Posted on 02/01/2006 5:23:40 AM PST by areafiftyone
Political pundits have long discounted former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential prospects, claiming that his particular brand of tough-talking, socially moderate conservatism would never play south of the Mason-Dixon Line. But Rudy has never been one to listen to conventional wisdom, and lately at least, he has been turning up the heat in southern conservative political circles.
In just the last week, he endorsed Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry for re-election and met with Evangelicals in Florida. Most impressively, he actually outpaced U.S. Senator John McCain in a just-released Georgia poll, garnering the support of 28 percent of Georgia Republicans to McCain's 22 percent, echoing numbers in December's CNN/USA Today/Gallup nationwide poll. The conservative blog, RightWingNews reported last week that while Condoleezza Rice was the top choice of 230 conservative bloggers for the Republican nomination, Giuliani came in second, beating out U.S. Senator George Allen and Newt Gingrich. Nationwide, Rudy earned a 63 percent favorable rating in a Pew Research Center poll in October.
In addition to supporting Perry, Giuliani has planted a Texas-sized footstep in the Lone Star State—now with three more Electoral College votes than New York. Last spring, he became a name partner in a Houston law firm, Bracewell and Giuliani, noted for its Bush connections and roster of major energy clients.
The Catholic mayor is also busy burnishing his ties to Christian conservatives. Pat Robertson has said Rudy would make "a good president" and the mayor was a headliner for a fundraising committee supporting former Christian Coalition executive Ralph Reed in his bid to be Georgia's lieutenant governor. Last week, Giuliani dropped by an Orlando meeting of the Global Pastors Network and told the Evangelical leaders that "only God knows" if he will run for president. The group offered their prayers for him and he responded in kind, showing an openly devout side not many people had seen before: "I can't tell you from my heart how much I appreciate what you are doing—saving people, telling them about Jesus Christ and bringing them to God."
Still, Giuliani's southern strategy may be an uphill climb. "It's a real stretch for Giuliani to get out voters in southern Republican primaries," Richard Murray, head of the University of Houston's Center for Public Policy said. "He has too much baggage to get through the southern primaries." Murray said Giuliani's best shot may be as a "ticket balancer," a moderate vice president to a conservative ticket leader, especially if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee.If that were the case, and Rudy got to take on the senator from New York, he would feel right at home, no matter where he was stumping for votes.
This Jersey guy is pulling hard for Allen. That being said, I grew up in around NYC before, during, and after Rudy. The man is a miracle worker. I experienced the turnaround first hand. While his stances on social issues are different than mine, he is better than any Dim by a mile. If he's the guy we better all do our part to help him. Sitting on the sidelines sulking is for children.
And, if Jeb Bush gets to pick a few?
Being a prosecutor is the only job he ever really excelled at. I believe the politics thing was really just a detour for him.
The only positive thing I will say about Rudy is that I doubt he'd cut and run like almost every Democrat. He did a nice job cleaning up rampant crime in that swamp at the mouth of the Hudson. That being said, it's still too early for someone else to step forward. Strangely Americans like "unknowns" to run for President because they can imagine that this unknown embodies all their hopes and dreams. People like Rudy and McInsane are old news and known quantities. After the '06 election I think we'll see people step forward and we can all argue about the meaning of the word "Conservative" and who is a "real" Conservative.
[when there are OTHER candidates that would be better (Allen, Pawlenty, even McCain).
Rudy is an overrated hack who's career was saved by the media glow of "9/11]
McCain quasi-endorsed Kerry! He hurt us very badly in the blue states because the liberals love him so much (he dissembles to liberals). Called the Swift Boat Veterans liars. I would work hard to make sure McCain doesn't come close to winning a primary.
Giuliani, unlike even Schwarzenegger, would not mince words when talking about the liberal stand on national security. He has the gift of gab, not of dissembly.
Allen, so far, dissembles worse than McCain. McCain is a straight-talker compared to Allen.
But maybe we should all be careful not to tick off someone whom me might work for. If Allen got the nomination, I would gladly advise him on how to lock down half the blue state vote.
I have to admit that I have never heard that one before. If that is true, it would definitely drop my opinion of him down a few notches.
"Jeb Bush will be the next president if he wants it."
He sure won't get the votes of those who care about border security. ( which is about 80% of America)
The gay guys were real estate developers, if I remember correctly, and old friends of his. Rudy was in the middle of a divorce and needed a place to stay.
Thanks for putting it in context
2. Straight talker? My a-s.
3. "National Security?" The guy loves the UN, and is clueless about key issues of foreign policy. Everytime I've seen him interviewed, he reveals an average intellect, but an ignorance of key global initiatives and power plays, particularly outside of the middle east.
Do us all a favor and stay in Douche-land. ;-)
That's back when NYC politics was interesting. Seems like centuries ago.
Let's find out. By giving in to the leftist media hype, Republicans will have already conceded defeat. This country never elected a father and son to the presidency either. Two brothers (especially under the current circumstances) would be a great move. We know where the Bush family stands on protecting the USA.
Do you like Bush family values or Clinton family values? I would say the former, not the latter, is how Americans would vote...
I don't want the leftists driving the GOP primary.
durasell is totaly correct about the two guys. They were good friends of Rudy during his divorce - he was leaving Gracie Mansion and needed some place to stay before he got his house.
...he could have stayed with his girlfriend, but that wouldn't have gone over very well.
Exactly.
And, tell me the Giuliani or McCain stuff the media is shoveling will?
Now, if you want to make the case Jeb speaks Spanish, has a Mexican wife and would be able to more effectively address the political/racial issue the left will make of it, go ahead...
Giuliani and McCain are non-starters...
Yep.
Let's see, you're a married republican mayor in the middle of an ugly and very public divorce: who do you stay with? Girlfriend or gay guys? Tough one!
I think Freeperfromnj was saying that he or she did not know that McCain called the Swift Boat Veterans liars.
If Freeperfromnj was actually saying that he or she would lose respect for Giuliani for staying in the home of someone who was gay...that kind of attitude would be seen by most Republicans as so "off" that it would only help Giuliani in the primaries.
I'm 90% sure I'd vote Rudy if he were the GOP nominee (otherwise would vote Constitution or Libertarian unless Zell Miller was the D nominee, which won't happen). However, I wouldn't actively support him UNLESS-
-Bush gets one more Alito/Roberts type Justice on the SCOTUS before his term's up
-Rudy comes up with a good, honest, believeable, implementable illegal immigration and border control plan
-Rudy comes up with a real fiscal and tax reform package
-He's willing to renounce his previous views on guns, and, preferably also abortion (which would be less of a concern with a good SCOTUS)
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