I get the frustration with the Republican candidates currently running for President among the social conservative types. Every single interest group has some bone to pick with the top three – Rudy, Mitt, or Fred — so nobody is happy with those choices. If only Brownback, or Hunter, or Huckabee only had more money — the social conservatives would rally around one of those candidates and they would be happy. Maybe the situation will change with Huckabee, but I just don’t see it happening for any of the other so-con approved candidates.
As a social conservative myself, I have reservations about Rudy Giuliani as far as what kind of judges he would nominate to the Supreme Court. I am also concerned that his stormy personal life may become an issue later on in the campaign, although I’m not sure why Hillary would want to start that kind of discussion if she’s the Dem nominee. What is working in Rudy’s favor is his record in NY, as well as his leadership on 9/11. The latter is the main reason many social conservatives have given him their support. I haven’t decided to support Rudy yet, although I might change my mind later on.
My concern with Rudy is partially based on the reasons I have already given, and also based on his limited executive experience. It’s not that successfully managing New York City is a small achievement. He can rightfully boast about his record there. But what else is there? What other items on his resume can he point to to show that he has the right stuff to be President? I hate to say this, but without his remarkable leadership on 9/11, Rudy Giuliani wouldn’t even be in the discussion for President of the United States.
That said…
I am disgusted by the spoiled, whiny, look-at-me-I’m-still-important, leaders in the Christian right community who would support a third party candidate if Rudy is the Republican party nominee. It’s a bad idea. Don’t they realize that if the social conservative vote is further split, Hillary wins? As long as Rudy doesn’t win…right? They don’t speak for me, and they don’t speak for many social conservatives who share their moral values. Power doesn’t just corrupt politicians. It corrupts religious leaders as well. I am concerned that the church has forgotten its mission: to bring the message of Christ to a lost world. It’s not our job to pick presidential candidates.
Like I said, I’m not sold on any of the top three, including Fred, and it’s hard for me to imagine donating money or time to any of these campaigns right now. But if Rudy is the nominee, he’s still better than Hillary. That will be enough for my vote.