Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor flirting with a possible 2012 presidential run, said the Republican Party should “get the heck out of people’s bedrooms” when asked about the gay marriage debate during an interview on Sunday.

During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Giuliani said he continues to believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that the Republican Party “would be well advised to get the heck out of people’s bedrooms and let these things get decided by states.”

“I don’t know [why] the heck the Republican Party wants to be getting involved in people’s sexual lives and personal lives so much,” Giuliani said. “Stay out of it, and I think we would be a much more successful political party if we stuck to our economic conservative roots and the idea of a strong assertive America that is not embarrassed to be the leader of the world.”

He noted, however, his own personal belief that “it would be better for stability of families and everything else if we kept marriage between a man and a woman.”

Giuliani spoke to CNN at a Harley Davidson dealership in New Hampshire, where he spent two days last week meeting with voters at small events.

Some campaign watchers have remained skeptical about Giuliani’s intentions for 2012, given his poor showing and early exit from the 2008 presidential race.

But Giuliani continues to court speculation that he may run in 2012 and compared himself favorably on Sunday to other Republican contenders.

“I look at the other candidates, and they have all done very impressive things, but none of them really had to take over a city, one of the largest economies in the country and one of the most complex when it was in terrible trouble and turn it around and have definable results,” Giuliani said.

During the interview, Giuliani also walked a fine line on the current budget debate being waged in Congress. He argued that tax increases should not be part of a budget deal, but that the US should not be allowed to default on its debt obligations.

He said asking House Republicans to break their pledge not to raise taxes would be asking them to commit “political suicide.”

“You don’t ask someone to shoot themselves,” he said.

Giuliani said, however, that Congress cannot allow the US to default.

“This is too big this is too big an issue to play chicken with it,” he said.

 

Similar Posts:

Share