President Abraham Lincoln once said those words in response to criticism of Ulysses S. Grant. Much the same can be said of Rudy Giuliani (in fact, The Anchoress once said exactly that). Today Giuliani has a column up at Real Clear Politics that tells Republicans not to give up in the face of the conventional wisdom.
For the past six months, I've been traveling across the country campaigning for Republican candidates. Conventional wisdom from Washington predicts a tough year for the party. By playing offense, solidifying our ranks and reaching out to Reagan Democrats and Independents, I believe that Republicans have reason to be optimistic. Because on the big issues Americans care about – from national security to the economy to the Supreme Court – Republican leadership has delivered time and again on its promises.
Republicans are united by our belief in going on offense to win the war on terror. Five years ago, our nation learned a painful lesson about the dangers of an inconsistent approach to dealing with the evil of terrorism. In his speech to Congress on September 20th, 2001, President Bush declared that we would go on offense against terrorists, and he has made good on that promise. Terrorists have been destabilized and put on defense around the world – including Afghanistan and Iraq.
….
Finally, let's look at the Republican record on judges. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito are models of what judges should be in this country. They are principled individuals who can be trusted to defend the original intent of the Constitution rather than trying to legislate their own political beliefs from the bench. The successful appointments of Justices Roberts and Alito are signs of promises kept.
This one is a must read. Perhaps it would be well to remember some words that Ulysses S. Grant himself spoke: "I purpose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer".
