Over Terrorism

AP | BOB LEWIS

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday accused former President Clinton of not responding forcefully enough to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing or later terrorist attacks.

The former New York mayor criticized Democrats, accusing them of weakness and naivete in dealing with terrorism. Giuliani made the comments to about 650 business, corporate and political leaders at Regent University, the conservative Christian college founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson.

"Islamic terrorists killed more than 500 Americans before Sept. 11. Many people think the first attack on America was on Sept. 11, 2001. It was not. It was in 1993," said the former New York mayor.

Giuliani argued that Clinton treated the World Trade Center bombing as a criminal act instead of a terrorist attack, calling it "a big mistake" that emboldened other strikes on the Khobar Towers housing complex in Saudi Arabia, in Kenya and Tanzania and later on the USS Cole while docked in Yemen in 2000.

Republican 2008 Poll: Giuliani 27%, F. Thompson 19%

Angus Reid Global Monitor |

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Rudy Giuliani is the most popular presidential hopeful for Republican Party supporters in the United States, according to a poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates released by Newsweek. 27 per cent of respondents would back the former New York City mayor in a 2008 primary.

Giuliani leads among Catholic Republicans, poll finds

Giuliani leads among Catholic Republicans, poll finds
CWNews.com | Catholic World News

Washington, Jun. 22, 2007 (CWNews.com) - American Catholics are somewhat more likely than other voters to support Rudy Giuliani in the Republican presidential primary, according to a survey commissioned by the Pew Forum for Religion & Public Life.

The Pew Forum found that among likely Democratic voters, Hillary Clinton gains the most support among self-identified Catholics. But the poll found few significant differences between Catholic and Protestant respondents in their judgments on the leading Democratic candidates.

Among the Republican contenders, Giuliani drew the highest level of support among Catholics*. Nearly half-- 49%-- of the Catholic voters said that they were likely to support the former New York mayor, while Giuliani commanded only 30% "likely" support among mainline Protestant respondents and 32% among Evangelical Protestants.

Rudy's 12 Commitments: Fiscal Discipline

TEAM RUDY: STATE OF THE RACE

TO:		TEAM RUDY
FROM:		BRENT SEABORN, STRATEGY DIRECTOR
RE:		STATE OF THE RACE
DATE:		JUNE 22, 2007

---

Mayor Giuliani remains well positioned to win the GOP Presidential nomination as we enter the summer phase of the campaign. We have built a strong organization, done well in the first three debates and maintain a durable lead in the polls. And we have seen a 4th candidate enter the "top-tier" of the Republican primary race.

MAYOR GIULIANI REMAINS FRONTRUNNER IN NATIONAL POLLING
Mayor Giuliani continues to lead the polls; in fact, Mayor Giuliani has lead 81 of 84 national polls conducted this year. Three recent major, national polls show Mayor Giuliani with double digit leads over his nearest opponent; a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll¹ and an ABC News/Washington Post Poll² have Mayor Giuliani receiving 32% of the vote among likely Republican primary voters, and both show a 13-point lead for the Mayor. A recent Quinnipiac³ national survey finds Mayor Giuliani leading the GOP Primary Field with 27% support and enjoying a 12-point advantage over his closest opponents.

Because we now have four players, I suspect that we will continue to see a tightening of the race over the summer. It will be interesting to see if 4 candidates can stay in the top tier over the course of the summer or if support for one or two begins to drop.

MAYOR GIULIANI'S RECORD OF LEADERSHIP IS ESTABLISHED IN THE MINDS OF VOTERS
The ABC News/Washington Post Poll offers some insight as to why the Mayor maintains a lead in public opinion polling.

• 55% of Republican primary voters say Rudy Giuliani is the strongest leader in the race - that is a 29-point lead over his nearest opponent.
• 53% say he has the best chance of being elected President in 2008 - a 31-point lead over his nearest opponent.
• 59% would trust him to handle a major crisis - a 36-point lead over his nearest opponent.
• Mayor Giuliani leads on other key attributes as well - he is the "most inspiring" and "best understands the problems of people like you".

Presidential primaries are about electing a leader, and no candidate is a better leader than Rudy Giuliani.

In addition to his leadership, a plurality of Republican primary voters says that Rudy Giuliani "is closest to you on the issues" (Washington Post/ABC Poll). A recent Quinnipiac Poll reports that 55% of Republican primary voters cite the Mayor's record or his positions on issues as the reason they support him, and 35% cite the way he handled 9/11. Mayor Giuliani's support is based on a broad and deep understanding of his record and optimistic vision for America.

PRIMARY AND CAUCUS CALENDAR SUPPORTS MAYOR GIULIANI
The primary calendar continues to change in a way that favors our campaign. Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina still hold their traditionally critical position in the nomination process. Additionally, Nevada, Wyoming, Maine and Florida have added themselves to the pre-February 5th races. We are confident the Mayor is strongly positioned in the early states. Despite millions of dollars having been spent on TV by other campaigns, the Mayor is still competitive in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Florida is a critical state in the Pre-Feb. 5 primary lineup. We are optimistic about the Mayor's potential for success in Florida as he has been the frontrunner in nearly all polls conducted in the state and enjoy a considerable lead. Florida may prove to be the most important primary of this election.

Another important development - New Jersey has moved its primary to February 5th and has just recently agreed to make it a "winner-take-all" primary.

MAYOR GIULIANI IS THE MOST ELECTABLE IN 2008
Mayor Giuliani is the only Republican candidate who consistently beats presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Mayor Giuliani leads Senator Clinton in 34 of 41 national polls. Furthermore, Mayor Giuliani is the only Republican candidate in this race that can expand the general election playing field on to Democratic turf - states like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Washington, Oregon and Pennsylvania. By expanding the playing field to this extent we will force the Democrats to play on defense rather than on offense in our territory.

MAYOR GIULIANI HAS AN AGGRESSIVE AND CLEAR MESSAGE
Recently in New Hampshire, Mayor Giuliani outlined his agenda for this campaign. He introduced his Twelve Commitments to the American people and set forth a positive, proactive plan for his campaign. He is focused on the future and has presented a bold agenda for changing how things are done in this country.

The Twelve Commitments:

• I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists' War on Us.
• I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders and identify every non-citizen in our nation.
• I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.
• I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.
• I will impose accountability on Washington.
• I will lead America towards energy independence.
• I will give Americans more control over, and access to, healthcare with affordable and portable free-market solutions.
• I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.
• I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.
• I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
• I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.
• I will expand America's involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.

Since announcing his Twelve Commitments, Rudy Giuliani has established himself as the candidate of ideas in this campaign and has been driving the focus among Republican candidates in this race.

As the summer progresses, the Mayor will take time to present the details on each one of his Twelve Commitments. This week in Iowa, the Mayor outlined his plan to restore fiscal discipline to Washington and fight the culture of spending.

We will use the summer to further define Mayor Giuliani and his vision for America. We know Republican primary voters hold a very positive view of the Mayor - voters are predisposed to absorb positive information about the Mayor and support him. As voters have the opportunity to learn about the Mayor's Twelve Commitments, we will have provided them with ample cause to vote for Mayor Giuliani and solidify support.

As the Mayor continues his dialogue with American voters, it will become clear that besides being a strong supporter of staying on offense in the terrorists' war on us and the most effective leader in the field, Mayor Giuliani is the real fiscal conservative in this race.

Conclusion
While the race has tightened and our campaign has been challenged, we continue to lead in public opinion polling and we are now a better defined campaign than when this race began in February. Americans hold a clear view of Mayor Giuliani. As our supporters better understand Mayor Giuliani, their support for him strengthens and intensifies. Through the summer the Mayor will continue to drive his message, define himself and set the agenda for this campaign.

---

¹USA Today/Gallup Poll - Conducted 6/1/07-6/3/07
²ABC News/Washington Post Poll - Conducted 5/29/07-6/1/07
³Quinnipiac Poll - Conducted 6/5/07-6/11/07

Paid for by the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee, Inc.

Rudy vs. Mike

Political analysis from GITHUSH

Rudy’s Fiscal Roadmap

A clever (road-tested) agenda from the GOP frontrunner.

By Deroy Murdock

As the Washington spending juggernaut steams furiously ahead, Rudy Giuliani has offered to toss several monkey wrenches into its gears. Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa, the Republican presidential frontrunner unveiled several attractive ideas to “restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.”

NRO


related>>> Giuliani Preaches Fiscal Discipline

Big Apple Rudy

The other New York mayor looking at the White House.

By Jim Geraghty

New York, N.Y. — After watching Rudy Giuliani in action, giving his pitch to a room of 600 or so well-to-do donors, I’ve come to the following conclusion: For certain Republicans, Rudy will always be untouchable — be it his stands on abortion, gay marriage, or gun control, or his messy marriages, or his in-your-face abrasive leadership style, etc.

NRO

Harris: Fighting the War on Terror

Fighting the War on Terror: Giuliani and McCain Get Higher Ratings than Clinton, Obama or Edwards

Harris Interactive

President Bush's Very Negative Ratings Do Not Seem to Drag Other Republicans Down

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - June 19, 2007 - President George W. Bush continues to get very negative ratings on fighting the war on terror (28% positive and 70% negative). However, this public criticism of the President does not seem to be dragging other Republican candidates down with him. Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of New York on 9/11, and Senator John McCain, Vietnam War hero, are both seen as more likely to do well fighting the war on terror than Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John Edwards.

Rudy's blog

Rudy Giuliani's blog rates a B- according to the Elephant Biz blog.

Rudy Giuliani's Seattle visit

Rudy Giuliani was in Seattle Friday evening, speaking at a private fundraiser at a home in Capitol Hill.

I'm not committed to any Presidential candidate, but Giuliani is one of the candidates I'd be most enthusiastic about.

read more>>> Sound Politics blog

David Dreier: Giuliani's the man to secure our borders

Rudy Giuliani understands the problems of illegal immigration. He knows that without securing our border and knowing who is in our country, we will not be able to keep our citizens safe.

That is why I am pleased that Rudy has been at the forefront of this border security debate by advocating a tamper-proof card tied to a common database that government agencies would be able to access, allowing us to know who is in the country, why they are here, and where they are. Immigrants who overstay their visas will be able to be quickly found and escorted out of the country.

Rudy Rolls Into Seattle Under the Radar

Rudy Giuliani was in Seattle today for a private fundraiser. News reports indicate that in addition to attendees at a house-party for the former New York Mayor, Microsoft's employee PAC also got some face time.

read>>> the Respectfully Republican blog

RUDY SUGGESTS BUSH IS NO RONALD REAGAN

By CARL CAMPANILE

June 15, 2007 -- Rudy Giuliani took a slap at President Bush yesterday, claiming the country lacks the "strong, aggressive, bold leadership" of Republican icon Ronald Reagan.

Giuliani's bombshell remark - during a Flag Day rally in Delaware - was a surprise after weeks of his staunch defense of Bush over the Iraq war and other issues.

read>>> the complete NY Post article

Fox H&C: Sean Is on the Road With Rudy Giuliani in New Hampshire

read>>> the FoxNews article

Rudy Giuliani's Twelve Commitments

MSNBC

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro today, here are Rudy Giuliani's "Twelve Commitments."

-I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists' War on Us.

-I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation.

-I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.

-I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.

-I will impose accountability on Washington.

-I will lead America towards energy independence.

-I will give Americans more control over, and access to, healthcare with affordable and portable free-market solutions.

-I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.

-I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.

-I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

-I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.

-I will expand America's involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.

update: read also>>> The New York Observer

California - Rudy Continues to Lead While Fred Thompson Gains

Republicans antsy for a conservative standard-bearer in the presidential race have begun to rally behind Fred Thompson, propelling the former Tennessee senator to within hailing distance of the lead for the party’s nomination, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll has found.


read>>>FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

New Florida Poll (Giuliani 32%, Fred Thompson 21%)

Insider Advantage has released a new poll for Florida. For Republicans, Fred Thompson is in second place, nine points behind Rudy Giuliani:

Republicans
Giuliani 32
Thompson 21
Romney 17
McCain 12

Rasmussen polls: Hillary trails both Giuliani and McCain in GE matchups

Rasmussen Reports | Scott Rasmussen
In an Election 2008 match-up of the early frontrunners, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads New York Senator Hillary Clinton 47% to 44%. Last month, the two New York politicians were tied 45% to 45%. Clinton has consistently been competitive with Giuliani, but has typically trailed the Mayor by a few percentage points throughout the early polling on the race. A poll released earlier this week showed Giuliani has opened a double-digit lead over Illinois Senator Barack Obama (D). Clinton and Obama had been number one and two in the polls among those seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination....

Edwards gets tough on terrorism in New York; slams Rudy Giuliani

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards chose Republican hopeful Rudy Giuliani's home turf of New York on Thursday to say it was not enough to talk tough on terrorism without addressing its causes.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and the 2004 Democratic nominee for the U.S. vice presidency, drew Republican ire last month when he dubbed U.S. President George W. Bush's "war on terror" a "bumper sticker."

Former New York mayor Giuliani has focused his campaign on his image as a strong leader after the September 11 attacks destroyed the city's World Trade Center towers.

Edwards dismissed criticism of his "bumper sticker" comment as rhetoric aimed at presenting Bush critics as unpatriotic.

"If Mayor Giuliani believes that what President Bush has done is good and wants to embrace it and run a campaign for the presidency saying 'I will give you four more years of what this president has given you,' he's allowed to do that.

"He'll never be elected president of the United States, but he's allowed to do that," he said.

"America is looking for something different. They want us to be tough ... but they expect us to be smart," he said.

Rudy Giuliani: Health Care

The following blogs make some thoughtful comments about Rudy and his health care policies:

The Entrepreneural Mind

CCN

WSJ online

Debate comments and analysis: Rudy Won

The elephantbiz blog has all the quotes and related info on why Rudy won the Debate last night. Read it. It is interesting analysis and commentary.

Transcript: Third G.O.P. Debate

NY Times

The following is a transcript of the 2008 Republican presidential candidates debate hosted by CNN, WMUR-TV and The New Hampshire Union Leader. The participants were Senator Sam Brownback, the former Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, the former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, Rep. Duncan Hunter, the former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. John McCain, Rep. Ron Paul, the former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Tom Tancredo, and the former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and the moderator was Wolf Blitzer.

MR. BLITZER: So let’s meet the candidates. We’ve asked for no opening statements. However, I’d like to ask each candidate to — in one short sentence, about five seconds or so, to introduce themselves to the voters of New Hampshire.

Let me begin with an example. I’m Wolf Blitzer, and I’m with CNN. (Laughter.) Let’s start across the stage, and we’ll begin with Tom Tancredo.

Rudy Giuliani: "a true American hero"

If you want to read a perfect example of how the socialist left approaches political discussions, read the GOTV blog where Matt describes how Rudy Giuliani is "a true American hero" (mockingly).

No thoughtful policy discussion, no critical thinking skills, just good old name-calling.

Rudy in Charge

Circle City Pundit: Rudy in Charge

This blog writes:

Between 1993, when Giuliani took office, to 2001 when he left, murders dropped by an astonishing 66%. Rape went down by 45%, robbery by decreased 67%, and aggravated assault, larceny, and motor vehicle theft each decreased by at least 39%. In recognition of its success, the CompStat program won the “Innovation in Government Award” from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Ford Foundation in 1996.

Rasmussen Poll: 2008 Republican Presidential Primary [Rudy 23, Fred 17, Mitt 15, McCain 14]

Rasmussen

With former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson taking his first formal steps towards a Presidential run and the immigration debate creating challenges for Arizona Senator John McCain, the race for the Republican Presidential nomination has an entirely different look this week.

Rudy Made New York Governable and Safe

In the early nineties, New York City was said to be ungovernable, out of control, beyond reversal. Tourists no longer felt safe visiting the Big Apple and leaders refused to take action against crime. In 1993, there were almost 2,000 murders, and each week more than 11,000 major crimes were committed.

read>>>the RedState blog

Hannity & Rudy Giuliani 5-31-07 (Full Segment)

Rudy Giuliani 34% McCain 20% Thompson 13%

ABC/Washington Post poll

NY Daily News: Rudy gets great mileage running against Hil

BY DAVID SALTONSTALL

DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

Slowly but surely, Rudy Giuliani is deploying his favorite campaign weapon, one that probably has garnered him more money and attention over the years than any other.

Her name is Hillary Clinton.

read>>>the full NY Daily News Article

Giuliani 25%, Romney 16%, McCain 15%, Fred Thompson 12%

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) remains on top with 25% support. That’s essentially unchanged from last week. Giuliani has been at 25% or 26% in the polls for four straight weeks.

Rasmussen Reports