Jim Gilmore Watch: 11th Commandment WARNING

Republican presidential hopeful and former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore speaks to supporters at the annual Republican Party of Iowa’s Abraham Lincoln Unity Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa April 14, 2007.

ABC: Giuliani Misusing Reagan’s 11th Commandment, Says Gilmore

ABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Former Gov. Jim Gilmore, R-Va., accused Rudy Giuliani, a rival for the GOP’s 2008 presidential nomination, of misusing former President Ronald Reagan’s “11th Commandment” following Saturday’s presidential candidate forum in Des Moines, Iowa.

“You can’t misuse the 11th Commandment,” Gilmore told ABC News in reference to the former New York mayor’s invocation of Reagan’s rule that Republicans should not attack one another. “Reagan ran against Gerald Ford,” added Gilmore, referring to Reagan’s unsuccessful challenge to Ford from the Right for the Republican Party’s 1976 presidential nomination.

The former Virginia governor defended his “Rudy McRomney” attack on the conservative credentials of Giuliani, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., by telling ABC News: “I didn’t attack them personally. I just pointed out that they’re not conservatives,” adding that, in his opinion, the GOP has to run a conservative if it wants to appeal to the strong majority of conservatives in the party.

Well, former Governor Jim Gilmore is incorrect and why he is attacking the Mayor is beyond the ken. Perhaps it is because Rudy is leading in the polls and is considered the front-runner. Or, more likely because of Rudy’s earlier in the evening speech where he called upon all of the candidates to “make nice.”

Gilmore’s personal attacks against Rudy, McCain and Romney last Saturday in Iowa violated the GOP’s 11th Commandment and this is why he was solidly booed by GOP partisans attending the Iowa Presidential forum.

Flap was born and raised in California. I remember when California Governor candidate Ronald Reagan first used the term and why he used it. Reagan spoke often about it throughout his political career. Gilmore violated it.

Flap recommends that Governor Gilmore develop some issue statements and debate tactics – especially for the May 3rd debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. And most importantly leave the name calling out of national GOP Presidential politics.

Governor, you have NO chance of winning this race but if you persist you will further damage your “strained” reputation in the national GOP. Besides, you look like a FOOL.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee plays with his band Capitol Offense following the Republican party of Iowa’s Abraham Lincoln Unity Dinner, Saturday, April 14, 2007, in Des Moines, Iowa.

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