Can Rudy Giuliani Win?

Some conservatives shudder at the thought of voting for Rudy Giuliani.

I understand the concern when it comes to Giuliani's positions on social issues.

He may be great when it comes to tackling terrorism, but he's not even close to being a candidate interested in protecting the unborn.

That could be a problem.

Can a Republican candidate that isn't against even the ghastly procedure of partial birth abortion rally the conservative base and win the White House?

There are so many factors to consider when looking at Giuliani's viability, such as his Dem opponent, the possibility of more terrorist attacks before the election, etc.

Putting aside all those unknowns, I do think it's possible for Giuliani to win the support of the base. I think it can be done if Giuliani manages to run a campaign based on sound, rational policies and if he can soften the edges of his stance on the emotionally-charged social issues.

From The Washington Post:

Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani jumped into the 2008 presidential race yesterday, filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and declaring on national television last night, "I'm in this to win."

Giuliani's actions were aimed at erasing any lingering doubts about whether he would enter the 2008 campaign and came after an intensive month of activity in which he has stepped up his political travels, broadened his political team and expanded his fundraising operation. A formal announcement will come later, Giuliani said.

Giuliani, 62, served two terms as mayor of New York and earned widespread praise for his leadership after terrorists struck the city on Sept. 11, 2001. He leads the field of declared and prospective Republican presidential candidates in national polls and, with Sen. John McCain of Arizona, ranks either first or second in most of the important early states.

But his support for abortion rights and gay rights puts him sharply at odds with the majority of his party, a situation that many GOP strategists think will present a substantial obstacle to his hopes of winning the nomination. Giuliani also remains well behind McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in building a state-by-state political organization that will be crucial to navigating through early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

In an interview last night with commentator Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel, Giuliani sought to play down his differences with conservatives by pointing to his record of shrinking government, reducing taxes and fighting crime in New York and to his commitment to staying on "offense" against terrorists.

Giuliani restated his support for abortion rights and gay rights but said he believes marriage should remain a union between a man and a woman. He also defended his support for tough gun-control laws in New York, saying they helped reduce crime in the city while he was mayor.

Giuliani's challenge, aides believe, will be to convince Republican primary voters that, despite his disagreements with conservatives, he will not overturn what has been party orthodoxy on many social issues. One way of indicating that has been through his comments about judicial appointments, a topic he returned to last night.

"I think the appointment of judges that I would make would be very similar to, if not exactly the same as, the last two judges that were appointed" to the Supreme Court, he told Hannity.

That's key.

If Giuliani would run on the promise to appoint constructionist judges like John Roberts and Samuel Alito, then the socially conservative contingent should be able to find some solace.

If Giuliani takes the stance that social issues like abortion and gay marriage are matters for the states to decide, that also should help lessen the sting of a socially liberal Republican candidate.

While a president can veto bills, as President Bush did when an INCREASE in federal funding for EMBRYONIC stem cell research was proposed, a president's powers are limited.

Roe v. Wade won't be overturned directly by a president. That's the reality. It's not going to happen.

Giuliani wouldn't be a pro-life champion per se, but as long as his judicial appointments would be constructionists, that would be what really counts in the long term.

The Constitution is pro-life. If Giuliani's judges wouldn't be the "legislate from the bench" types, social conservatives should be satisfied.

I think Giuliani could really cut into the Dems' ability to woo the swing voters, those undecideds.

Giuliani has planted himself in the middle, a good place to be.

Without question Giuliani is liberal on some issues. He's also very conservative on others, and extremely strong when it comes to terrorism, national security, taxes, and crime.

On balance, it should be remembered that Giuliani is far more conservative than he is liberal.

Christian conservatives need to quit being so demanding and be willing to compromise a bit. Small steps forward are better than giant leaps back with a Dem president.

Giuliani would be far better suited to serve as President of the United States than any Dem candidate, hands down.

I think the Dems fear Giuliani. I also think they believe that conservative Christians won't back him and would block his nomination, so they really don't have to worry about facing him in the general election.

That's a miscalculation.

I think at the end of the day social conservatives will conclude that Giuliani might actually help their causes.

They understand how important the courts are when it comes to the nation's social agenda.

The bottom line here is that a promise to deliver constructionist judges and a states' rights mentality would serve to advance conservative positions on social issues.

Social conservatives shouldn't consider Giuliani to be working against them or on the opposite of the fence. He's really on their side.