Giuliani Is In and Becomes the Immediate GOP Favorite

[DeepModem Mom]

TIME/Real Clear Politics: February 6, 2007
Giuliani Is In and Becomes the Immediate Favorite
Posted by JOHN MCINTYRE

There is an assumption by many that Giuliani is un-nominatable as a Republican for President given his less than conservative positions on many social issues. Charlie Cook summed up the conventional Washington wisdom on Giuliani's chances with his statement in the Washington Post several months ago that he'll "win the Tour de France before Rudy Giuliani wins the Republican nomination."

But the conventional wisdom on Giuliani's ability to capture the nomination is wrong. Not only can Giuliani win the GOP nomination, but as the Republican field sits today he has to be considered the favorite.

As Republicans look to their standard bearer in what will be a post-9/11 and post-George W. Bush world, the usual handicapping yard-sticks that may have worked in the '80's and 90's won't work this cycle.

Leadership is going to be the single most important issue to Republican voters and this is almost certainly Giuliani's strongest asset. As long as McCain remains Giuliani's chief rival for the nomination, Rudy will hold an advantage for the simple reason that conservatives like Rudy Giuliani and do not like John McCain. Leadership and the conservative animus toward McCain are why Giuliani has the edge.

The strategic box Giuliani puts McCain in is significant, especially since one of McCain's selling points to Republicans was always going to be that he could deliver a win in the general election. But the obvious tactic to employ against Giuliani, trying to undermine him with conservative base voters by attacking him on social issues, also undercuts McCain's ability to win the general election, which in turn, undermines his strongest selling point to Republicans....

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/02/giuliani_is_in_and_becomes_the.html?xid=site-cnn-partner

[CJCRANE]

1. He is merely the favorite by default

because they have no other charismatic candidates.

[Captain Hilts]

2. More 'female trouble' than Clinton ever had. He's also appeared in drag too often. nt

[acmavm]

3. While at the Post Office yesterday I saw a whole segment on

the 'softer side' of Rudy. His current wife was extolling his virtues. And I was laughing my ass off because all the propaganda that was being spewed can be countered by his ex-wives. And his performance with the bull horn can be shown to be shit when the real toll in health conditions of the public is described in the light of the lies he told about the hazardous conditions that were left from the collapse of the building.

He's a piece of shit and the republicans deserve him.

edit: should state that this propaganda was on CNN

[Divernan]

7. Rudy killed thousands more NYers by his post 9/11 lies about air safety

then were killed on 9/11 Most of them haven't actually died yet, but they are terminally ill with incurable conditions.

[Felinity]

4. Have you seen the video?

I can't get it out of my head, and I still feel embarrassed for him. I don't think the Republican base would appreciate it:

Dang I can't find a link. It shows Rudy in a chorus line with female dancers, then he (quite obviously) yanks a cord and drops trou to reveal his fishnets and french cut dance leotard. That would be bad, yes, but to top it off he mugs to the camera with a "Betty-Boop" type "OOH" that make him look like an idiot.

If we can elect that to the Presidency, well we could put some under-achiever draft dodger with no foreign policy acumen in the White House.

Oh, shit.

[kskiska]

18. Didn't know there was a video

[Felinity]

19. That's the one. I sure wich I had hit "record" on the DVR.

I saw it about 2 months ago, either on a "Biography" type show or a cable news show.

Utterly embarrassing to watch.

[Bjorn Against]

22. I can only imagine the fun Jon Stewart is going to have...

A man who is on video in drag and was once married to his cousin. I really want him to get the nomination, he is my top choice among Republicans. There is no way he is going to win, but he will manage in being a huge embarrassment for the GOP.

[fasttense]

5. Typical of repukes to pick another candidate for US President

that will embarrass the hell out of Americans.

[saltpoint]

6. He's a loser. Tactically, he's not ready for the big show. He's famously

thin-skinned -- not a good trait for a national political campaign -- and the 9/11 luster is wearing off by the hour like dessicated paint on a crumbling barn.

He's not very bright, either. He speaks in cliches and is riding one of those toy rocking horses outside KMarts, pretending to be Zorro.

I think the Romney and McCain people have already got an ad file at the ready for Rudy, and I think his days as "frontrunner" are few.

[skipos]

8. I still don't think he will get the nomination.

Many Republicans credit the bible thumpers for getting Bush in the Whitehouse, and I don't think the GOP would want to alienate them with a Guiliani nomination.

[ktlyon]

11. No, I think they will have a salamander or Newt for a candidate

something reptilian

[zulchzulu]

9. Wait until McCain's machine attacks Ghouliani

He's hired the same peeps that did the Swiftboat crap as well as the sharks that attacked Harold Ford, Jr. in Tennessee.

Once McCain destroys The Mayor, he'll be seen as a negative campaigner and Romney will move on top...only to be rejected by the Religious Reich, wary of a Mormon in power...

It should be amusing to watch.

:popcorn:

[ktlyon]

10. He is only ahead by name recognition.

When people that say they support him are told he is pro gay rights and gun control, they say never mind. People seem to forget that like George Bush, before 9/11, his numbers were in the tank. What did these two guys do to turn their numbers around besides speak though a megaphone in front of smoldering wreckage?

[npincus]

12. HAR HAR... watch out for what you wish for!

I can'tr wait until St. Rudy of 9-11 and his First Lady Wannabe get swiftboated by their own!

It's gonna happen. No one does it dirtier than the Repunks. Nobody.

[mainer]

13. Save me from myself. What's so wrong with Giuliani?

I've had a soft spot for him ever since he moved into the apartment of his two gay friends, during the breakup with his wife. He's pro-choice, pro-gay rights, and pro-gun control. He sounds like more of a Democrat than a lot of Democrats.

I don't know his position on Iraq, I admit -- maybe someone could fill me on this part.

But really, if he was to be the Republican nominee, and he won, would it be such a disaster, and why?

[oasis]

14. Rudy's a ruthless, power hungry, mob connected egomaniac. Other that that, he's just fine.(nt)

[techtrainer]

17. Not everyone with an Italian surname is mob connected

He was ruthless in going after the mob as United States Attorney.

From Wikipedia:

"Giuliani also directed the New York City Police Department to aggressively pursue enterprises linked to organized crime, such as the Fulton Fish Market and the Javits Center on the West Side (Gambino crime family). In the breaking up of mob control of solid waste removal, the city was able to save city businesses over $600 million."

[oasis]

21. True. It's also true that not everyone in the mob has an Italian surname.

BTW Rudy's best pal, Bernard Kerik is one of the slimiest creatures on the planet.

But please feel free to defend Bernie too.;-)

[Apollo11]

15. See Jonathan Alter in Newsweek

He puts the focus on Rudy's temperament.

"The story of the bad Rudy has, in retrospect, been oversimplified. There’s reference to his poor relations with the black community and his mishandling of the 1999 Amadou Diallo case, in which police fired 41 shots at an unarmed African immigrant. The truth is, Al Sharpton was hardly alone in his contempt for Giuliani. Most New Yorkers were horrified, not by his defense of the police, but by the arrogant and astonishingly tone-deaf way in which he handled himself. His ridiculously thin skin and mile-wide mean streak were not allegations made by whiners and political opponents. They were traits widely known to his supporters. Which is why, if you ask Giuliani backers in New York City who was the better mayor — Giuliani or Mike Bloomberg — I’d wager that a strong majority would say Bloomberg."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17014713/site/newsweek/

[colinmom71]

24. I'll admit my bias against him has to do with his personal life...

Sorry, but someone who tries to move his mistress into the official mayoral residence while his WIFE and KIDS still reside there is either just skeazy or insane. He treated his family like trash. I'm not usually one to guage personal issues as a requirement for my vote, but his behavior at that time was simply beyond the pall for any public official, never mind the mayor of one of the largest cities in the world. If he had any political ambitions beyond the mayor's office, his behavior was as stupid as it gets.

Then again, maybe that cut-throat approach will be beneficial when dealing with national level campaign crap... But I really think his womanizing and adulterous history will not play well to the Southern fundy and family values factions within the Republican Party, especially at a time when that base is already disenchanted with the party as a whole.

[Clark2008]

25. Pssst...

The Great Plains states are more "fundie" than the South.

I wish we'd learn that on this board and move on.

Take a look at a red/blue map and tell me where the deepest hues of scarlett are. They're not in the South.

[formernaderite]

27. geez.... huge disaster

if he won he'd owe his win to the right wing of the party. Unfortunately if we're stuck with Hillary as the nominee...this might become reality.

[Bake]

16. Tony Perkins, head of the Fam Res Council, doesn't like Rudy

I saw an article (there's a link on Buzzflash) on CBN in which Perkins, Mr. "Justice Sunday" and crony of Dobson, came out against Rudy specifically because of his stance on social issues. The Pukes without the fundies won't have a prayer (literally). I don't think Rudy will get the nomination.

Bake

[AlCzervik]

20. The Post's puff piece on him was truly hork worthy.

[Dulcinea]

23. Not gonna happen.

Giuliani's from Noo Yawk & favors gun control, is pro-choice & pro-gay rights. That won't fly with Southern fundies.

[JNelson6563]

26. I couldn't have asked for better

To have Guiliani and McCain be considered the cream of the GOP crop is too perfect! This article sums it up nicely.

This just gets better and better. :toast:

Julie