Rudy Giuliani ran out of town by Ron Paul supporters

Abortion groups split, giving endorsements to Huckabee and Thompson

Sunday, December 2, 2007, 10:08 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has picked up endorsement of Georgia Right to Life, the statewide anti-abortion organization.

Again, GRTL is in disagreement with the national organization, which last month endorsed Fred Thompson. But the Georgia group says Huckabee is the best man to stop Rudy Giuliani.

Not Hillary Clinton. Rudy Giuliani.

In the past, the Georgia organization has urged a tougher line than National Right to Life — insisting that political candidates oppose abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

This time, it looks like an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the issue.

Here’s what the national group said when it endorsed Thompson:

“While Fred supports the long-term objective of the Human Life Amendment, the votes are simply not there in Congress, nor were they there when we controlled both houses of Congress. For instance, in the Senate, we are presently at least 25 votes short, with passage in the House even more difficult.

“Fred intends to focus his presidency on those things that can be achieved, or advanced, in the next four to eight years.”

The Georgia group not only noted Huckabee’s support of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but also applauded the candidate for supporting a local legislative priority of Georgia Right to Life — H.R.536, which would establish that human life legally begins at fertilization.

Bryan Lash, the PAC director for the Georgia group, acknowledged the split with their Washington-based umbrella.

“Under normal circumstances we would communicate their presidential endorsement to our 225,000 households,” he said. “Passing a Personhood Amendment here in Georgia is our key issue in achieving our objective to extend the protections of the law to all persons both born and unborn.”

Further, Lash said, “Mr. Huckabee’s recent surge in the polls, we believe, demonstrates that he is the pro-life movement’s best hope in defeating pro-abortion candidate Rudy Giuliani.”

Polls in Iowa

By Thomas Beaumont and Jonathan Roos, The Des Moines Register
Republican Mike Huckabee and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama have taken the lead among Iowans likely to take part in their respective party caucuses, according to The Des Moines Register's latest poll.

Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, wins the support of 29% of Iowans who say they definitely or probably will attend the Republican Party's caucuses on Jan. 3. That's a gain of 17 percentage points since the last Iowa Poll was taken in early October, when Huckabee trailed Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson.

Obama, an Illinois senator, leads for the first time in the Register's poll as the choice of 28% of likely Democratic Party caucus goers, up from 22% in October. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., was the preferred candidate of 25%, down from 29% in the previous poll.

Romney, who has invested more time and money campaigning in the state than any other GOP candidate, remains in the thick of the Iowa race with the backing of 24% of likely caucusgoers. But that's a drop of 5 percentage points since October for the former Massachusetts governor.

Despite the movement, the race for 2008's opening nominating contest remains very competitive about a month before the Jan. 3 caucuses. Roughly six in 10 likely Republican caucus participants and slightly more than half of Democrats say they could still be persuaded to support another candidate.


John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina who led in the Register's May poll, held steady with 23%, in third place among Democrats. Rudy Giuliani, ex-mayor of New York and the front-runner in GOP national polls, was third among Iowa Republicans with 13%, despite waging a limited campaign in the state.

The new Iowa Poll, conducted over four days last week, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Republicans

Poll findings indicate Huckabee is making the most of a low-budget campaign by tapping into the support of Iowa's social conservatives.

The Register's new scientific poll shows Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, leading Romney 38% to 22% among those who consider themselves born-again Christians. In October, Romney edged Huckabee 23% to 18% among people in that group, which accounts for one-half of all likely caucus participants.

Similarly, Huckabee holds a 2-to-1 lead over Romney among those who say it is more important for a presidential candidate to be socially conservative than fiscally conservative.

Poll participant Thelma Whittaker, a retired teacher from Columbus Junction, is leaning toward supporting Huckabee in the caucuses but also could back Romney.

"I'm a very conservative Republican and I feel that (Huckabee) follows through with those ideas," said Whittaker, who said she is troubled by the country's moral decline. On the other hand, she wonders if Huckabee is a strong enough candidate to win the White House for the GOP.

When it comes to Romney, "I go along with a lot of his ideas," Whittaker said, "but he's also done some flip-flopping that scares me on issues like abortion and taxes."

Huckabee has come a long way since last May, when he languished in a tie for sixth place in the Register's poll, garnering the support of just 4% of likely caucus participants then. His campaign picked up steam after he notched a surprising second-place finish in the Iowa Republican Party's straw poll in August.

Huckabee leads Romney among men, 28% to 20%. They run neck-and-neck among women. The ex-governor of Arkansas draws more support among caucusgoers between the ages of 35 and 54, while Romney does better among younger adults. They compete almost evenly among those 55 or older.

Older Iowans generally turn out in larger numbers for the caucuses than do younger adults.

Giuliani is seen as the most electable of the candidates and also has a slight edge as the most effective negotiator and the best able to bring Republicans and Democrats together.

On the other hand, the New Yorker is seen by more likely caucus participants as the most ego-driven of the candidates and more of a polarizing figure than the other top-tier candidates in Iowa.

"He's too New York," Whittaker, the retired teacher, said of Giuliani. "He doesn't understand us. He doesn't care to understand us."

But poll participant Mark Pottorff, an agronomist from Sergeant Bluff, sides with those who have a high regard for Giuliani, citing his experience as a federal prosecutor and big-city mayor.

"He is tough on crime, and during September 2001 he led New York City through some very tough and dark days," said Pottorff, 51. "I think he has the ability and the fortitude to stand up to dictators and terrorists."

Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee who waited until September to formally enter the race for the Republican nomination, has slipped to fourth place in the Iowa Poll, at 9%.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas are tied for fifth place at 7% each. Four candidates trail them.

Paul, an opponent of the war in Iraq, has the dubious distinction of being the GOP candidate who outpolls his rivals as the most negative contender. But Paul, who has a loyal following and a well-funded campaign, has been creeping up in the Register's polls this year of likely caucus participants.

Democrats

The lead change among Democratic caucus participants comes after weeks of Obama and Edwards criticizing Clinton's position on U.S. policy toward Iran. Meanwhile, Clinton has accused Obama of being inexperienced, and recently criticized his proposal to expand health insurance coverage.

The poll shows what has continued to be a wide gap between the top three candidates and the remainder of the field.

Iowa City Democrat Katharyn Browne said she abandoned her support for Clinton in the past month and now supports Obama in light of the Iran issue.

Obama spent weeks in October and November attacking Clinton's support for a measure that allowed President Bush to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. Obama said the move was a step toward war. Clinton said the measure enhanced U.S. negotiating strength with Iran.

"An Iran war terrifies me," said Browne, a 30-year-old University of Iowa student.

In the new poll, Obama leads with support from 31% of women likely attend the caucuses, compared with 26% for Clinton. In October, Clinton was the preferred candidate of 34% of women caucusgoers, compared with 21% for Obama.

Women represent roughly six in 10 Democratic caucusgoers, according to the new poll.

Obama also dominates among younger caucusgoers, with support from 48% of those younger than 35. Clinton was the choice of 19% in that group and Edwards of 17%.

Obama has an advantage among first-time caucusgoers. He also leads among people who say they definitely will attend the caucuses.

Clinton is the top choice among caucusgoers age 55 and older. The largest share of Democratic caucusgoers — exactly half — are in this age group.

The former first lady continues to face stubborn misgivings, despite her dozens of visits to the state this year and increasing campaign presence of her husband, the popular former president Bill Clinton.

Thirty percent of Democratic caucusgoers viewed Sen. Clinton as either mostly or very unfavorably, behind Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Alaska senator Mike Gravel. She topped the list of candidates whose nomination would be one of the biggest disappointments at 27%.

Edwards, who finished second in the 2004 caucuses, led narrowly among men in the new poll and was tied with Clinton for the favorite in Iowa's rural areas.

Rural Centerville Democrat Candace Scritchfield supported Edwards in 2004 and plans to again.

"He's a very down-to-earth and trustworthy person," said Scritchfield, a 44-year-old homemaker. "He has a lot of loyalty, that I can tell."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson remained in fourth place as the choice of 9%, and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden remained in fifth with 6%, both virtually unchanged from the October poll. All others had support from 1% or less.

Presidential preferences include people leaning toward supporting a candidate. Seven percent said they were uncommitted or unsure about whom to support.

Rudy Giuliani descusses Iran, and illegal immagration

In Boca Raton, Rudy Giuliani discusses Iran, illegal immigration

By Josh Hafenbrack | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
December 1, 2007

BOCA RATON - Stumping in South Florida, Rudy Giuliani took a tough stance on Iran and vowed that, if elected president, he'd beef up border security to halt illegal immigration but also allow more people to come here legally.

The former New York City mayor, now seeking the Republican nomination for president, took a break from increasingly heated rhetoric with campaign rival Mitt Romney. Feisty exchanges between the two have dominated the campaign in recent weeks, but Giuliani didn't mention any other candidates during nearly an hour on stage before a crowded ballroom at the Boca Raton Marriott.

Taking friendly questions from an enthusiastic audience, Giuliani talked up a global economy based on free-trade practices, promised to shrink the size of the federal government and reign in what he termed frivolous lawsuits.

He got some of his biggest applause with a hard stance on Iran and its volatile leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"We should stand up to Ahmadinejad, stand up to Iran and deliver a very clear message to him and to the world," Giuliani said. "If you're going to threaten us … if you're going to threaten the destruction of Israel, we're just not going to let you become a nuclear power.

"We will take whatever action is necessary to stop you."

Giuliani trails in early caucus and primary states Iowa and New Hampshire, where the voting is little more than a month away. But he's banking on a big win in Florida, a state with an early Jan. 29 primary date and where Giuliani has a consistent, wide advantage in the polls.

Earlier Friday, Romney's Florida campaign chairman, former state party chief Al Cardenas, told reporters during a conference call that Giuliani's strategy was to go on the offensive in Florida, citing heated exchanges between the two during campaign events and at a debate this week in St. Petersburg.

Giuliani and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, have sparred over immigration, health care and who was more effective in driving down crime and taxes in their home states.

In Boca Raton, Giuliani never mentioned Romney. Giuliani also never touched on social issues such as abortion and gay rights, where his moderate positions have him at odds with many in the party's conservative base.

Giuliani's top theme on the campaign trail is terrorism, and he staked out support for the Patriot Act and controversial electronic surveillance efforts. He also blamed Democrats for pursuing a withdrawal strategy in Iraq that would've "pulled the rug out from under our military." America shouldn't leave Iraq until the country is "stable and will act as an ally for us in the Islamic terrorists' war against us," he added.

On immigration, Giuliani's moderate stance again is unpopular with some conservatives. Romney has been hammering him on the campaign trail for running a "sanctuary city" in New York, referring to Giuliani's statements that he'd protect people who worked in the city but had an "undocumented status."

Giuliani drew raucous applause Friday when he said the United States should deploy agents and technology to close up the borders, as well as make sure anyone who wants to live here can speak English. But the response was muted when Giuliani said it's not realistic to "throw out" the millions of illegal immigrants already living here and that he wants to expand avenues for legal immigration.

"We're a country that's always open to new people," he said.

Addressing economic issues, Giuliani said he'd cut federal government jobs through attrition and order 5 to 10 percent budget cuts at all nonmilitary departments.

He took a question on China taking jobs from American workers as an opportunity to promote the idea of global trade. "On the economics of it, what we should be thinking about mostly is, how can we sell them more stuff?" he said.

After the Boca Raton appearance, his 22nd in Florida since becoming a candidate, Giuliani attended a private fundraiser at the St. Regis Resort in Fort Lauderdale.

Staff Writer Josh Hafenbrack can be reached at jhafenbrack@sun-sentinel.com or 561-228-5508.