Posted on 12/12/2005 6:18:32 AM PST by areafiftyone
Sen. John McCain is preparing for a 2008 showdown with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who so far who leads him in the presidential race according to most polls.
While the two men remain personally friendly, sharing dinner recently at a Manhattan bistro, Newsday reports that McCain's team is monitoring Giuliani's every move - including keeping track of how much face time the former mayor gets on TV.
Meanwhile, McCain insiders aren't shy about trashing the former mayor's presidential prospects.
"In my humble opinion, Rudy wouldn't get out of the gate," longtime McCain strategist John Dennehy tells the paper. Dennehy helped engineer the Arizona senator's 2000 primary win in New Hampshire.
Some openly suggest that the man dubbed "America's mayor" for his stellar performance after the 9/11 attacks may eventually end up working for McCain. "I think Rudy would make an attractive secretary of state or secretary of defense in a McCain administration," said former McCain aide Marshall Wittmann.
McCainiacs have good reason to be concerned. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed Giuliani would win the coming primary battle, beating McCain, 34 percent to 31 percent.
Another problem for the Arizona maverick: 20 percent of Republicans said they wouldn't vote for McCain under any circumstances. Only 8 percent said the same thing about Giuliani.
Meanwhile, survey after survey shows that while both men could beat likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Giuliani's margin of victory is almost always greater.
Team McCain intends to counter the former mayor's advantage by painting their man as the rightful heir to president Bush's conservative mantle, and by focusing on Giuliani's liberal positions on abortion, gay rights and gun control.
"The difficulty for Rudy, and it's huge, is that he's pro-choice, and Republican primary voters will never pick anybody who doesn't oppose abortion - period," Wittmann told Newsday.
Team McCain seems to realize that it doesn't have time to waste when it comes to getting the jump on Giuliani.
The senator's political organization is moving full speed ahead into campaign mode and has "steadily expanded [into] a national team of hundreds of political professionals and volunteers," Newsday says.
McCain's people are keeping such a close eye on their main rival that they're even monitoring "how many minutes of network airtime Giuliani gets compared with their man."
They're also on the alert for any indication that the former mayor is beginning his own campaign, with McCain aides routinely checking their contacts around the country for signs of Giuliani activity.
Meanwhile, even as "America's Mayor" routinely outpolls McCain nationally, Newsday says his organization remains so small it "could fit comfortably into a minivan."
And while Giuliani himself says he won't make a decision till 2007, some of his aides say they're not sure he even wants to enter the race.
Referring to the scrutiny that forced his former police commissioner, Bernard Kerik, to withdraw his nomination for Homeland Security Czar, one Giuliani insider tells Newsday: "Does he really want to go through that, too? My gut tells me he's not going to run."
Please 15 rounds, no decision.
I am hoping McCAin does not run but I have this GUT FEELING he will. He's practically drooling and foaming in the mouth over the thought!
McPain what part of to old do you not get.
Once again......the MSM trying to annoint a "mod" Republican.
Neither one will be the nominee.
I heard Hannity interview Rudy once, and Rudy would not outlaw partial-birth abortion. His nominees to the Supreme Court would not be pro-life conservatives.
If worse came to worse... I'd take Giuliani over McCain. Helluva choice to haf'ta make.
I say that as this article is pure horse-sh*t. Neither of these Bozo's have a chance at the nomination, and especially winning a general election - one, because McCain is certifiably NUTS and secondly, Rudy is a NE Liberal Democrat who calls himself a Republican.
(my apologies to Bozo)
I think NewsMax and the rest of the media are just going by poll numbers right now. They just did a poll in the state of Georgia and Giuliani won hands down as the number one choice for president. When the poll numbers change the media will HAVE TO CHANGE WITH IT!
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Neither one will be the nominee.
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This is correct. Neither will.
Were Condi explicitly pro Life rather than moderately straddling that fence, there would be little doubt as to her being best qualified. She is a genius. Her PhD obtained at a young age, a talented pianist, university president.
Smartest woman in America? Not Hillary. It's Condi. I just don't know if the GOP can get past her lack of strong Pro Life credentials.
OTOH, if the GOP can't with her, why would it with McCain or Guilliani?
Neither of these losers gets my vote. If this is the choice I choose to stay home.
Yes, he wants it. He keeps pushing on with the torture bill, though, when it will hurt his chances in the primary.
"They are both too liberal for me, but I would rather have Giuliani than that dam McPain."
What he said.
You know it would be nice if there were a high profile conservative or two in the pipeline, rather than these two.
I also find it interesting that you could argue that McCain, at least on life and things like gay marriage, is probably to the right of Giuliani. Yet, I would wager that even among conservatives who are strong on those issues, Giuliani polls higher than McCain. For me, McCain's participation in "campaign finance reform" makes him a non-starter. But there is something just sickening about the guy. I don't like that Giuliani is a liberal and sort of a crypto-statist. But, he doesn't have the same skin-crawling demeanor as McCain.
We need a super cop and Rudy fills that spot.I feel W will take care of the court.McCain is for McCain.Rudy will put the country first.
I will not vote for McCain under any circumstance. He is a backstabbing, self promoting egotist. He is tempermenally unsuited to be president, too old and can not be trusted. Lately, the only reason to vote Republican is national security...Mr. anti-torture McCain would not keep this country safe. Therefore, I will vote third party in the unlikely event McCain is nominated. It shows how deluded McCain is that he would even consider running again.
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