Rudy to Regent
by Ryan Sager
Mon, 16 Apr 2007 at 9:29 AM
updated Mon, 16 Apr 2007 at 9:40 AM
John McCain took his turn at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. Now Rudy Giuliani is making his way down to Pat Robertson's Regent University.
Mr. Robertson, of course, has a record of intolerant, racist, and just-plain-nuts statements rivaled only by Mr. Falwell. Surprisingly, however, he's spoken in favor of Mr. Giuliani's candidacy, saying he'd make "a good president."
The question, of course, is what Mr. Giuliani will have to say down in Virginia Beach (the town, in 2000, where Mr. McCain gave his famous "agents of intolerance" speech)...
Mr. McCain went to Liberty University, but didn't pander when he was there, instead speaking of reconciliation. (Though, some would argue, just going legitimized a political-religious leader who should be shunned by polite society.)
Mr. Giuliani, also, has not seemed in any particular mood to pander — at least on abortion. This weekend, he told The Des Moines Register, "Our party is going to grow, and we are going to win in 2008 if we are a party characterized by what we're for, not if we're a party that's known for what we're against." On abortion, he said, "Our party has to get beyond issues like that."
Still, it's a risky game. Mr. Giuliani has done a decent job so far in showing conservatives — particularly social conservatives — that he has no bone to pick with them. But if it comes to look like he's afraid of them or pandering to them, it will reduce his viability with libertarian conservatives and moderates. Again, he's done a good job walking this line so far, but now he's really jumping up on the highwire.
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