Robertson thinks Rudy heaven-sent Televangelist praises 'outstanding' Giuliani at lecture
BY DAVE SALTONSTALL
DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Wednesday, June 27th 2007, 4:00 AM
VIRGINIA BEACH - Conservative televangelist Pat Robertson praised the pro-choice, pro-gay rights Rudy Giuliani to the rafters yesterday - stopping just short of giving the former mayor his blessing for the presidency.
"This is supposed to be a nonpolitical thing," Robertson said in introducing Giuliani at a lecture series at the preacher's Regent University here. "But we would be remiss to forget the fact that he seems to be running for President."
"And in point of fact," added Robertson, a co-founder of the powerful Christian Coalition, "he may one day become not New York's mayor, but America's leader. So it's a great pleasure to welcome a dear friend and a great leader."
Robertson praised Giuliani as an "outstanding" mayor who cleaned up New York, then rallied the nation and the city through the horrors of Sept. 11.
For Giuliani, who remains atop most national polls of Republicans but has struggled to win over party conservatives, it was like manna from heaven.
Giuliani's pro-choice, pro-gay rights views place him at odds with fundamentalist Christians. And as expected, the former mayor avoided those issues in a 50-minute chat here.
Instead, he gave his standard speech on leadership - a lecture that used to earn him $100,000 a pop - then beseeched the crowd to consider where they agree, like on fighting terrorism and reforming immigration laws.
"Don't expect that you are going to agree with me on everything, because that would be unrealistic. I don't agree with myself on everything," he joked.
He also tossed the crowd some red meat, saying Democrats were "in denial" about the terrorist threat and "can't face this threat." Giuliani's one reference to God came when he joked about a set of 12 commitments he recently made to the American people - a set of vows the Daily News spoofed by likening Giuliani to Moses carrying the Ten Commandments.
"Someone asked me the next day, 'God was able to do it in 10, it took you 12?' I said that's why I am not God," Giuliani said to a smattering of chuckles. "I am not that concise."
Many in the crowd said afterwards they were impressed - not so much by Giuliani's stance on the issues, but rather his profile as a leader and deftness at getting his message across.
"He has the look of a winner," said Regent University political science Prof. Charles Dunn. "So the pragmatists in the party are saying, we've lost control of Congress, we don't want [Democrat] Hillary Clinton back in the White House - and this guy can win."
dsaltonstall@nydailynews.com
