Rudy a Hit With California GOP

Rudy Giuliani headed west Saturday and took the California Republican Party convention by storm.

Rudolph W. Giuliani came west to learn whether his brand of Republican politics has a chance among party members significantly more conservative than himself. By the time he had received a fourth standing ovation Saturday at the California Republican Party convention, the answer seemed clear.

Equating the U.S. fight against terrorism with the Civil War and the Cold War, Giuliani told about 750 of his party's faithful that failure in Iraq would turn that country into a "massive headquarters for terrorism."

I've stressed for some time the social issues being used against Giuliani are dwarfed by the primary issue of our day, national security. Without stability and strong leadership against terror, nothing else matters. Of course the media will obsess over any issues they think will hurt him.

He has been in the private sector for six years; he still supports the war while the rest of the country is shifting against it; he would be only the second Roman Catholic to win the White House; and his social views -- he is pro-choice, pro-gun-control and pro-gay-rights -- are at odds with those of much of his party.

That may as well have been written by the DNC, and I suspect it was. Curiously, it's been the left who keep noting Giuliani's stance on civil unions, abortion and gun control, which is laughable since they will change their own stance to suit the audience. I can live with some of his positions so long as I have confidence he will take the fight to the enemy, and I'm not alone.

Many in the audience said they are aware of the gaps between their views and Giuliani's. Nonetheless, several who were interviewed seemed willing to give him a break.

"I'm a Christian, and his views on a lot of social issues are to the left of mine," said Larry Stirling, a retired state superior court judge from San Diego. "But if you have to make a trade-off, I'll make the trade-off for Giuliani. He's been through a trial by fire. He's got gravitas. The first thing a president has to do is protect us. The rest is a secondary consideration."

Giuliani's speech "hit the right tone and the right messages," said Kevin C. Eckery, a Sacramento-based Republican political consultant. "He managed to be true to himself and connect with an audience that is more conservative than he is. It shows he can do it."

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