What a joke....

May 18, 2006
Giuliani Campaigns for Ex-Leader of Christian Coalition
By PATRICK HEALY

ATLANTA, May 18 â€" Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani glided over his
support for gay civil unions and declared heterosexual marriage to be
"inviolate" today as he helped raise money for a former leader of the
Christian Coalition, Ralph Reed, who is in a tough fight to become
lieutenant governor of Georgia.

For Mr. Giuliani, who is considering a run for the presidency in 2008,
the trip to Georgia allowed him to pick up a political chit from Mr.
Reed that could be useful if and when Mr. Giuliani builds a national
coalition that includes evangelical Republicans, who are a core part
of Mr. Reed's political base.

Mr. Giuliani was warmly received at a Reed fund-raiser here, though
advisers to Mr. Reed noted that most of the donors were moderate
Republicans and business people, and that a truer test of Mr.
Giuliani's appeal in the South would come in rural counties.

The Giuliani-Reed embrace came five days after another possible
Republican candidate in 2008, Senator John McCain, appeared alongside
the Rev. Jerry Falwell for a speech at Liberty University, an avowed
evangelical institution. Georgia Republicans said that Mr. Giuliani's
visit was set weeks ago, though they acknowledged that both he and Mr.
McCain were seeking inroads to the southern and religious wings of the
party.

Mr. Giuliani did not once mention Jesus Christ or his childhood
interest in becoming a priest, but instead preached from the Bible of
fiscal conservatism. He called for more federal tax cuts as a means of
creating more jobs and stimulating the economy, and argued that tax
cuts would invigorate business and ultimately yield greater total tax
receipts, thereby helping the cause of deficit reduction.

"President Bush understands that, the Republican Congress understands
that, Ralph understands that, and the Democrats don't," Mr. Giuliani
told the audience of about 250 people. "We can take a big step back,
either state by state or nationally. And this election in 2006 is
going to determine if we keep seeing our the economy grow, or we take
a real step backwards."

Introduced by Mr. Reed as "a great conservative" and "America's
mayor," Mr. Giuliani urged Republicans to look toward the political
landscape with optimism, and not be embarrassed to support President
Bush â€" whose approval ratings are at a low â€" or Republican policies.

"We've got a really great message to go to the American people with,
and we shouldn't be going to the American people with our heads down,"
he said. "We should be doing with heads up â€" our policies work."

In a brief news conference with Atlanta and New York reporters, Mr.
Giuliani did not shy away from his support for gay rights, an issue
that has been in the news here after a judge struck down a ban on gay
marriage for procedural reasons.

"I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, that it
should remain that way, it should remain that way inviolate, and
everything should be done to make sure that that's the case," Mr.
Giuliani said in response to a reporter's question. "But I also
believe that you should allow for the protection of legal rights for
people who are gay and lesbian."

Mr. Giuliani said it was not unusual for him to support a former
leader of the Christian Coalition, like Mr. Reed.

"On some of these social issues, we have disagreements that are very,
very broad, and we're a broad party," he said. "It's no different than
any other candidate â€" there are things I agree with, things I disagree
with â€" but in Ralph's case, I know him, and I think he's going to be a
really effective leader."

Asked if Mr. Giuliani would see Mr. Reed's help in any presidential
bid, Mr. Giuliani replied: "When you run for president, you ask for
everybody's help."

Mr. Reed declined to answer reporters' questions about whether he
could support Mr. Giuliani for president, given that they disagree on
abortion rights and gay rights, or if he thought the former mayor
would make a good president.

"We're really focused on 2006," he said, before adding: "I learned a
long time ago an 80 percent friend is not a 20 percent enemy."

Earlier, Mr. Reed called the former mayor "one of the finest leaders"
in either political party. "He's been a tremendous inspiration to our
country," he said. "I consider him to be a good friend, and I'm
honored to welcome him to Georgia."

"We're here to get you elected," Mr. Giuliani replied, grinning and
shaking Mr. Reed's hand before news television cameras. "It'd be a
great thing for Georgia and the country."

Mr. Giuliani's visit stirred a good deal of buzz in Republican and
media circles â€" he is drawing a political chit from Mr. Reed, who is
in a difficult primary battle, and that relationship could prove
helpful to Mr. Giuliani if he runs for president and needs support
from the Christian and evangelical voters who are part of Mr. Reed's base.

Mr. Reed is competing for the Republican nomination against a veteran
state senator, Casey Cagle, who has piled up endorsements from many
legislative leaders and elected Republicans. Both men are campaigning
aggressively, and Mr. Cagle has been narrowing Mr. Reed's initial
fund-raising advantage; Mr. Reed has more than $1.7 million, and Mr.
Cagle has about $1.4 million. The primary is July 18.

Tickets for today's fund-raiser ranged from $100 to $5,000; the
high-end donors were also invited to a private reception with Mr.
Giuliani and Mr. Reed before the luncheon, which was held at a hotel
in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. Reporters were not permitted to
attend the private reception.

Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Reed became friends during the midterm
Congressional elections in 2002, when the former mayor, just out of
office, raised money for Georgia Republicans and their candidate for
United States Senate that year, Saxby Chambliss. Mr. Giuliani attended
a February 2002 luncheon for the state party, where Mr. Reed served as
chairman at the time, and joined in a victory rally that November for
Mr. Chambliss.

Mr. Chambliss enraged Democratic Party leaders that year when he
defeated Senator Max Cleland, a Democrat, in part by questioning Mr.
Cleland's resolve for fighting terrorism. Mr. Chambliss ran a
commercial that featured images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein
and criticized Mr. Cleland's votes against certain national security
bills. Mr. Cleland lost three limbs while serving in the Vietnam War.

Rahim Charania, who left New York to work in Atlanta a few years ago,
said that most Georgians he knew were familiar only with Mr.
Giuliani's "heroism" during 9/11, but not his liberal views on such
issues as gay rights and abortion rights.

"A lot of Georgians outside Atlanta, where it gets more conservative,
would have a problem with Giuliani's views on abortion and the social
issues," Mr. Charania said. "It's going to be a real balancing act for
him. You want to stay true to yourself but not alienate people."

Only at the end of his remarks at the fund-raiser did Mr. Giuliani
hint that his social liberalism could be either a blessing or a curse
for a Southern candidate, like Mr. Reed.

"I'll support your opponent if it helps," Mr. Giuliani said.
"Sometimes I don't know which way it cuts, you know."