Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has what it takes to win the presidency in the 2008 general election, but does he have what it takes to become the Republican nominee? The challenge is to convince Republicans they must select a candidate who can win the general election and govern successfully. Like my article three weeks ago endorsing Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., for the Democratic nomination, I will once again focus on why our political parties must reject presidential candidates from the Senate, focusing instead on candidates with executive experience, a successful record of accomplishment and crossover appeal.
Mayor Giuliani's track record as mayor of New York City is remarkable. Under his leadership, crime was cut 57 percent; murder was reduced 65 percent; and the Big Apple, once notorious for crime, is now the nation's safest large city. His aggressive promotion of welfare-to-work programs allowed 640,000 residents to return to self-sufficiency. Mayor Giuliani cut taxes while simultaneously turning a $2.3 billion deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus, ushering in an era of private sector growth as 450,000 new private sector jobs were added in seven years. During his tenure, education funding increased 50 percent, allowing 13,000 new teachers to be hired. His executive experience is exemplary, as he brought innovative solutions to a broken city, restoring it to its rightful place as one of the world's greatest.
Then, of course, there is Sept. 11, 2001. No discussion of Rudy Giuliani is complete without mentioning his tremendous leadership in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. The city's brand-new emergency command center at 7 World Trade Center was evacuated and then collapsed as a result of the attack. Mayor Giuliani orchestrated an on-the-fly rescue operation and worked without sleep for three days to restore order to the city. His calm and strong demeanor comforted the city's residents during press conferences, as he boldly declared that New York City would not only survive the attack, but return stronger. To those living in the New York or Washington, D.C., areas at the time of the attacks, Giuliani's greatest gift was his strength and vision that enabled us to survive and cope.
Yet as we enter the 2008 primary campaign season, Rudy Giuliani is said to have major liabilities as judged by the right wing of his own party. He has been labeled a "social liberal," which could kill his chances in the Iowa caucus or early Southern primaries. But let's examine the record. Mayor Giuliani is unapologetically pro-choice and favors civil unions. Yet this position reflects that of the majority of both Republicans and Americans. There is his personal life, ostensibly atypical for a Republican candidate, as his three marriages dominated the New York tabloids for years. But then, the hero and savior of the Republican Party, Ronald Reagan, was divorced and not a regular at church.
As the icon of post-Sept. 11 strength, he has the most favorable positioning on national security and is a staunch supporter of President Bush's war on terror. Unlike Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Giuliani does not identify with the largely unpopular troop "surge" currently dominating the Iraq debate. Indeed, he is the only candidate in either party with domestic crisis experience, another asset after the botched response to Hurricane Katrina. He has stated that he will nominate Supreme Court justices in the mold of John Roberts and Sam Alito, who are wildly popular among almost all Republicans. And how many other Republicans can defeat Hillary Clinton to win New York's 31 electoral votes?
Giuliani, unlike Republican senators vying for the nomination such as John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., has not cast thousands of congressional votes over the years that can be used as ammunition by opposing candidates and interest groups. Also, unlike all senators running for the presidency, Giuliani has executive experience managing a complex city with a population greater than 38 states. He is a decision maker who will not need on-the-job training.
While Christian leaders have declared Giuliani unelectable, this may be wishful thinking. After all, Giuliani has the ability to attract substantial crossover votes, just as Ronald Reagan did in 1980. He is a personality America connects with, and he is comfortable in his own skin — he even once played a drag queen at a party. Importantly, he commands the greatest likeability of any candidate in either party, with approximately 65 percent of those polled indicating a favorable impression. Compare that to Hillary's likeability and any Republican should warm to his candidacy.
As Giuliani separates himself from McCain as the front-runner for the nomination, the religious right must stop applying rigid litmus tests regarding abortion and civil unions, and instead embrace the candidate with the best shot of defeating the Democrats in 2008. Giuliani may not be a cookie-cutter Republican candidate, but he has unmatched leadership experience, crucial at this juncture in American politics. He is a classic New Yorker: He tells you what he thinks, and he does not apologize for it. Voters will have to accept Giuliani at face value and, given his credentials, what more could we ask for?
Will Smith ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in political science and religious studies.
