October 3, 2007
Posted: 09:30 PM ET

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) — Instead of feasting on bacon and eggs, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was served up a dash of media frenzy, peppered with questions about his standing with social conservatives.

"I don't worry a lot. I learned a long time ago, there are things to worry about. Political pluses and minuses are not one of the things to worry about," Giuliani told reporters at the Red Arrow Diner, a Granite state hotspot. "I worry more about how much money the Democrats are going to cost us if they get elected."

On the role of the evangelical vote, Giuliani was brief, stating, "We'll find out who will be influential in this election when it's over." Moments later, Giuliani was asked how he would reassure religious conservatives that his stance on social issues would not threaten their beliefs. He replied, "I'm not a threat at all. I have great respect for religion. I have great respect for religious freedom, religious toleration. I think people of faith make a tremendous contribution to this country."

Giuliani and wife, Judith, entered the cozy diner where the presidential hopeful attempted to meet patrons, shake hands and sign autographs. Outside, a man wearing a Giuliani plastic face and holding a fake phone sported a sign reading, "Hold on my wife is on the phone," alluding to the Mayor’s decision to answer cell phone calls from his wife during two campaign events this year.

The Giuliani impersonator would not answer questions, but did pose for the cameras.

— CNN New Hampshire Producer Sareena Dalla

Filed under: New Hampshire • Rudy Giuliani


Poor Robert, Marietta, GA   October 4th, 2007 7:45 pm ET

Rudy's response to the religious right? Hey, God is Bread!

Emery, Toronto, Canada   October 4th, 2007 2:07 pm ET

Allow me to give you an outsider's perspective on this person (it is widely shared here). He's greasy. I really hope he's fulling no-one.

Wynter, Loudon, NH   October 4th, 2007 1:05 pm ET

So far the race to capture the religious right's vote has ended in no one winning. None of the candidates will sign their pledge. Now the real question that is left is… will they run a third party candidate? Or will they simply not vote on election day?

My bet is that they will pass on this election given the poor showing thus far on the Republican side. So to all the GOP candidates I'd say.. tough luck you're on your own!

Telling it like I see it,
Wynter

Robert, Vivian, LA   October 4th, 2007 11:19 am ET

I heard a "values voter" on NPR say "value voters" would never support John McCain because he opposes a Constitutional Amendment outlawing gay marriage. That one issue was a "deal breaker."

This is how fanatic and out of touch many social conservatives are.

Maybe the GOP would be better off to return to the party of Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower.

J.Crobuzon   October 4th, 2007 10:40 am ET

Rudy's all ready to go to war against the Democrats. Ho hum. Rudy, even the Republicans are about ready to go to war against the Republicans right now. Read my lips: you're doing a crappy job running the country. Did you notice gasoline is $3 again, not that you fill your own tank these days? The war's being run to suit mercenaries and arms dealers and all we hear is "maybe a Democrat would raise taxes." Sorry, but America doesn't need some sarcastic little shizz dividing us even further.

Kevin , Londonderry NH   October 4th, 2007 8:42 am ET

Rudy is the best candidate this country has had since FDR.

I love this comment: "We'll find out who will be influential in this election when it's over."

Brilliant! He understands that being conservative shouldn't have any connection to the religious right, but small government and a strong military. No Evangelical candidates this election is good news to all Americans.

He understands gang warfare, which is really the politics of the Middle East.

Go Rudy! Mt. Rushmore awaits!

Sybil,ny   October 4th, 2007 7:44 am ET

Think about this everyone, have we ever been in such Dire Straits since this Republican administation took over? I am a Republican and I am going with the Democrats because we have got to get back on the right track. We need our money for ourselves, not Iraq.

Jerry Gertiser, Johannesburg, Mi   October 4th, 2007 5:28 am ET

He is worried about the cost if a Democrat is elected? What about the cost over the last 8 years of the Bush Regime? Uncalcuable national debt with no way to pay for it, a stupid ignorant war that never should have been, costing billions a month for who knows how long, and now we can't even cover kids health care. And Giuliani is worried about Democrates spending money? We just can't afford 4 more years of Republican's form of Fiscal Responsibility. Please vote.

Jefferson, SF, CA   October 4th, 2007 3:19 am ET

I'm sorry I just can't vote for a guy that answers his cell phone in the middle of a speech.

I just can take the chance that he would be in the middle of the State of the Union and his wife calls him.

Joe, Yorktown, VA   October 4th, 2007 2:15 am ET

I'm confident Rudy can appeal to conservative voters. I mean, he did marry his cousin and stayed faithful to her for 14 years!

O. Echevarria, Bronx, NYC, New York   October 4th, 2007 1:15 am ET

Guilliani is a washup I think. The reason being that he is using 9/11 as an excuse to get sympathy votes and is calling himself a Republican.

As a New Yorker myself, I bore witness to his administration, while he did do a good job in NYC to clean it up, I don't think he possesses the correct views on conservatism and religion. His views are too vague for me to see whether he is truly a conservative or a just catering to the religious left; he's confusing, I think. Definitely NOT a front runner for office, he follows the corporate definition of a Republican and not a true Republican in the sense of a conservative. By conservative, I mean the traditional meaning of the word, and not the corporate definition of it.

Noah, California   October 3rd, 2007 10:33 pm ET

Rudy, just stop lying. Seriously. If the Democrats take the White House, the only people whose taxes are going to go up are mega millionaires like you and your wife. So when you say "I worry more about how much money the Democrats are going to cost us if they get elected," admit who you are really talking about.

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