Rudy Giuliani: too liberal for the Republicans?

Most people know former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani from his leadership in the dark days after Sept. 11, 2001.

He was “America’s Mayor.”

Now America’s mayor has decided to run for president. In what is sure to be one of the most hotly contested presidential races of our time, Giuliani is looking to gain the GOP nomination over Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. There is no shortage of criticism surrounding the trio.

McCain has been criticized for his support of the war in Iraq. He has also been criticized for his relationship with extremely conservative evangelist Jerry Falwell. Romney has faced criticism for his close ties with the Mormon Church, including a polygamist great-grandfather and the fact that many Mormons believe other denominations are “an abomination” and they sometimes hold mass baptisms to baptize the souls of the “non-believers” (i.e. non-Mormons). One sect held a mass baptism for the souls of Holocaust victims. Even in a country where Christian evangelism is on the rise, many believe he is too conservative. So Giuliani has the nomination in the bag, right?

Wrong.

Many Giuliani critics say he is too liberal for the Republicans. While he doesn’t believe in gay marriage, he does believe in civil unions and equal right for homosexual partners . He’s not totally for gun control, but he believes in stricter regulations and more training for owners. The one belief he has that is totally in line with the Republican view is his views on abortion.

Giuliani is also for the war in Iraq, but has not been vocal about his stance.

Homosexuality, gun control and the war are big issues for Republicans and many aren’t exactly thrilled that Giuliani is not in total support of two main issues or about his not being vocal about the war. In some cases he has been compared to Hilary Clinton.

Another factor that may keep the nomination out of Giuliani’s reach is his religion. Giuliani is Catholic. The last Catholic to run for president was John F. Kennedy, a Democrat who won the presidency, but was assassinated two years later.

What does all of this mean for Giuliani? It depends. The mid-term elections in November, 2006 sent a clear message to Washington that the American people want change. Giuliani may be the one who can mix faith, Republican beliefs and moderation. However, if the current trend holds, his religion may be a deciding factor.


Another problem is the fact that, as of April 2, Giuliani had only raised $15 million , compared to Romney’s $23 million. McCain trailed both with 12.5 million. Giuliani is, however, the GOP’s front-runner in popularity polls.

As for his views on the issues, or what issues Giuliani may be big on, there has been little word from his camp on what they are. Keep in mind, however, he has only been in the race since February.

Can Giuliani win? It’s too early to say, but with his moderate tendencies, strong faith and national popularity, he may give the Democrats a run for the money.