Even as Giuliani proclaims his conservative credentials, Blitzer called him “moderate Republican”

Written by Andrew Ironside

Published


On the March 6 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, during a discussion of whether California could be in play in the 2008 presidential election, host Wolf Blitzer asked California Attorney General Jerry Brown (D): “Is it possible that Governor [Arnold] Schwarzenegger, who's popular right now in California, as you well know, could help carry that state for a moderate Republican, let's say like Rudy Giuliani, maybe even [Sen.] John McCain [R-AZ], in 2008? Is that possible?” Contrary to Blitzer's characterization, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has posted on his website numerous statements from supporters calling him a “conservative” and citing his dedication to conservative causes:

  • Joining Giuliani's exploratory team as a senior policy adviser, Hoover Institution senior fellow Michael J. Boskin said: “His eight years as Mayor of New York have rightly been judged 'the most successful episode of conservative governance in this country in the last 50 years.' ” Boskin was quoting conservative columnist George Will, who said on the January 28 edition of ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos that “you can argue, as indeed I have so argued, that his eight years as mayor of New York were the most successful episode of conservative governance in this country in the last 50 years, on welfare and crime particularly.”
  • In February 8 New York Sun article, right-wing pundit R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. wrote: “Well, one knows a politician by the company he keeps, and Mr. Giuliani has around him the financial people who created the libertarian-conservative Manhattan Institute. He relied heavily on the institute's policies while governing New York. He will rely on libertarian-conservative policy makers in his race for the White House and once there.”
  • In her endorsement of Giuliani for president, Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) asserted: “Also, if you really look at his record as Mayor of New York, when he was Mayor of New York, you don't even have to take the events of 9/11 into consideration as a way to measure his performance. If you just look at his time there and how he governed, you see that he really governed as a conservative.”
  • Upon announcing that he would act as “a key supporter and advisor” to Giuliani's presidential exploratory committee, former Iowa Gov. Jim Nussle (R) stated: “Rudy Giuliani is the 'results Republican' our country needs. Mayor Giuliani governed with a brand of optimism and focus I have only seen a few times since I've been in public service. He put conservative ideals into action and delivered results.”
  • Endorsing Giuliani, former New York state Republican chairman Bill Powers said: “During my time as State Party Chairman I saw the incredible progress Rudy Giuliani made turning conservative principles into real results.”
  • On February 1, JoinRudy2008.com announced “that Ed Goeas, Dave Sackett and Brian Tringali from The Tarrance Group, a prominent research and strategic consulting firm, are joining the committee as pollsters.” Citing their reason for endorsing Giuliani, Goeas said: “Following an election where the question on many voters' mind was 'can Republicans govern,' I am excited about working with a man that has such a strong record of conservative governance and leadership with results.”

In the same breath, Blitzer also suggested McCain might be one of the “moderate Republicans” who could carry California. But Media Matters for America found numerous examples of McCain referring to himself as a conservative and of supporters calling him that:

  • In a November 16, 2006, address to the conservative political action committee GOPAC, McCain called for a return to “common sense conservatism” by the Republican Party: “I am convinced that a majority of Americans still consider themselves conservatives or right of center. They still prefer common sense conservatism to the alternative. ... [A] world where our political and economic values had a realistic chance at becoming a global creed was the principal object of our foreign policy in the last century. We conservatives were its most effective advocates, and it must remain our principal object today.”
  • Asked by a BBC interviewer in October 2006 to comment on the new generation of leaders in Britain's Conservative Party, McCain said, “Well I, I am a conservative. I, I believe in the Conservative Party. I am excited and thrilled to see this new generation of leadership coming up. And by the way I know they'll make mistakes. We all do when we're just moving into those kinds of situations. But fresh blood, enthusiasm, conservative principles.”
  • On February 28, 2000, McCain said, “I have always felt quite comfortable describing myself as a proud conservative, a proud Reagan conservative, and as a member of Congress I have compiled a record of a proud conservative.”
  • In a February 22 Townhall.com post, announcing his endorsement of McCain, Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) wrote: “For years, the national media has portrayed John McCain as a 'moderate' Republican. I believe they like Senator McCain, find his policies reasonable, but can't stomach the idea of supporting a conservative Republican. In reality, John McCain is a true conservative and his words, votes, actions, and record in the Senate reflect that conservatism.”
  • A press release on McCain's website claiming the support of South Carolina state representative Doug Smith asserts: “McCain said he welcomed support from Smith, whom he called a 'true conservative leader' in the General Assembly. 'Doug's commitment to public service and our conservative cause is well known,' said McCain.”
  • According to a press release on his website, upon the addition of De Byerly, “a key social conservative grassroots activist in Iowa,” to his exploratory committee, McCain said: “De is a tremendous addition to our growing Iowa grassroots organization. ... I'm proud to be joined in this campaign by someone who has worked so hard to promote our shared conservative values.”
  • A press release announcing that former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating (R) will support McCain in his anticipated bid for the presidency stated: " 'John McCain has been an honored servant of our country and his experience making common sense conservative policy sets him apart,' said Keating. 'Our country learned powerful lessons from President Reagan, and Senator McCain's conservative convictions and effective approach are a living testament to his philosophies.' " The headline of the press release: “Former Oklahoma Governor Supports McCain: McCain's Conservative Principles Attract Keating's Support.”

From the March 6 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

BLITZER: California usually swings Democratic when it comes to the race for the White House. But with a popular Republican governor in office right now, could a moderate Republican change that trend?

I talked about that and more with the state's Attorney General Jerry Brown, himself a former governor and three-time presidential candidate.

[begin video clip]

BLITZER: Is it possible that Governor Schwarzenegger, who's popular right now in California, as you well know, could help carry that state for a moderate Republican, let's say like Rudy Giuliani, maybe even John McCain, in 2008? Is that possible?

BROWN: Yes, it's possible. How likely, that's not as clear. But Schwarzenegger is now carving out a path of what he calls post-partisan politics.

It's somewhat similar to Governor Earl Warren, who later became the chief justice of the United States. He was beloved by both parties, and Arnold, after some -- a rocky road, has figured out a way to go right down the middle.

And he has one big ace card, and that is the legislature wants to modify term limits, and the only way they can modify term limits is if the majority of people feel good about their performance. So they're all going to be on their best behavior until the presidential election, when they put on this special term limits.

From the January 28 edition of ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (host): And then I wonder at what point, George Will, even though he's a big front-runner now, Senator McCain, has an immigration position which runs against the base of the party -- strongly for the war and the surge. At what point does that start to weigh him down?

WILL: I think it's already weighing him down. I think the base has decided for a lot of reasons, no particular one, that he's not one of them, whether that's fair or not.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But who is this?

WILL: Let me -- let me make the case for Giuliani. Just -- you can argue, as indeed I have so argued, that his eight years as mayor of New York were the most successful episode of conservative governance in this country in the last 50 years, on welfare and crime particularly. And then people are going to ask what I'd call the seven-minute question, Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was the national security adviser for Jimmy Carter, said, nightmare scenario, you're the security adviser, you're awakened in the middle of the night. You have three minutes to get the details of an attack coming on the United States. Then the president, who you notify, has four minutes to answer. That's seven minutes. Which candidate fits the seven-minute question?

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's a great, great test.