Foreign Policy Foreign To Giuliani

The New Republic ^ | February 20, 2007 | Jonathan Chait

[presidio9]

The normal rule in American politics is that if you run for president and your experience comes at the state level, most people will assume that foreign policy is your weak point. You can overcome that political vulnerability — as George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and other governors did while getting elected. One would presume that this applies even more to presidential candidates whose highest office reached is mayor. And yet we have the strange case of Rudolph Giuliani.

Giuliani's presidential campaign is starting to win a cult following among conservatives. It's not his position on domestic policy that's doing it — he has nothing to say about that. Lord knows it's not his social issue positions, which even his strongest backers acknowledge are his political weak point. No, he has somehow built a record as a foreign policy guru despite having no experience beyond the municipal level.

What are Giuliani's credentials? Everybody knows the basics. On September 11, 2001, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and gave reassuring speeches. He has a tough guy persona. He expresses extremely strong disapproval for enemies of the United States. (For instance, Giuliani has bragged about asking President Bush to let him personally execute Osama bin Laden.)

All this makes Republicans swoon. Sometimes literally. Conservative pundit Danielle Crittenden recently penned a Valentine's Day poem to Giuliani. One section summarized his foreign policy skills thusly:

A man who's locked out Arafat And thrown vagrants into prison Won't cringe before a Democrat Or allow Iran nuclear fission.

I'm no poetry critic, but I do know that a tough policy against the homeless is not a

[flashbunny]

I saw one member here posting that in 2008 we would need a 'war president' and rudy was the only one who fit the bill.

I didn't get a response when I asked for his qualifications as a 'war president'.

[alecqss]

The article is plain bizarre; argumentation is absolutely incredible. I'd say they needed to hit Giuliani so badly they came up with a piece that would more appropriate for The Onion.

[BMC1]

I don't think Rudy has a big problem with foreign policy.

Any guy who tells an Arab to take his $10 mil and put it where the sun doesn't shine is just fine with me.

That person won't take any $hit from these creeps.

[presidio9]

I won't vote for Rudy in the primary, but the New Republic is attacking him unfairly. The UN is located in NYC. So is the most diverse immigrant population in the world. The Mayor of NYC has to deal with foreign governments, businesses and dignitaries almost on a daily basis.

[avital2]

i'd say Rudy can size up whether or not to trust people very quickly (how long did it take the Dems to figure out Arafat was a liar and cheat???) and has the good judgment and spine not to sell out to really bad elements just to make nice for the moment. on the other hand he can make the necessary deals to make the trains run on time. yes, those character traits appeal to me; yes they do.

[buschbaby]

Finally someone voicing my thoughts. Being a smarta$$ while mayor does not qualify someone to negotiate with world leaders.

[presidio9]

The most "qualified" person in the field at the moment is either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich. There are no other governors or House Speakers running at the moment.

[presidio9]

The most "qualified" person in the field at the moment is either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich. There are no other governors or House Speakers running at the moment.

[inkling]

If Jonathan Chait opposes Rudy, that's just another reason for conservatives to support him. Chait's a lefitst, Bush-hating moron.

[inkling]

If Jonathan Chait opposes Rudy, that's just another reason for conservatives to support him. Chait's a leftist, Bush-hating moron.

[Corin Stormhands]

Finally someone voicing my thoughts. Being a smarta$$ while mayor does not qualify someone to negotiate with world leaders.

I dunno. I think we could use a little more smart@$$ in our foreign relations...

[George W. Bush]

Giuliani raked in millions after 9/11, appearing at motivational seminars, where anybody with $49 could listen to him recount his 9/11 heroics and also take in speeches by such foreign policy titans as Zig Ziglar and Goldie Hawn. Giuliani also wrote a book promising to show "how the leadership skills he practices can be employed successfully by anyone who has to run anything."

Huckster.

[beansox]

Well said.

[Fraxinus]

I agree that Giuliani must be scaring the libs with the possibility that he could win. This is a half-baked attack upon him.

Of course I doubt that Libs even try to understand foreign policy debates within the republican party

[corlorde]

A President, any President, will try to surround themselves with the best possible people, who are experts in certain areas. The trick is to find some knowledgeable people you trust, and take their counsel.

[muleskinner]

True, Chiat is a hitman for the left. If the left is starting on Rudy this soon, they are becoming concerned.

[California Patriot]

Yes. Chait is a hit man -- thoroughly detestable. And this attack on Rudy is thoroughly ideological. Chait is also wrong to assume that "a tough policy against the homeless," as he puts it, tells us nothing about how someone might approach foreign policy. However, he's right to point out that Rudy has few credentials on foreign policy, either in terms of experience or substantive positions. His strong municipal leadership after 9-11, and several tough statements against the terrorists (which would probably have come from almost any NY mayor), are taken as powerful evidence of foreign-policy competence and toughness. And they shouldn't be, even though they're still good things.

I say this as a conservative who leans toward Rudy. But we'll need to see more, and hear more, and learn more about what he has DONE.