Giuliani And Grover Norquist Playing Footsie Today On Taxes
Rudy Giuliani's campaign twice circulated to reporters today a very chummy exchange of letters between the candidate and Americans for Tax Reform's Grover Norquist.
In Giuliani's letter to Norquist, dated Dec. 3, the former mayor promises to cut taxes, reform the tax code and cut spending. The mayor writes that he would make the Bush administration's tax cuts permanent and vows to work with ATR.
In Norquist's response, also written today, he expresses his "delight" with Giuliani's answer to his question during last week's CNN/You Tube debate. Would the candidates oppose or veto any tax increases? "You simply said, 'yes'," Norquist writes.
“In looking at the records of all the Republican candidates, yours clearly stands out," he continues. "You cut the income tax, business taxes, sales taxes, property-related taxes, and nuisance taxes. You are the most successful tax cutter in modern New York history and, on balance, the most successful tax cutter in the Republican field today. If you are elected president, I will look forward to working with you to reduce and reform taxes, restore fiscal discipline, increase government transparency, and pursue pro-growth policies that will improve America's competitiveness in the global economy.”
With Mike Huckabee's ascent as a top tier candidate, New Hampshire is looking ever more critical for Giuliani. If he is outmatched by Mitt Romney there and/or Huckabee or John McCain, the former NYC mayor is in trouble. Hence the tax averse message ... If N.H. voters are listening, this might be music to their ears.
Full Norquist response, here.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
There is a big, big element that this story leaves out. Rudy's letter to Grover promised in writing that he would oppose all tax increases "for any purpose." This goes beyond the committment of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
The only candidates who have yet to take the Pledge to the American people are Fred Thompson and John McCain.