GOP Debate: Big Tent Vs. Core Values
Leaders differ on where to draw line between pragmatism, ideology
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, April 19) -- Where should Republicans draw the line between keeping the flaps open on their proverbial "big tent" while maintaining some semblance of core values?
The answer to that question has the GOP's moderates and social conservatives engaged in heated debate these days, with each side fighting for what they see as the heart and soul of their party.
"I totally reject the big-tent mentality that's within the Republican Party today, because if big tent means you have no principles, no core values, no convictions that are absolutely rock solid, then it's the wrong movement," said Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla., part of the social conservative wing, on NBC's "Meet The Press" Sunday.
"I consider (the party is) becoming more of a big tent party than it was maybe several years ago. You see the number of governors and elected officials now who are what you would regard as moderate Republicans. That number keeps growing," said New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, himself a moderate, on CNN's "Late Edition."
Potential candidates: Abortion ban over tax cut
While moderates and social conservatives disagree on a number of issues, abortion rights remains perhaps the most contentious.
On "Meet The Press" Sunday, three possible GOP presidential candidates -- Steve Forbes, Pat Buchanan and Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo. -- all said that if they could sign just one piece of legislation as president, they would rather sign a bill to outlaw abortion than a tax cut.
"When you face your maker, you're going to have to answer a number of questions. And he's not going to ask you whether or not (you) supported a tax cut," Buchanan said. "But he's going to say, 'When this great thing, evil thing was going on, did you speak out against it or did you not?'"
Giuliani: Abortion rights consistent with freedom
Giuliani, on the other hand, supports abortion rights. He points to a number of prominent Republicans who share his position, including the GOP governors of the populous and politically important states of California, New York and New Jersey.
"All have the same position that a right to choose is something that is actually consistent with the philosophy of giving people freedom to make responsible, difficult choices for themselves," Giuliani said. He believes the GOP ought to emphasize issues such as pushing for smaller government and fighting crime.
While some conservatives, upset with what they see as the unwillingness of GOP leaders to press social issues, have raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party, Buchanan, who ran for president in 1992 and 1996, said he hopes they don't.
"The possibility exists that people can take over the leadership of this Republican Party who do hold these values. It's not a closed door. And the Republican Party, yet today, still represents the best alternative, in my judgment, to the presidency of Bill Clinton," Buchanan said on "Meet The Press."
Largent critical of RNC
Largent said the Republican National Committee "was wrong" when it recently decided not to strip party funds from candidates who favor abortion rights. But he said he does not want to force those who support abortion rights out of the party -- as long as they don't expect the party to change its anti-abortion position.
"If people ... don't believe that, but still, for the most part, are Republican otherwise, they can be with us. But we're not going to change the course that this party was founded on," Largent said.
But Giuliani said he thinks it would be "a terrible mistake" to impose litmus tests on Republicans on abortion or other issues. And he defended his abortion position as being in the spirit of traditional Republicanism.
"I think the Republican Party, if you go back to Abraham Lincoln, is a party that surrounds itself with trying to create more individual rights and more individual freedom," Giuliani said. "And that's a very, very ... historically important constitutional principle in America."
Ashcroft: Too many deals, not enough ideals
But Republicans disenchanted with the direction of their party also have been taking aim at congressional Republican leaders, whom they say are too willing to make compromises on key GOP issues.
During an interview Saturday on CNN's "Evans and Novak," Ashcroft said he fears the GOP's lack of leadership has put it in danger of losing its majorities in the House and Senate.
"The people of the Republican Party are tired of us going to cut the deal instead of stating the ideal," Ashcroft said on "Meet The Press." "We should be a party with an agenda. ... We need direction."
Buchanan declared the Republican revolution of 1994 over and says the GOP is "in retreat, dropping helmets, guns and canteens."
"What we need (are) leaders who have the convictions of the folks back at the grass-roots (level) who want to fight and who are willing to go down to defeat if necessary for things they believe in," Buchanan said.
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