That the Left will engage in those tactics is the key point.
They will use those pics against Rudy, regardless of why they exist, and in a close election that will cost enough votes. It will cost the White House, not to mention considerable face. The Left will NOT play nice.
That, imho, disqualifies him from the nomination.
He is not electable, by virtue, not of what Freepers or other Republicans do with those images, but by virtue of what the Left will.
The sooner we realize that, and that is without regard to his liberal views, the sooner we can put our weight behind a candidate who has a real shot, and preferably, imho, a more conservative one.
No, I'm afraid you're the one missing my point.
Sure the left is going to use those. But how does that justify FReepers doing it for them? I don't expect the left to behave like anything other than the vermin they are.
And are you seriously saying that you're willing to allow the left to disqualify our candidates?
If they're not posting pictures of Rudy, they're going to find something to post about our other candidate(s) regardless of what we do.
MY point, from the beginning, is that we shouldn't be helping them out. Everytime those pictures are posted on FR it's not a recognition that he did something goofy (foolish even for some), but there's an implication that he's gay or transvestite. And that's either ignorance or a willful distortion of the facts.
I don't really give a RAT's clymer if FReepers are supporting Rudy or not. Quite frankly I don't think there's enough of a contengency to make a difference.