Pat Robertson Endorses Giuliani
Televangelist Says Former Mayor Is A "Proven Leader" Who Will Cast A "Hopeful Vision"
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Conservative evangelical leader Pat Robertson, right, announces his endorsement of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the Republican presidential nomination at the National Press Club November 7, 2007 in Washington. (Getty Images)
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Rudy Giuliani and television evangelist Pat Robertson earlier this year. (AP)
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"It is my pleasure to announce my support for America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans," Robertson said during a news conference with Giuliani in Washington.
The former New York mayor backs abortion rights and gay rights, positions that put him in conflict with GOP orthodoxy, and has been trying to convince cultural conservatives to overlook their differences with him on those issues. That makes the support of a high-profile religious conservative like Robertson a particular boon.
Robertson made no mention of the differences on social conservative issues in the statement.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield said that this move makes sense when looked in the context of how Giuliani has been actively courting conservatives over the past few years and also some of Robertson's history.
"Robertson has long been a political player at least as much as a religious leader," Greenfield said. "He's often backed more "electable" Republicans, against the more "pure" social conservatives." (Read more of Jeff Greenfield's analysis on the endorsement in Horserace, CBSNews.com's campaign blog.)
Giuliani is best known to voters for leading New York in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Shortly after 9/11, Robertson released a statement in which he said the attacks occurred because Americans had insulted God and lost the protection of heaven by allowing abortion and "rampant Internet pornography."
"Rudy Giuliani took a city that was in decline and considered ungovernable and reduced its violent crime, revitalized its core, dramatically lowered its taxes, cut through a welter of bureaucratic regulations, and did so in the spirit of bipartisanship which is so urgently needed in Washington today," Robertson said.
In an interview with CBS News after the announcement, Robertson said he expect Giuliani to win the nomination quickly.
"I hope he does well in the caucuses and the primaries. I think it will all be over by February so we've only got a couple more months," Robertson said. "I'm wishing him very well in making victory next fall as the nominee of the party." (listen to the interview here)
CBS News senior political editor Vaughn Ververs said Robertson's endorsement should provide a boost for Giuliani's campaign.
"Conservatives suspicious of Giuliani's positions on issues like abortion and gun control may give the former mayor another look as a result of Robertson's support," Ververs said. "Many other conservative leaders have endorsed other candidates and, as long as they do not coalesce among one single candidate, that's good news for Giuliani."
Evangelicals have split in their support for the leading Republican candidates. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a favorite of Christian conservatives who dropped out of the race last month, endorsed fellow Sen. John McCain of Arizona on Wednesday. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, recently announced that Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III were on board with his candidacy.
Asked about the Robertson endorsement, McCain, at a news conference with Brownback in Dubuque, Iowa, said: "Every once in a while, I'm left speechless. This is one of those times."
When asked about the endorsement during a campaign stop in South Carolina, Romney emphasized the support he had gotten from Jones and Weyrich.
"Everybody has their own choice," Romney said. "I'll tell you the people who have the ultimate say are gonna be the voters. And I sure hope that I'm able to do well with them as I have in the early contacts I've had in the early states."
Robertson, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 1988, founded the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Christian Coalition and Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.
Also Wednesday, Giuliani said he asked two GOP friends in Congress, Rep. Peter King of New York and Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, to introduce bills to keep states from giving licenses or similar identification to illegal immigrants.
The Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton, was criticized after a televised debate last week when she hedged an answer on whether she supported New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's effort to grant licenses to illegal immigrants. Her aides say she generally supports the idea in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform.
©MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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See all 276 CommentsPosted by singinrick at 04:25 PM : Nov 09, 2007
LOL! :-)
Posted by singinrick at 03:28 PM : Nov 09, 2007
No, you misunderstand. It''s when you try to deny them equal rights under the law, even though they pay taxes, that''s when I would accuse you of being totally mean, hateful and unfair? Ya see?
Posted by singinrick at 03:19 PM : Nov 09, 2007
Oh, don''t feel sorry for me. I''m having a gay ol'' time! LOL!
Posted by singinrick at 03:28 PM : Nov 09, 2007
Now, now, rick, you know what the Bible says about judging others. I must say I doubt you are a Christian. Your posts are all dripping with hatred, and Jesus tells us to love one another, so that makes you, not a true Christian. It really is that simple.
Posted by singinrick at 09:00 PM : Nov 08, 2007
Yes, yes, yes, we know, eternal damnation, the fires of hell and all that icky stuff, but until then, I have two words for you, dude: PAR TAY!!!!!
Why am I not surprised!
Posted by singinrick at 02:56 PM : Nov 08, 2007
Rick, I''m just speaking the truth. I don''t make up the truth; it is what it is. I don''t hate you, I just know that you are wrong about most everything, that''s all. I still like you lots, but I want you to learn how to think rationally and for yourself.
Posted by singinrick at 09:00 PM : Nov 08, 2007
LOL! "The person who is certain, and who claims divine warrant for his certainty, belongs now to the infancy of our species. It may be a long farewell, but it has begun and, like all farewells, should not be protracted....I leave it to the faithful to burn each other''s churches and mosques and synogogues, which they can always be relied upon to do." Christopher Hitchens, "god is not Great, How Religion Poisons Everything" (2007)
Posted by singinrick at 08:57 PM : Nov 08, 2007
Rick, don''t forget though that you yourself are not a Christian because you still harbor nothing but hatred in your heart for gay people. Jesus tells us that we must love one another, but you don''t, so you cannot be a Christian, it''s that simple.
Posted by singinrick at 12:43 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Rick, you need to stop smokin'' crack with your friends Ted Haggard, Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.
"Osama Bin Laden endorses Hillary Clinton"
Time to boycott the elections!
Posted by singinrick at 12:43 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Yes singingrick - of all creation. Destruction is left to others.
"...Son of a B1tchh! I just got endorsed by Patsy Robertson?! Helll, I might as well have been endorsed by Charles Manson.... they''''re both on the same playing field."
Posted by USAyesterday at 05:55 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Oh my God I couldn''t stop laughing this is so true. Well, maybe he would have done better if he was endorsed by Charles Manson. LOLOLOLOLOLOL...
With the support of the "German Christian Movement", Adolf Hitler was able to gain complete control over the people of Germany.
Here are two websites showing Christian Nazi pictures and artifacts. They are a priceless history lesson that has been largely forgotten.....
Hitler and the Church -
http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm
GOD WITH US = GOTT MIT UNS
http://www.nobeliefs.com/mementoes.htm
"May God Almighty give our work His blessing, strengthen our purpose, and endow us with wisdom and the trust of our people, for we are fighting not for ourselves but for Germany." -- Adolf Hitler, 1933 Berlin Speech
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