Giulani To Headline Second Fundraiser for Reed
jhutson printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 05:55:34 PM EST
Image hosted by Photobucket.com
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will headline a campaign fundraiser for former Christian Coalition Executive Director Ralph Reed. The luncheon event, slated for May 18, 2006, will mark the second time that Giulani has been the featured speaker for a Reed campaign fundraiser.

Reed's campaign for lieutenant governor in Georgia is struggling in the polls, and his support is eroding among his conservative Christian base, due to his ties to convicted former lobbyist Jack Ambramoff, who has been sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, tax evasion, and fraud.

Reed's campaign has distributed an invitation marked by a smiling photo of the two Republican leaders together, according to an Associated Press Newswire report today. For now, that's about the best way for Reed to put a smiling face on a campaign that is steeped in the stench of corruption.

What does Giuliani stand to gain? It is widely believed that Giuliani is reaching out to religious conservatives because he's considering a run for the White House.

Even so, Giulani apparently fails to realize that Reed is disfavored by 44 percent of conservative Christian voters in Georgia, and even fewer of them give him a favorable rating.

Tickets for the luncheon range from $100 to $5,000. The event is expected to boost Reed's flagging campaign, which is down, but a long way from out.

Time Magazine reported on January 31, 2006, that Giuliani had previously headlined a fundraiser for Reed, even as the Christian Coalition's Pat Robertson has declared that Rudy would make a good president.

The Catholic mayor is also busy burnishing his ties to Christian conservatives. Pat Robertson has said Rudy would make "a good president" and the mayor was a headliner for a fundraising committee supporting former Christian Coalition executive Ralph Reed in his bid to be Georgia's lieutenant governor. Last week, Giuliani dropped by an Orlando meeting of the Global Pastors Network and told the Evangelical leaders that "only God knows" if he will run for president. The group offered their prayers for him and he responded in kind, showing an openly devout side not many people had seen before: "I can't tell you from my heart how much I appreciate what you are doing - saving people, telling them about Jesus Christ and bringing them to God."

If Christian groups want to bring people closer to God, that's admirable. They can start by bringing self-styled religious prophets like Reed closer to accountability for his hypocrisy and profit-making as a gambling lobbyist working with his close personal friend and business partner Jack Abramoff.




Display:
Howard Fineman wrote in the March 13, 2006, issue of Newsweek that Rudy has been reaching out to conservative pastors, and receiving lots of love from Reed. Here's Reed, gushing like a school boy:
A few weeks ago in Florida, he did the drop-by of all drop-bys as the "surprise guest" at the annual convention of the Global Pastors Network. He wowed them with his energy and his revival-style witness to his faith in Jesus. Ralph Reed, a godfather of religious conservatives, thinks Giuliani's charisma may help him overcome his social-issues liberalism in the Bible belt. "He can take control of a room better than any politician I've seen," said Reed. The key moment with the pastors was in the private holding room, where he spent quality time among their leaders. Giuliani told them that the keyto his final decision on whether to run would be whether he thought he could raise enough cash. But he didn't sound as if he had much doubt--and nothing going on in Memphis this week is likely to change his mind.


by jhutson on Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 06:10:46 PM EST
Once upon a time he was an anticorruption prosecutor. But times have changed.

A few years ago, he lobbied hard for his buddy Bernard Kerick, who served as the Police Commissioner in NYC during his tenure as Mayor to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Turned out that Kerick had more than a few criminal connections.... and now he is wooing the Abramoff network? Hmm.

According to the Kerick profile in Wikipedia:

On December 2, 2004, Kerik was nominated by President Bush to succeed Tom Ridge as United States Secretary of Homeland Security. But on December 10, after a week of press scrutiny, Kerik withdrew acceptance of the nomination. Kerik stated that he had illegally hired a foreign worker as nanny and housekeeper and that he had failed to pay taxes required for her employment. Similar violations of immigration law had previously caused the withdrawal of the nominations of Linda Chavez as Secretary of Labor by G.W. Bush and of Zoe Baird as Attorney General by Bill Clinton.

But this turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. Shortly after withdrawal of the nomination, the press reported on several other scandals which might also have posed difficulties in gaining confirmation by the Senate. These include: an outstanding arrest warrant from 1998 stemming from unpaid bills on the maintenance of a condominium (documents regarding this warrant were faxed to the White House less than three hours before Kerik submitted his withdrawal of acceptance to the President); questions regarding Kerik's sale of stock in Taser International shortly before the release of an Amnesty International report critical of the company's stun-gun product; two simultaneous extra-marital affairs, one with his publisher Judith Regan, alleged by many close to Kerik to have taken place partly in a donated apartment near the World Trade Center site intended for rescue workers; a sexual harassment lawsuit; allegations of misuse of police personnel and property for personal benefit; connections with a construction company suspected of having ties to organized crime; and failure to comply with ethics rules on gifts.



by Frederick Clarkson on Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 06:28:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]


Praise the Lord and pass the voter guides.

by jhutson on Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 06:21:27 PM EST

Rude Rudy has some "drag" photos posted around the internet (trust me, he isn't any better looking in a dress). This, plus his living with a gay friend during his very well publicized divorce while mayor, would be a tough thing to overcome with the religious right base, even though they would probably forgive his divorces and adulterous escapades so thoroughly documented by the NYC tabloid press. Plus, he's an Eye-talian, which is for some reason less acceptable than Irish Catholic, and ran Sodom-on-the-Hudson. This is not going to be an easy sell in Iowa or S. Carolina or Missouri.

Rudy should just hang up politics and keep on the $25K a pop lecture circuit. And Reed is circling the drain.

by NancyP on Tue Apr 18, 2006 at 11:40:32 PM EST

Rudy Giuliani and Barry Humphries both like to dress up in drag. Nothing wrong with that.

by jhutson on Wed Apr 19, 2006 at 01:01:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]


What, do I have to drag it out of you? I said, 'Praise the Lord and pass the voter guides already.'

by jhutson on Wed Apr 19, 2006 at 01:17:55 PM EST

As an Italian-American who has been down South, I just don't see Rudy getting the nomination. Opponents such as Frist or Allen will bring up his pro-choice and pro-gay rights positions. And if he tries to pull a G.H.W. Bush a'la; 1980 with abortion, he'll be painted as a flip-flopper. And if his primary opponents don't, Hillary will.

by Frank Cocozzelli on Mon Apr 24, 2006 at 07:23:03 AM EST
but he may get enough delegates to be a kingmaker, and angle for a cabinet post or a cool diplomatic assignment.

by Frederick Clarkson on Wed Apr 26, 2006 at 02:09:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]



WWW Talk To Action


Job Security/Religious Right Style
Jack Van Impe, Hal Lindsey and similar professional Nostradamus clones, have plenty of job security.  All they have to do is sit back and......
By wilkyjr (5 comments)
Ah, True Remonstrance!
In previous posts I have called for mainstream Catholics to offer remonstrance - an earnest presentation of reasons for opposition or grievance against the......
By Frank Cocozzelli (5 comments)
Congressman Wants Citizens of ALL Religions to Reflect on the Ten Commandments
Well, spring is in the air, and that can mean only one thing. It's time for a member of Congress to introduce a resolution......
By Chris Rodda (0 comments)
Happy Birthday, Pat!: Virginia Legislature Lauds Extremist TV Preacher Robertson
TV evangelist Pat Robertson's 80th birthday is on Monday, and to mark that momentous occasion, the Virginia legislature decided to pass a resolution lauding......
By Rob Boston (1 comment)
Netanyahu and Hagee, Serial Obstructionists
Last week I wrote about Prime Minister Netanyahu's participation at John Hagee's CUFI rally held in Jerusalem on the evening of Joe Biden's arrival......
By Rachel Tabachnick (0 comments)
Bill Donohue: Defender of Glenn Beck.
Glenn Beck's recent admonition that people who attend a church that teaches social justice should leave -- was anti-Catholicism. This was obvious from a......
By Frank Cocozzelli (5 comments)
Blog Against Theocracy!
It's that time of year again.  It's time for the annual Blog Against Theocracy, April 2-4, 2010.   The prime mover of this blogtacular......
By Frederick Clarkson (1 comment)
Creeping Religious Rightism in the Democratic Party, Cont.
  Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State has an op-ed today at AOL News discussing how, campaign......
By Frederick Clarkson (6 comments)
Invoking Intolerance: Religious Right Throws Fit Over Islamic Prayer In Virginia
Today an imam delivered the opening prayer before the Virginia House of Delegates - and once again the Religious Right is having kittens. Three......
By Rob Boston (1 comment)
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and John Hagee Share Stage as Biden Arrives in Israel
Yesterday (Monday) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to hundreds of Christian Zionists in Jerusalem at an event organized by John Hagee and Christians......
By Rachel Tabachnick (6 comments)
When the Truth Is Shown to Be Lies
It's been a year since President Obama lifted the Bush administration's restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.  Nevertheless, religious opponents......
By Frank Cocozzelli (7 comments)
Repent Amarillo's Spiritual Mapping and Vigilantism
Repent Amarillo, a Texas ministry which refers to itself as an "Army of God,"  is making news for its spiritual warfare and vigilante tactics.......
By Rachel Tabachnick (17 comments)
Whale Tale: AFA Staffer Says Bible Mandates Death For SeaWorld Orca
On Feb. 24, a tragedy occurred at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla. A six-ton killer whale known as Tillikum pulled trainer Dawn Brancheau underwater to......
By Rob Boston (5 comments)
A Call to Censor the Religion Blogosphere
Some time ago, I filled out a survey from the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in connection with an academic study they were doing......
By Frederick Clarkson (8 comments)
Prayer Warriors of the New Apostolic Reformation Getting Some Exposure
Yesterday Alternet published an article by Bill Berkowitz including an interview with me about the New Apostolic Reformation, or the "largest religious movement you......
By Rachel Tabachnick (8 comments)

Publicizing the existence of the NAR -- some suggestions
Some regular columnists here on Talk to Action have complained about difficulties in getting the mass media to notice the existence of a new but rapidly growing - and already highly influential - religious......
Diane Vera (4 comments)
School Board, State and school prayer
Now both the Polk County School Board and the state of Florida are trying to push prayers in the schools! ......
ArchaeoBob (0 comments)
City in trouble for sectarian prayers
The city of Lakeland, Florida has been challenged by Atheists of Florida and the local synagogue for having sectarian prayers before public meetings. ......
ArchaeoBob (0 comments)
The Blind Side's Blind Spot
The hit movie, The Blind Side, is all about the Christian values of being your "brother's keeper." Or is it? ......
John Sheirer (3 comments)
When Christianity is Un-American
Just thought readers might be interested in linking to this article at The Yurica Report: ......
TMurray (1 comment)
Violence increasing
I think people should read this article- and realize that the dominionists are becoming more and more violent.  If something isn't done to counter their hate, this country is in deep trouble! ......
ArchaeoBob (3 comments)
His "Freedom" Means Denying Yours - With Your Own Taxes
Referring to recent political skirmishes over the rights of gays and lesbians to marry, Cardinal Francis George called five rocks thrown at empty buildings and the theft of a few lawn signs "quasi-fascism."  He......
bettyclermont (0 comments)
Rome has spoken....Man the lifeboats!
When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, it was widely reported that he preferred a smaller, more obedient flock in his Church. Once again, he is proving those reports to......
bettyclermont (0 comments)
Your children will be forced to shower with gays! (says the AFA)
I've just received the following American Family Association email, which claims that the Obama administration has a nefarious plan to force gays and straights in the US military to shower together ! Donald Wildmon......
Bruce Wilson (3 comments)
Pope John Paul II's Penitential Practices: The Opus Dei Connection
We are pleased to once again welcome theologian William Lindsey as a guest front pager. This piece is crossposted from the new progressive Catholic group blog, The Open Tabernacle: Here Comes Everybody. -- FC......
William Lindsey (0 comments)
WallBuilders, Inc., Promoting a dominionist "Christian Nation"
Cherry Hill Seminary Supports Patrick McCollum in 9th Circuit Case Against California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation http://snipurl.com/u8kcj ......
Dragonzmajick (2 comments)
Roeder verdict sparks fears of more anti-abortion violence
cross-posted at dKos Scott Roeder is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of George Tiller.  At the very least, he'll by 75 years old before he can......
Christian Dem in NC (0 comments)
The dark underside of the Latter Rain--a walkaway's view
cross-posted at dKos I read Bruce Wilson's posts on dKos and Talk To Action regarding the "Pray For Newark" initiative with particular alarm.  While Pray for Newark appears to espouse an admirable goal--community empowerment--it's......
Christian Dem in NC (2 comments)
Bishops as Provocateurs
In a thinly-veiled reference to the campaign of President Barack Obama, Archbishop Emeritus of St. Louis, Raymond Burke, charged that Americans are "embracing a totalitarianism which masks itself as the 'hope,' the 'future' of......
bettyclermont (0 comments)
The Vatican v. Children
Yesterday was not a good day for children seeking justice from the Roman Catholic Church. The internet brought the following news: ......
bettyclermont (0 comments)
Religious bigots control supermarket chain
Well, they've won again.  The religious bigots have forced Publix Supermarkets into bowing to their wishes. ......
ArchaeoBob (11 comments)
Manhattan Declaration is to Theology what Fox is to Journalism
The December 20, 2009, New York Times ran a lengthy article by David D. Kirkpatrick about Robert P. George, "The Conservative-Christian Big Thinker." The occasion was release of George's "Manhattan Declaration" signed by the......
bettyclermont (2 comments)
Merry Freakin' Christmas: I'm Taking Your Stuff, and you Can't Stop Me!
A humorous look at the larger implications of a seemingly harmless holiday tradition. ......
John Sheirer (1 comment)
Lou Engle, September 25, 2007, Los Angeles: "Holywood"
[This is a partial transcription of a sermon/speech Lou Engle, Founder of TheCall gave on September 25, 2007, in Los Angeles. The full sermon is slightly over 63 minutes. This partial transcript is of......
Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Rick Warren Tweet complains my videos of his "Hitler/Lenin/Mao" speech are unfair
It's gratifying to know "America's most powerful pastor" seems to have taken notice of my videos, showcasing Rick Warren's 2005 speech at California's Anaheim Angels Stadium, during which Warren outlined a "stealth" program to......
Bruce Wilson (4 comments)
Blurring Reproductive Rights and the Religious Right
The principle of the Hyde Amendment, which restricted federal funds from paying for abortion back in 1976 -- is now seen as an acceptable, "abortion neutral" position for the prochoice Democratic Party. How did......
Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Rick Warren Calls on Followers To Be Dedicated as Followers of Lenin and Mao
[note: for more recent news on Rick Warren, see Rick Warren's Dissertation Advisor Leads Network Promoting Uganda Anti-Gay Bill] Video, below contains audio recording, photos, and transcript from Rick Warren's April 17, 2005 speech......
Bruce Wilson (6 comments)
Julius Oyet Touts The College of Prayer
A new Talk To Action story identifies Apostle and bishop Julius Oyet as a major player in the recent effort in the Ugandan parliament to pass a draconian anti-gay bill. In this video [transcript......
Bruce Wilson (1 comment)
Mark Silk on the Hagee / Rodriguez Entente
Mark Silk, at Spiritual Politics has picked up on my notice of the Hagee-Rodriguez embrace and zeroes in on what's certainly one of the most notable aspects: "The key thing to understand about the......
Bruce Wilson (1 comment)
Inscribing Christian Values in our Children Before Birth?
Following the evolution of evangelical discourse as it re-defines homosexuality as evidence of "fallen creation", Terri Murray looks at how the Christian right have shifted their rhetoric to adapt to empirical research showing that......
TMurray (1 comment)
US News & World Report Showcases Creationist Ray Comfort
US News and World Report's Dan Gilgoff has charitably provided evangelist Ray Comfort a media platform in the form of a US News & World "exclusive" through which Comfort defends his efforts to distribute,......
Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Atheist billboard in Central Florida
The organization "Atheists of Florida" sponsored a billboard promoting atheism in Lakeland, Florida.  I, however, have some concerns. ......
ArchaeoBob (4 comments)
Transcript: Billy Graham and Richard Nixon, February 21, 1973
The following is my own transcript of a 20 minute phone conversation between Richard Nixon and Billy Graham, on February 23, 1973. As far as I am aware this is the only publicly available,......
Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Rifqa Bary being sent back to Ohio now
Well, there's a change in this case.  After the judge gets immigration documents and so on from the parents, he will send her back. ......
ArchaeoBob (2 comments)

More Diaries...




All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments, posts, stories, and all other content are owned by the authors. Everything else © 2005 Talk to Action, LLC. Powered by Scoop