Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Rudy Reels in a Big Fish (not to be confused with 90s ska band Reel Big Fish)

Today, Pat Robertson, a standard-bearer for the Evangelical Christian movement, endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president. This is huge for Rudy, who has courted social conservatives despite a pro-choice, pro-gay stance.

This hurts Mitt Romeny, who has tried to take the "real conservative" mantle, and Fred Thompson, who probably doesn't care.

In his endorsement, Robertson wrote:

It is my pleasure to announce my support for America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans. Rudy Giuliani took a city that was in decline and considered ungovernable and reduced its violent crime, revitalized its core, dramatically lowered its taxes, cut through a welter of bureaucratic regulations, and did so in the spirit of bipartisanship which is so urgently needed in Washington today.
Interestingly, Robertson noted Giuliani's promise to appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of John Roberts and Antonin Scalia.

Meanwhile, John McCain scored some points with social conservatives as well with the endorsement of Senate colleague and former Presidential candidate Sam Brownback.

What's odd is that in endorsing McCain, Brownback verbalized doubts about Giuliani's elect-ability, but elect-ability seems to have motivated Robertson to endorse Rudy.

The bottom line is that Christian conservatives are still split, but Rudy is now a viable option.

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