PrintSorry, Fred, I'm Sticking With Rudy
Fred is Southern. So, when he talks, it’s not a stretch for me to hear in my memory those close-to-me elders who said pretty much the same things in pretty much the same way. And from all I have read about him, he is the epitome of a real Southern Gentleman. He even stands tall for the same conservative principles I do, and reveres the United States Constitution, as I believe we all should.
On social issues too, we seem to see eye-to-eye. He believes in the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, and believes also in the sanctity of marriage as it serves the common good by providing the sound formation of strong future generations of Americans.
As I listened intently to his opening campaign salvo -- a 15-minute video on his website -- I was emotionally moved by his apparent humility and conviction. This is a man who believes not only in himself, but in America -- wholeheartedly. And he seems to fully understand the major-thrust threat we face from Islamo-Fascist forces, not just in the Middle East, but in our homes, our schools, our workplaces, and everywhere else we used to feel pretty darned safe.
On the whole, I would love -- just love -- to cast my one vote for him in Georgia next year. But I can’t.
Okay, I have to admit that I almost never watch television, and I have never seen a single episode of Law and Order. From what I hear, though, Fred Thompson is really good in that role. Tough on thugs with plenty of very appealing rough edges. I voted for Ronald Reagan twice -- proudly. So, I’m not holding the acting gigs against Fred.
For me, it boils down to a couple of things that I believe are very important. And a couple of things that are highly intuitive.
First, the important things. Executive government experience. The only time I have ever voted for any Presidential candidate without at least some hands-on, chief executive government experience was in 1996, when I voted for Robert Dole. Even though I thought him to be a great American and a very fine Senator, I thought it was a grave mistake for the Republican Party to nominate him, primarily because I know that Americans always give extra points to the candidate with credible executive experience. So, even though I think Fred Thompson might know enough about the bureaucratic behemoth of the federal government from his time or two around the block of the Senate, I think government competence is vital for our next President. First Lady just doesn’t cut it; neither does the office of Senator.
The budget for New York City, the size of its population and the vast cultural differences encompassed by it make its mayoralty a more difficult job than the governorships of most of our States. Track records do count – especially when it comes to the Presidency. Giuliani still gets my vote on government competency. A candidate can tell me all day long what he wants to do, or hopes to do. When it comes to being President, however, I want a man who has already accomplished some things on a smaller scale than what he plans to do when he gets to Washington.
The second really big thing for me is the War, not just the Iraq War, because the way I see it is this: If we don’t win this war with the Islamo-Fascists who aim to bring us to our knees, then nothing else matters one whit.
We can all resume our social, ideological, purely political squabbling once the big War is won -- just like the greatest generation did for us by making the necessary personal sacrifices to win WWII. They did it so we could grow up free and live in a country where even our poorest citizens have indoor plumbing, access to food stamps, and a check to tide them over if there is no honest work to be had. There are still a great many people in this world who have none of that, and the biggest reason is that they live under oppressive, tyrannical governments who cheat their citizens even out of the American aid meant to lighten their loads. As much as we complain, we all know this is still the best idea for a government that mankind has ever had. If we don’t wake up soon to the reality of what’s really at stake, we just might lose it for our children.
And I’m not really ready to give up and invest in a burka just yet. The main reason that I trust Giuliani on this is that he has seen the enemy up close and personal. He’s seen the horrible aftermath and breathed the stench of death. And he didn’t lose it. Was he perfect? I’m sure he wasn’t, and that doesn’t bother me one little bit. Maybe that sets me apart from a lot of Americans, but I don’t expect any human being to be perfect. I just expect a man to do his very best. And I think that’s exactly what Rudy did -- under the most terrible circumstances. He brought New Yorkers and the whole nation together after 9/ll with his amazing fortitude, strength and competency. And he even had the principles of a Patrick Henry or a George Washington when he told the Saudi to keep his millions; we don’t need it and we don’t want it.
On a purely intuitive level too, I have to stick with Rudy. I disagree with him on the life issues, especially abortion. I’m not at all happy about the way he ended his second marriage, or the fact that his own children feel alienated from their father. But I’m dog-boned tired of seeing our Country torn to bits over social issues that, as far as I’m concerned, have never belonged in the national political arena. They would have never gotten there either except for an irresponsible and overly activist Supreme Court. They would have been settled state by state the way our Constitution guarantees. The fights over abortion, the definition of marriage, the right to pray – or not – in a school – none of these issues belongs in the national dialogue.
I may be wrong but I feel in my gut that most Americans see this the same way. It’s time to stop fighting each other – at least in Washington – and get back to the real business of protecting this great Nation. Time to stop bickering and roll up our sleeves side-by-side.
