Standing Ovation at Regent Univ for Giuliani
June, 2007
Mayor Giuliani's battle to win over social conservatives in the Republican Party may not be the impossible task that many political pundits have predicted.
That certainly appeared to be the case yesterday at Regent University, the Christian college founded by evangelist Pat Robertson, where Mr. Giuliani's message of leadership and strength on terrorism met with a standing ovation.
"It's not about one issue. It's about many issues," Mr. Giuliani said of the campaign. But … if a person's vote does come down to a single issue, there should be no question about which one.
"The one issue that dominates is the fact that Islamic terrorists are trying to kill us," he said.
The audience applauded his stance on terrorism, and stood at the conclusion of his speech. And when given the opportunity to question the former mayor, attendees asked about Iran, Iraq, and immigration, not abortion, gay rights, or gun control.
The leader of Regent's student Republican group, Stephen Raper, said he came away impressed with Mr. Giuliani
The warm reception from a Christian conservative crowd signals an important benchmark for the Giuliani campaign
Mr. Giuliani's campaign has long maintained that his perceived vulnerability among conservatives is exaggerated, pointing to polls that show his support among conservative Republican voters nearing his support among self-identified GOP moderates and liberals.
Mr. Giuliani yesterday was introduced by Mr. Robertson, who, while stopping well short of an endorsement, praised the former mayor's stewardship of the city before and after September 11, 2001. He cited Mr. Giuliani's efforts to cut taxes, reduce crime, and improve quality of life, including his push to take "the pornography off 42nd Street."
In his speech, Mr. Giuliani referred often to President Reagan and stepped up his attacks on Democrats, saying they "want to put this country in reverse" in its defense against terrorism. |
