Rudy's California Dreamin'

Political Players: Giuliani Supporter Rep. David Dreier Discusses Campaign '08

(CBS)  Political Players is a weekly conversation with the leaders, consultants, and activists who are shaping American politics. This week, CBS News' Brian Goldsmith talked with Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), a top Giuliani supporter, about MoveOn.org, health care, and whether a moderate can win the Republican presidential nomination.

CBSNews.com: Your candidate for president, Rudy Giuliani, got in the news this week and last for criticizing MoveOn. But what about the response that went out yesterday that he gave paid speeches and played politics rather than participate in the Baker-Hamilton commission?

David Dreier: The fact of the matter is, when he joined the Baker-Hamilton commission, it was in its early stages and he had a lot of other obligations that had already been met. He has demonstrated his bona fides on September 11th and his commitment to winning the global war on terror.

And he chose to resign from the commission. And that was his call. They said he was simply making speeches. He was working and he didn't feel that he had the time to put into the work of the commission.

And frankly, his private sector work has been focused on winning the war on terror.

CBSNews.com: Giuliani has criticized Hillary's health care plan, but columnist David Brooks says none of the Republicans have any serious health care plan at a time when the issue is, according to our latest CBS News poll, the public's third highest concern. What's your response to that?

David Dreier: My response is that Rudy Giuliani two months ago unveiled a sweeping market-oriented health care plan. The goal of universal insurance, having every American have health insurance, is a priority for us. And Rudy wants to see that happen.

The thing is, he is focused on quality of care. Last night, I had a conversation with one of my Democratic colleagues. He was talking about the need in a democracy to make sure that we have both education and health care for people.

And of course, we believe that they are essential. But we don't want to diminish quality of care. And that's the reason that we're so troubled with Hillary Clinton's plan. And that's why I believe that the plan unveiled by Rudy Giuliani which focuses on medical savings accounts, expanding those and creating better choice when it comes to health care, is in fact the way of the future. And I would recommend that my friend David Brooks take a close look at the details of the Giuliani health care plan.

CBSNews.com: So you think Mitt Romney's putting in an individual mandate in Massachusetts is the wrong model?

David Dreier: I don't believe that the federal government should mandate health care insurance. I think that the federal government should incentivize every American to be drawn to health care. I believe in affordability. I believe because people change jobs throughout their lifetime, they should be able to move and carry their health care with them.

Since we have insurance right now handled on a state by state basis, I know it prevents people from being able to go online and get the best quality package that they can when it comes to health care. And I think that we need to open that up.

CBSNews.com: Giuliani’s support seems to be slipping, according to our latest CBS News/New York Times poll. He's gone from 38% nationally to 27% in one month, from August to September. He's now only leading Fred Thompson by five points. What do you think has caused his support to diminish so much?

David Dreier: Well, I don't think his support has diminished. One of the things that we've recognized is that throughout this process, we knew all along that it was going to fluctuate. I think that if you take a poll after the report that you just talked about from the outset, the way he responded to General Petraeus and the advertising that MoveOn.org ran, I'm hearing from Republicans and Democrats all across the country and from many of my colleagues since Congress reconvened. They're saying, wow. The one person who stepped up to the plate and took this on is Rudy Giuliani.

CBSNews.com: Are you concerned that he's susceptible to more slippage in the polling because, as our survey showed, only 41 percent of voters actually know he's for abortion rights. Almost as many think he's against them. And that as more and more people become aware of his positions on these social issues, his support might drop?

David Dreier: I think that if you look at his record on the issues, his commitment to nominating strict constructionists to the bench, his opposition to the federal funding of abortion, I believe that people who are strongly pro-life who already support him will continue to. And I think we'll see those numbers go up.

[leonh86]

He''s not only "California dreamin", he''s "New Jersey dreaming" and "Conneticut dreaming." Democrats want a Democrat elected in 2008. Registered Democrats are going to vote Democrat, period. He was going to lose the Senate race to Hillary in his home state before he stepped out, so how is he going to win blue states in the northeast and the west coast? He''ll do better than bush in the blue states, but he won''t win them. For every democratic vote he picks up, he''ll probably lose three republican votes. Good luck Ruby, i mean Rudy.........lol

[kid_keenan]

Mr. David Dreier,
A Bamboozle is a betrayal.

What do you care about lost lives Mr. Dreier? I seem to recall, when you first ran for Congress against Jim Lloyd that you stated before the League of Women Voters you were for a peacetime military draft. As it would turn out, young constituents exposed on T.V. news, that your opponent was not just for a national service concept or just for registration only, but was on the House floor leading and calling for a draft. He was bold face lying and I guess he thought he would not get caught. And it may have something to do with losing to you. That lie is not the real news though. The real news was how quickly you changed your position to also being AGAINST a peacetime military draft. All this was within minutes of Lloyd''s being caught on T.V. before his younger constituents.

Now comes your cry, in light the moral difficulty you suffered over the drafting of young lives, that claims it was only a few %u201Cbad apple''s%u201D that are responsible for the torturing that has occurred in places like Abu Ghraib. With moral authority you say they should be tried and imprisoned if found guilty. At what point Mr. Dreier did you ever call witnesses under oath and investigate the nature of these criminal acts as Chairman of the Rules Committee. Were you really interested to find out if these young %u201Cheroes%u201D who fight in Iraq were innocent or guilty?

[sftodd]

Keep dreaming, Rudy, those of us who are paying attention still remember how you walked all over and wiped your feet on the First Amendment while you were Mayor -- Blue State people, unlike Red State people, remember your pre-911 sins.

[starleo146]

Did anyone see Rudy making his speech to the NRA and his cell phone rings and it is his wife, He says," he is making a speech at the Nra and I will see you at home." "Do you want to talk to them," he asks Oh O.k. I love you, Oh have a safe trip, I love you. What the heck was that all about was it suppose show his love, that he better answer the *** phone or else What!!!

[toldyouso21]

"He''s made it clear that he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman. That''s where he is on this"

Nope, that POS made it clear that to him a marriage should be between him, his wife and kids AND several mistresses--and conservative that he is--they should all live together in the same house. so a transvestite who loves women, has no honor or respect for marriage and loves ***--yep--between him and Craig--the Republicans should never be allowed to campaign on family values again. EVER.

Rudy Guiliani--the McCain of Family values.