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Is Giuliani creating his own political party? The Demi-Republican Party? Democrat on social issues and Republican on fiscal issues.
Giuliani is often considered a front-runner in the Republican race, however it is often difficult knowing to which party he really belongs. I often think that he could have run as a conservative Democrat as easily as he is running as a liberal Republican.
Why do so many so-called Republicans support a candidate that only stands for a portion of what Republicans really believe?
Giuliani is not the best Republican candidate. He does not uphold the values held by the Republicans in this nation.
Giuliani is socially liberal in nearly every respect—even ask his staff.
Regarding the issue of fidelity within marriage, Giuliani’s track record is not stellar. Most people know he has been married three times—If this isn’t bad enough look at the way he treats the women he marries. The first one was kind of a weird situation. He was married to his second cousin for 14 years; then he had it annulled—how do you erase a marriage of 14 years? Did annulling it make him feel like he had not done something wrong? The end of his second marriage of 17 years, which was riddled with questionable female “relationships”, came after he announced his plans for separation at a press conference—where’s the tact? Regarding his separation, Giuliani stated, “This is damaging and painful for everyone”—yet he still proceeded? His third marriage was, I guess, a “traditional” THIRD marriage—he married a woman who told everyone she had only been married once. As it turned out, her marriage to Giuliani was also a third for her—no surprise? See entire article at CNN
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In a memo written by Giuliani’s staff, his aids give a harsh assessment of his flaws in a “vulnerability study”.
Giuliani’s staff stated that, “his support for abortion and gay rights may alienate many conservative voters.”—I hope so. Giuliani’s aides were also concerned that, as a former Democrat, he would be painted as a “flip-flopper,” and that his tenure as an official in Ronald Reagan’s Justice Department was an “albatross for a liberal city” (referring, of course, to New York City). “There is not a minute to waste in inoculating against the Reagan Republican moniker,” the memo said, adding that the candidate should emphasize his “independence from traditional national Republican policies.”—Or do as he did and re-define the Republican parties values.
The memo also stated that, “gay marriage really is the only issue where Giuliani opposes the gay agenda.”
While a supporter of abortion rights, Giuliani had stumbled badly on the issue in his 1989 mayoral campaign, sounding like “just another pro-life male politician trying to explain how he wasn’t anti-woman,” the memo said. The advisers said Giuliani could “win over undecided pro-choice activists” by being more “succinct” about his support for the procedure and for public financing of abortions.
The memo also reported the “charge” that “Giuliani received special treatment from a friendly federal judge to avoid military service during the Vietnam War,” and later “hypocritically prosecuted draft dodgers.”
So where does Giuliani stand on complete fidelity in marriage, abortion, gay rights, and war—just ask his staff. His staff would tell you that, “He doesn’t really fit in with the Republicans. Too liberal.” See entire article at The Washington Post The Washington Post
I hope during this primary election people will stand strong with the candidate that truly maintains their values and not their vote simply out of fear. I worry that many people will compromise their values by voting for Giuliani because he will supposedly “relate to both parties” or “have the best chance to beat a Democrat.” Mitt Romney is our strongest candidate for all of these reasons. He has maintained his values as is represented by his intact, faithful marriage. Mitt Romney can certainly relate to both parties and solidly has the best chance to beat a Democrat as he showed as Governor of a mostly-democrat state.
~ Angi Bagley-Hansen
Mrs. Ann Romney
Photo from Five Brothers Blog
I realize it’s early in the campaign, but as a wife and a mother, I cannot help but notice that not a lot has been mentioned in the MSM yet about potential First Ladies, and the importance of the role they play in a Presidency. In reality, it is a factor that should be taken as seriously as the candidate himself. Like the President, the First Lady represents us all, and I will be forever appreciative to Laura Bush for returning a more traditional sense of dignity, charm, and graciousness back into the White House.
In recent campaigns, exposure and background of potential First Ladies has actually hurt a candidate. I remember the hilarious emails, with photo’s attached, of “The Right Stuff/The Wrong Stuff” showing Laura Bush as The Right Stuff, and “the other candidates wife” as The Wrong Stuff. Could it be true that a majority of American’s have certain expectations for the role of First Lady, just as they do the President? And would it not also be true that, while we have endured First Ladies that have broken that mold and that some may have been comfortable with, most American’s seemed uncomfortable with a non-traditional First Lady.
Unlike the pleasant and frequent exposure that Ann Romney seems to be receiving, I have had only brief sightings of the other candidates’ wives, or the wives of the “johnny-come-lately” possible candidates, for that matter. Actually, if curiousity motivates you enough, you can go looking for most of the candidates wives by conducting an internet search. I hope to think they are in attendance at their husbands various fund raisers, events, and television interviews, and that perhaps I am just tuning in to the wrong shows, at the wrong times, or looking at the wrong websites. Ann Romney, however, seems to be wherever Mitt goes, and she certainly brings with her a loving, gentle, wise, and genuine ladylike presence. The Romney’s are more often seen together, than not. They definitely compliment each other; their strengths seem to merge when they are with each other, and it seems obvious that they take great joy and comfort in each others company.
Knowing that Ann & Mitt Romney have raised five boys, and have quite an extended family, including 5 daughters-in law and 10 grandchildren, only strengthens my admiration for her. The fact that the Romney’s have been married just once, to each other, is also another source of the great confidence that I have in them. There is no denying Ann Romney is a beautiful woman,and in terrific shape, for a mother of five and grandmother. I have no doubt that she has experienced her share of hard work, sacrifice and heartache. Her life has been touched by illness, only to battle back through the strength of both her family and her faith.
Her smile is genuine, and her love for her husband and her family, this country and it’s people, radiates through in her openess, humor, and honesty when she speaks. She has given of herself to many causes, and it is evident that there are many people’s lives she has touched who admire and respect her deeply. It’s easy to see that, considering they have been married for 38 years, the Romney’s are still crazy about each other… I had to laugh when Mitt called her a “Babe” during a national television interview, and it has been written that he fills the house with Lilacs for her as a Mother’s Day tradition… these certainly seem like genuine endearments to me. He refers to her as his CEO, and values her opinions and input, most specifically on character, and matters of the heart. Mitt says that one of her strongest character traits is that “she is extremely, totally, entirely honest. She is incapable either through her eyes or her mouth of lying. ”
As the campaign progresses, and we get to know more about each of the candidates and their wives, one can be assured that Ann Romney accompanies her husband in his campaign because she wants to be there. Not because she required by duty, or that her intent is to effect policy. She is there to support her husband, to give him strength and joy, and to offer herself up for this countries considerations as an intelligent, honest, devoted, committed, strong, gracious, charming and beautiful First Lady.
Donna L.
The issue of abortion has blown up in recent elections and passionately divided the electorate between the two different “pros”—pro-life and pro-choice. The main conflict on the abortion issue is that few people fall in the middle and thus fewer are willing to compromise. As a woman, I have given great thought to this issue. If I were in the situation of having an unplanned child—what would I do? After great deliberation, I would posit that we consider the following things:
Given the divisiveness of this issue, policy makers have almost always addressed the sanctity of two groups of rights: women’s rights, and human rights (supposing fetuses to be right-bearing humans). The classical liberal case for individual liberty mandates that individuals be free from the coercion of the state to pursue their own aims, insofar as these aims do not infringe upon the rights of others. Clearly, the issue of abortion comes down to whether fetuses ought to be considered to be right-bearing humans. If so, the state should prevent any person who tries to take the right to life away from an unborn child; if not, the state should allow a woman to do as she sees fit—since she is not hampering the rights of anyone protected under the Constitution. Unfortunately, the point at which an embryo becomes a human is a matter of much speculation, and depends largely on the religious faith of those making the decision. Accordingly, we are unlikely to convince people of our time about whether abortion is right or wrong. Similarly, at the time the Constitution was written, there was not a clear consensus on whether slaves should be part of the group of men that were “created equal,” and should therefore be treated equally under the law. That issue was decided years after the ratification of the constitution, when the moral framework of society had evolved sufficiently to recognize the transgression of enslaving human beings. In the case of abortion, until a similar moral consensus can be formed, we must confine ourselves to determining the interim role of the state concerning this difficult issue.
I would argue, and so does Governor Romney, that people who abhor abortion as murder should not be required, through taxation, to pay for someone else’s daughter to have an abortion. Those that do maintain the belief that it is a woman’s right to control the occurrences within her body through abortion must also recognize the rights of others to not have their resources allocated to what they view to be a morally reprehensible act. Therefore, even though the morality of abortion is a question not soon likely to be decided by a commonly held system of values, the state’s role of funding abortions ought to be more easily decided.
Lets get to the facts and you can decide for yourself. In 2003, women chose to have 1.29 million abortions, totaling 43 million legal abortions since 1973.1 In perspective, the abortion ratio (the proportion of abortions of total pregnancies) was 24%–yes indeed, this means that one-fourth of all pregnancies were terminated by women’s choice. 2
Now that we understand the extent of abortions, we must look at their unit cost. On average, abortions cost $350-$500 dollars in early pregnancy and $650-$700 in later pregnancy.3 Others have reported $487 for a surgical abortion at 10 weeks gestation.4
To calculate that (1.3 million x $487), $621 million dollars is a lot of money.
Clearly the subject of who pays for abortion is not one of insignificant consequence. Today, more than one-third of US women are eligible for publicly funded abortions. This public funding has resulted in 630,000 abortions each year,5 which totals $307 million dollars each year. When we say “publicly funded,” this means that you paid for a fraction of this abortion through taxes. If you wonder about your daughter at home, 4.9 million sexually active teenagers also get publicly funded supported services (abortion is included in these services).6
So alas, abortion is an expensive choice we are providing for many women and especially young women, at the expense of many who believe it is akin to murder. Governor Mitt Romney also agrees that this is too high a cost to American taxpayers and American liberty. Since we can’t agree on the ethics of abortion, we ought to at least be able reach a consensus that it is wrong for the state to force more than half of our nation’s tax payers to fund something they strongly oppose.
Another reason to agree with Romney’s opposition to public funding of abortion is that the Guttmacher Institute found that 20-35% of eligible women chose not to have an abortion when the funding was not available to them to have an abortion. Thus, the occurrence of abortion, which many believe to be an immoral act, can be significantly reduced without infringing upon the liberty of the women who make that choice. In fact, eliminating public funding of abortion would not only preserve the choice of women facing the decision of whether to abort, but also preserve the liberty of taxpayers to use their resources for endeavors that are not against their moral beliefs. Regardless of one’s perception of the morality of abortion, I agree with Mitt Romney that “we the people” should not be forced to pay for what many believe to be immoral.
1.Finer LB and Henshaw SK, Estimates of U.S. Abortion Incidence in 2001–2003, 2006,
2. Finer LB and Henshaw SK, Estimates of U.S. Abortion Incidence in 2001–2003, 2006,
3. ProChoice.org, www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/economics.htm
4. Henshaw SK and Finer LB, The accessibility of abortion services in the United States, 2001, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2003, 35(1):16–24.
5. AGI, Fulfilling the Promise: Public Policy and U.S. Family Planning Clinics, New York: AGI, 2000.
6. AGI, Contraceptive needs and services, 2001–2002,
7. Heather Boonstra and Adam Sonfield, “Rights Without Access: Revisiting Public Funding of Abortion for Poor Women,” The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy vol.3(2) (April 2000).
Emily
I received a call at 8 p.m. Thursday evening asking me to hold the line a moment for Governor Mitt Romney. Expecting a recording, but still excited to hear a message from Mitt, I waited. An operator asked me if I was interested in joining in on a Townhall style conference call with Mitt Romney. Needless to say, I continued to hold the line. With my new “bloggers instinct”, I ran to grab a pad of paper and a pen.
I was connected to the call. Mitt was in the middle of a statement, obviously in response to a question that had been asked by one of the other participants of this call. He was speaking about Religious Freedom and the Constitution, his faith in God and the values that we share through that belief… marriage, family and liberty. He is a firm believer in reiterating what brings us together, not what divides us. I can only assume the question had something to do with being Mormon.
A young mother asked the next question, about what paths and opportunities the Governor would work towards as President to help the handicapped, and handicapped children in particular. He immediately responded with examples from his experience in dealing with this issue in Massachusetts. I turned the television off. He had my full attention, and my note taking was going at a pretty furious pace.
A small child, obviously prompted by his parent, asked about a statement Mr. Romney had recently made regarding how American school children had scored in the bottom 10% in math and science in a OECD survey. Mitt acknowledged that this unfortunate fact was correct, and explained that his education plan would not only include strengthening our schools from the local, state and federal level, but that he would institute a program, based on testing scores, for the top 1/4 of students to receive a 4 year, tuition free college education. Talk about incentives! He believes that English needs to be the required language taught and used in all schools, and the need for a program that institutes “better pay for better teachers”. He stated that he believes in School Choice, acknowleged that parental involvement needs to be encouraged, and on that same note, tied in the importance of being married before having babies.
There were several questions asked regarding illegal immigration. As the debate on an Immigration Bill is currently ongoing, I refer you to Governor Romney’s statement regarding this very critical issue here. He did say that he sees illegal immigration dampening legal immigration, is for secure borders, an employment ID card system, that existing illegals be required to register, criminals be deported, and he is in favor of an attrition program.
Another family was introduced, and their question asked: “Would Governor Romney be in favor of continued military base closures AND a cut in military funding?” The Governors voice got stronger as he stated that “this would be one area that I would actually increase spending”. He touched on the Clinton reductions, or the “Holiday from History”, as he called it, and the negative effects they have had. He injected that he would call for 100,000 additional troop enlistments, and would budget for the very necessary costs involved to upgrade the technology and equipment of the military. He closed with the great summation …. “Strength is the greatest ally that peace has ever known”.
Governor Romney paused for a moment, “Now, I need to ask all of you a question…..If any of you would be at all interested in attending the Straw Poll in Ames Iowa on August 10th? I need your help, and would love your support in getting over there and voting for me. If you think you might be interested, just push the #1 on your keypad, and someone will be back in touch with you”. I pushed the #1.
He thanked the good people of Iowa, and the few thousand people that were on this Townhall conference call with him. He acknowledged the tremendous service to the nation they fulfill in getting to know the candidates well prior to the Primaries. Governor Mitt Romney, Presidential Candidate, closed with a statement that reinforced my feelings that he is a man that has always held others interests before his own … “Of course, I would love your support and your vote … but if not for me… then please elect someone with integrity, character, and leadership. It’s what our country needs right now”.
The operator came on the line and told those who had questions that were unanswered to remain on the line. They could leave their questions on the Governor’s voice mail, and either Governor Romney, or someone from his team, would be back in touch with them within 24 hours with a response.
I hung up from that phone call more impressed than I’ve been in a long time with any candidate and campaign that I can remember. I’m proud to be on Team Mitt, and I am extremely proud to support Mitt Romney in any way I can for President of the United States.
Can You Hear Me Now!
Donna L.
from FoxNews.com
The Associated Press is asking the candidates a series of questions about their personal tastes, habits and backgrounds. Today’s question and their answers:
What item most reminds you of where you came from?
DEMOCRATS
Delaware Sen. Joe Biden: “Rosary beads.”
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: “Olive burgers from the Pickwick in Chicago.”
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd: “New England fall foliage.”
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: “Mills.”
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: “Compass.”
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: “Photograph in my office of the cliffs of Oahu’s South Shore, where my mother’s ashes are scattered.”
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: “Green chili.”
REPUBLICANS
Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback: “Wheat.”
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: “My grandfather’s pocketwatch.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: “Trains. My childhood home was only about 200 yards from the train tracks.”
California Rep. Duncan Hunter: “Letters and articles by my Dad written over the past 60 years.”
Arizona Sen. John McCain: “Enchiladas.”
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: “Family Bible that Dad and I used to take oath of office as governor.”
Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo: Picture of his mother.
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The “Sign Up America” campaign was a success.
The goal was reached!!!
Thanks to all who helped make this day an incredible victory.
Just the beginning….
Watch this video of highlights with Tagg Romney.
~Bethie
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“We must make private contribution, not concentrated power, the yardstick of reward.” George Romney
“There is not one day when I have regretted making a full commitment to public service. The battles, the triumphs, the personal associations are more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. I could have made a good deal more money over the last five years had I stayed at my investment job…Instead, I have come to know many more people and to help many more people I do not know. It’s a currency of a different denomination: it can’t be taxed, stolen, or depleted. The more I have of it, the richer I feel” Mitt Romney
Donna L.
Thanks Ann Marie, for asking me to blog for the ElectRomneyin2008’/ Women For Romney website. Joining in on the Live Chat during the debate on your site was great fun, and I can’t wait to do it again. I’ll definitely spread the word for next time!
I woke this morning with some definite ideas of what I could possibly write about in my first submission, and decided that covering the debate would be the timeliest issue.
Blogging is different than editorializing, in that you need to be somewhat concise, so I decided to go with something along the lines of “What They Said and What I Heard”. I fear, however, I’m a little too wordy to be considered a blogger yet. Perhaps it’s because this was an “event”, and I hope to learn the art of blogging as I go along.
Naturally, I was listening more intently to my candidate Mitt last night. The others just seemed to be filling space and taking time from him. Their answers rambled. Mitt Romney had a good plan of attack in a debate where there are too many participants, and not enough time. Mitt’s style of getting his points across, a get in and get out type of strategy was excellent, in retrospect.
In sifting through all the words that were spoken on that stage last night, I heard clear responses from Mitt Romney. Sometimes that was difficult, in that there were three issues compiled into one question directed at him.
I thought he did just fine under the circumstances, and the impression he leaves is one of, as always, an experienced and well informed gentleman, and a statesman. He looks for the positive, and rejects the negative.
Yup, I know exactly where my candidate stands on the questions that were asked of him last night. And in case I am asked to share his views, I know with one click of the mouse I have access to a virtual Encyclopedia of Mitt on the Issues. Mitt’s candidacy is based on facts and a proven track record, not someone who has been in a position of power for years, and still showboats and theorizes what should & could be done.
Mitt is everything his campaign slogan says of him. He would bring a Strong, New, Leadership to a broken Washington. Sadly, because of a crowded stage, he didn’t even have a chance to discuss one of his strongest issues, Family Values.
I did hear Giuliani say he’s not soft on anything. I heard McCain say he is worried about world opinion. I heard one of the candidates tell a good joke about Edwards at the hairdresser. I heard another candidate say he would cut some program that I’ve never heard of before. And I heard Ron Paul say it’s America’s fault we were attacked on 9-11.
I heard Mitt say he wants English as our language in the schools.
I heard Mitt say that abortion rights should be up to the people, the states.
I heard Mitt say that while he is definitely against discrimination, he believes marriage is a sanctity reserved for a man and a woman.
I heard Mitt say he rejects giving Illegal Aliens an easy and open path to citizenship.
I heard Mitt say he was for protecting the rights of the second amendment, and that he never raised taxes while balancing the budget in Mass.
I heard Mitt say Washington is broken and that he is someone that can streamline and cut waste in an oversized, overspending, bureaucracy because he has done so as Governor, in the Olympics, and in business.
I heard Mitt say he was for No Child Left Behind because it helps the children, rather than the all powerful teachers union.
I heard Mitt say he doesn’t want to cut and run from Iraq and understands the importance of remaining and stabilizing the region.
I heard Mitt say not only does he NOT want to shut down Gitmo, he would, in fact, be in favor of a second Gitmo.
I heard Mitt say we need to be proactive, instead of reactive in the War on Terror.
When it comes right down to it, I heard Mitt say alot last night, and I know exactly where my candidate stands on the questions that were asked of him. I’d like to see another candidacy claim as many issues clarified as a result of the debate as Mitt Romney was able to clarify in his allotted time.
Sometimes, what they say and what we hear are two different things. Not so with the performance Mitt turned in last night.
Great job Mitt!
Donna L.
Be sure to watch the second Republican Debate tonight. It takes place in South Carolina and airs on the Fox News Channel at 9pm EST.
In conjunction with the debate, please consider taking part in “Sign Up America”, where 24,000 supporters will be signed up in 24 hours. This will be a history making event and you are invited to take part.
You can watch the Debate with other Romney supporters at a “Sign Up America” Debate Party!
Simply watch the video below, and find out how you can help and have fun at the same time.
I’ll be attending a Debate Party in Sandy, Utah tonight. Be sure and find one in your area and make plans to attend!
~Bethie
On May 15-16th, help us make history by signing up 24,000 supporters in 24 hours! Join a Debate Watch Party, then ask your friends to show their support at MittRomney.com or by calling 1-866-WIN-MITT.
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