Posted on 04/12/2007 11:39:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Note to Rudy Giuliani: Say goodbye to the honeymoon and hello to presidential politics. In recent weeks, the former New York City mayor has taken heat for his abortion rights stance, links to ex-police commissioner Bernard Kerik who is enmeshed in legal woes, business ties and personal life. Giuliani's ascent in national popularity polls has stalled. And the Republican front-runner came in second in first-quarter fundraising among Republicans.
"I'm very happy with where we are," the GOP presidential contender said last week despite the rough patch.
After months of playing coy, Giuliani made clear he was a candidate in February. He opened a double-digit lead over previous front-runner John McCain (news, bio, voting record) in national surveys and captured headlines. His sudden, unfettered rise prompted Washington's political insiders to wonder if he was coated in Teflon.
But that's changing.
"He's hit the stage of the campaign everybody expected him to hit," said David Winston, a Republican pollster.
From the start, Giuliani's aides have dismissed polls and said they anticipated a competitive GOP nomination fight. They insist they are pleased with the state of his bid.
Rival campaigns, for their part, hope Giuliani's recent bumps are the beginning of an unraveling.
"People are now starting to scrutinize him," said Ed Rollins, a former White House political director under President Reagan. "The spotlight's on Giuliani, and he'll either rise to the occasion or he'll falter."
The early scrutiny may already have had an effect.
On the fundraising front, the ex-mayor reported collecting $15 million from January through March — $6 million less than Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor in the single digits in most national surveys.
Giuliani still leads in such polls but the gap has shrunk some. He had 44 percent support in a Gallup Poll in early March and, a month later, was at 38 percent. On the state level, he remains virtually tied with McCain in early primary polls.
While New Yorkers know the Brooklyn native well, GOP strategists say much of the general public defines him only by his widely praised response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Happy to help inform voters of other parts of his biography, opposing campaigns have quietly been gathering — and distributing — potentially damaging research. The media also has taken a closer look. And, longtime critics have turned up the volume on their complaints.
The first shot came in March from the International Association of Firefighters, which again accused Giuliani of committing "egregious acts" against firefighters who died on Sept. 11. Specific complaints centered on dedication to the search for remains at Ground Zero. The campaign dismissed the criticism as disgruntled union leaders upset with past labor disputes.
Lately, Giuliani has been drawing the ire of social conservatives because of his long-standing support for public funding of some abortions. He reiterated his stance twice last week, prompting the conservative National Review to write in an editorial: "Mayor Giuliani has tied himself in knots. His position makes neither logical, moral, nor political sense."
Giuliani made no apologies. "I am who I am. People have to evaluate the whole record," he said.
This week in Alabama, Giuliani stumbled when a reporter asked him about the cost of a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk; he was off the mark on both staples. And, he said he did not recall seeing a Confederate flag during his daylong visit to the statehouse — even though four such flags flew across the street from the building.
Recently, Giuliani had to clarify his comment suggesting that his wife would play a significant role in his administration. He later issued a statement saying she will not be a member of his Cabinet or attend most high-level meetings.
His past also continues to haunt him.
As federal prosecutors seek multiple charges against Kerik, Giuliani again had to acknowledge that he made a mistake when he recommended him to be Homeland Security secretary in 2004.
He commented after a newspaper report that he had been warned before hiring Kerik as police commissioner about Kerik's relationship with a company with suspected ties to organized crime. Giuliani said he did not remember being briefed about Kerik's relationship with the company. It has denied ties to organized crime.
Separately, Giuliani has faced questions about his law firm's role in representing Citgo Petroleum Corp., which is ultimately controlled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a Washington nemesis. The candidate said he does no lobbying for Citgo.
And, his personal life has drawn headlines.
Judith Nathan Giuliani, the former mayor's third wife, disclosed that she, like him, had been married twice before. And, Giuliani's son from his second marriage went public with the family's estrangement, saying he and his father were trying to reconcile after not speaking "for a decent amount of time."
Giuliani deflected queries about family matters last week, saying: "My personal life gets best measured by my public performance."
Nobody these days gets elected President or even nominated without severe scrutiny.
Liz Sidotti can’t admit it, being pro-abort, but Giuliani’s abortion statement was the killer. That was when his campaign turned around. All the rest of what she mentions was well known. The numbers went south, however, right after that stupid comment he made to CNN.
Do you think as the first Catholic candidate of the GOP, Giuliani will be asked if he puts the Pope’s beliefs before Kerik’s?
Okay.
Conservatives DO NOT support big government. Rudy supports big government Republicanism. Conservatives DO NOT support gun control. Rudy supports gun control. Conservatives DO NOT support an assault weapons ban. Rudy supports an assault weapons ban. Conservatives DO NOT support abortion on demand. Rudy supports abortion on demand. Conservatives DO NOT oppose a ban on partial birth abortion. Rudy opposes a ban on partial birth abortion. Conservatives DO NOT support special rights for homos. Rudy supports special rights for homos. Conservatives DO NOT support amnesty for illegals. Rudy supports amnesty for illegals. Conservatives DO NOT support the notion that humans are a significant cause of global warming. Rudy supports the notion that humans are a significant cause of global warming. Conservatives DO NOT support Campaign Finance Reform, AKA. McCain-Feingold. Rudy supports Campaign Finance Reform, AKA. McCain-Feingold.
Select a different one that adheres to Conservative principles [whatever that has become to be] then Mrs. Clinton will be Commander-in-Chief during our Iranian, North Korean, and Venezuelan invasions. YUCKKKKKK!!!!
Yeah, his public performance was to notify his wife that he was divorcing her in front of the media, then wanting his mistress to move into the same dwelling as his family.
I measured it Rudy, and you come up short.
“Vote for Schwarzenegger—he’s a winner and a Republican!”
Heard it 10,000 times. Nuf said.
You are full of sh**. Sorry, but that is the way I see any so called republican that says we can’t elect a conservative to the presidency. The reason we have a democratic majority in the senate and house right now is because the republican party lost its way on conservative issues. I guess you missed that part of the 2006 elections. As for me, give me a conservative because I sure as he** don’t want Rudy the Rino as our candidate.
You tell 'em cowgirl, didn't that turn out to be just wonderful.
CA would have been so much better if Gray Davis remained Governor. Or how about Arianna Huffington as Governor?
Wow, those are some hard-hitting new revelations!!!!
No, wait, sorry, same old crap recycled for the 10,000,000th time.
Yup. It reminded conservatives of just how extreme a leftist Rudy is.
I think the Rudy campaign is showing a lot of parallels with the Howard Dean campaign from around late 2003: early lead, good fundraising, base of support from the far left of his party. The flameout is impending.
“one that adheres to Conservative principles [whatever that has become to be]”
Here you go, Count Newbula, from the home page, source of
all good things, eternal youth, & the reason Bob smiles:
“We aggressively defend our God-given and first amendment guaranteed rights to free speech, free press, free religion, and freedom of association, as well as our constitutional right to control the use and content of our own personal private property. Despite the wailing of the liberal trolls and other doom & gloom naysayers, we feel no compelling need to allow them a platform to promote their repugnant and obnoxious propaganda from our forum. Free Republic is not a liberal debating society. We are conservative activists dedicated to defending our rights, defending our constitution, defending our republic and defending our traditional American way of life.
Our God-given liberty and freedoms are not negotiable.
May God bless and protect our men and women in uniform fighting for our freedom and may God continue to bless America.”
Jim Robinson
Record debt, record spending, million acre landgrabs, liberal judges, stem-cell research, subsidies for gang-green liberalism, strangling global-warming regulation, etc. Yep... just wonderful! /s
The enemy within can do far more damage than the enemy you oppose at every turn.
[Gray Davis looks on with envy as Arnold accomplishes what Davus could have only dreamed of]
How about we all had voted for McClintock? you seem to have left him out of the equation. Anyone who didn’t vote for him and voted for Arnie baby deserves this SOB, I don’t deserve him and I don’t want the liberal asshat as governor. BTW, Davis did less damage to CA then Ahhhhhhnold is doing and has done. I guess you want to be forced to buy health insurance, a move that will only increase health care cost, and pay taxes to fight a non existent man made global warming. Don’t try to make excuses for him it just makes you look bad as if somehow your brain dissolved.
Don’t forget the eminent domain for the benefit of private developers, and the property seizure for those who have been acquitted of a crime. I try to avoid labelling issues as “conservative,” since there is no single definition...but if conservatives care about conserving the Constitution, these particular stances of Rudy’s are not conservative.
I also see parallels with the ‘04 Kerry campaign, in that the focus is Anybody But Hillary, many support Rudy mostly because they think he’s electable, and many believe that Rudy’s 9/11 experience (like Kerry’s vietnam experience) will check-mate the democrat candidate (meanwhile there are plenty of 9/11 families who have said they are going to swiftboat Rudy if he wins the nomination).
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