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Rudy Still Looking Good, a Year Later
Townhall.com ^ | August 25, 2006 | Lorie Byrd

Posted on 08/25/2006 9:23:43 AM PDT by veronica

As it now appears a 2008 Rudy run is a sure thing, I thought it was about time to update that column to take a look at how Rudy is looking right about now, almost a full year later. The event that inspired my previous column on Giuliani’s presidential qualities was the response to Hurricane Katrina. The anniversary of the record breaking storm is only days away and provides another reminder of one of the reasons Rudy Giuliani is considered one of the top contenders for the GOP nomination.

Giuliani touches down in three states Tuesday, attending events for Hutchinson, Illinois gubernatorial hopeful Judy Baer Topinka, and Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Giuliani, who has topped several national 2008 presidential polls in recent months, was to headlined a cocktail reception in Cleveland Monday for two-term Sen. Mike DeWine. (AP Photo/Mike Wintroath) Katrina showed America what an inept response to a national emergency looked like. They had seen, four years earlier, what a competent response to a national emergency looked like when Mayor Giuliani took control, led recovery efforts and calmed a nation in shock. His performance earned him Time’s 2001 designation as Man of the Year and the title of“Mayor of the World.” He was even crowned an honorary knight by Queen Elizabeth in recognition of the service he performed.

In reaction to the deficiencies of the Katrina response, Americans let it be known that they want a President who is engaged in the details when disaster strikes. In the aftermath of 9/11, President Bush was able to provide moral and, even spiritual, leadership and leave the specifics of the recovery effort to people like Mayor Giuliani. Katrina taught us that when a Mayor Nagin, not a Mayor Giuliani, is in charge, the chief executive better step in right away and make things work – or he better at least give the appearance that he is doing that.

A year ago, in the immediate aftermath of Katrina, especially in contrast to the politicians who had just failed so miserably, Rudy Giuliani looked really good. At the time I said he looked downright presidential. A year later, as we observe the one year anniversary of Katrina and, in two weeks observe the five year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, he looks even better.

Giuliani is leading early polls in Iowa and is even being well received in the very important primary state of South Carolina, in spite of his Yankee status. There are still some pitfalls for Giuliani, but nothing that did not exist a year ago, or even a decade ago. Although there are most likely some GOP primary voters who are not aware of all of Giuliani’s positions, it is unlikely that voters will be particularly shocked by them.

Giuliani’s positions on abortion, gay marriage and gun control have not changed in the past year (at least not so far as the public has been informed) but the emphasis that is likely to be placed on those issues may have. There are some voters who will never vote for a President Giuliani due to his position on abortion, or gay rights. The confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Roberts and Alito, though, may have reminded voters that one of the main ways executives affect public policy on such issues is through court appointments.

Through President Bush’s judicial appointments over the past five years, public attention has been focused on the importance of the judiciary, compared to that of the executive, in deciding such issues. Instead of the specifics of Giuliani’s positions on abortion or gay rights or gun control, the focus is likely to be on what kind of judges he would appoint and what their positions are on cases involving those issues.

Another criticism of Giuliani is the subject of his past marital troubles. Those on the left crying Republican hypocrisy for giving Giuliani a pass after criticizing Bill Clinton for his “bimbo eruptions,” and later impeaching him, are particularly peculiar. Evidently many Democrats today don’t see any distinction between the case of Giuliani and that of Bill Clinton.

The case against Giuliani is one of marital infidelity. The case against Bill Clinton includes, among other things, a parade of women claiming sexual harassment, multiple women claiming to have been harassed by private eyes working on behalf of the Clintons, one woman claiming rape, and evidence (including his own words on tape) that he used his influence to get state jobs for women with whom he had affairs. Of course, everyone remembers Clinton’s affair with an intern just a few years older than his daughter, in the Oval Office, meeting with her more times than some members of his cabinet and conducting dozens of phone-sex calls with her setting up a blackmail security threat scenario usually reserved for Tom Clancy novels, then trying to smear her as a lying psycho stalker until the infamous blue dress appeared.

I could continue and even eventually get into the actions that led to the articles of impeachment, but it is not necessary. To witness the complete confusion of Democrats who cannot see the difference in the two cases is to see the incredible legacy Bill Clinton left his party. Even an affair and messy divorce look good in comparison to that. Another reason I don’t see Giuliani’s past marital problems as dashing his presidential aspirations, though, has nothing to do with Democrats, but rather with those he would likely face in a GOP primary.

As Kate O’Beirne pointed out recently, “Should Mitt Romney join a 2008 race that included John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Newt Gingrich and George Allen, the only guy in the GOP field with only one wife would be the Mormon."

Events between now and November 2008 will determine which issues ultimately play the biggest role in voters’ choice for President. Over the next two weeks, though, as Americans observe the anniversaries of Katrina and 9/11, the issues of leadership in times of crisis and how best to fight the war on terror will make for an excellent opportunity for Rudy Giuliani to shine.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: hesgonnawin; justsayno; rino; rinorudygohome; rudy; rudyforpresident; rudypoo; tuttirudi
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To: Blackirish
These guys sound like liberals who care more about authenticity than results.
141 posted on 08/25/2006 7:11:09 PM PDT by JHBowden (Speaking truth to moonbat.)
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To: Blackirish

No. My reply was in response to your willingness to sacrifice them.


142 posted on 08/25/2006 7:18:13 PM PDT by beltfed308 (Nanny Statists are Ameba's.)
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To: beltfed308; JHBowden
Sacrifice "them" ? What is "them"

Do you mean conservative values?

To me it seems the social right is quite willing to "sacrifice" conservatism as long as their narrow agenda is met.

Take this summer.. W's poll numbers are down and what do the Repubs do? Try to take on earmarks...spending...drilling off the gulf? No way thats work.
Lets mollify the social right and trot out flag burning ...gay marriage...Internet gambling all failed but so what. 'Their minds are right'

Take Harriet Miers. The social right was quite happy to sacrifice a more qualified pick because they knew her "mind was right" on abortion. Remember all those posts by social right bushbots?..."I Looove W and trust his pick". Over and over. It was the libertarian/conservative wing that led the charge for a real justice.... Bill Kristol....Charles Krauthammer....Jonah Goldberg George Will,....were the ones that did her in not the social right.

The social right was VERY willing to put up with a lousy SCOTUS pick.

So look in the mirror before you start talking about sacrificing principles.
143 posted on 08/25/2006 9:25:17 PM PDT by Blackirish (I'm George Allen and I apologize.)
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To: jmc813

I try not to think about Rudy.


144 posted on 08/25/2006 9:47:51 PM PDT by Mojave
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Every single post you make should have a BARF ALERT stamped over it.


145 posted on 08/26/2006 12:24:36 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Spiff
And just HOW are YOU going to do that....by posting spurious, juvenile pictures to FR? LOL
146 posted on 08/26/2006 12:28:14 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

lol I think you've "got it"!


147 posted on 08/26/2006 12:28:54 AM PDT by bonfire
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To: JHBowden
BRAVO !
148 posted on 08/26/2006 12:30:54 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: bonfire
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe

Thanks. :-)

149 posted on 08/26/2006 12:35:09 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: MrEdd

The MSM never "pushed" Dole. If you're going to post to FR, the least you can do, is to NOT post lies to support your baseless, unsupportable positions.


150 posted on 08/26/2006 12:37:55 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: texgal

Just WHEN did Rudy "house his mistress and his wife in the same house" and just WHEN did Bill Clinton do that?


151 posted on 08/26/2006 12:40:24 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: veronica
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Giuliani's "looking good?" To Rockefeller Republicans maybe.

Not to this Reagan Republican. Giuliani is a drag, especially when he's in drag, which he has done on more than one occasion (once is funny; more than once is weird).

152 posted on 08/26/2006 12:41:29 AM PDT by JCEccles
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To: sono

BTTT


153 posted on 08/26/2006 12:43:57 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Spiff
You know NOTHING at all about N.Y.C. politics!

There are more political parties, in N.Y.C, than you can imagine and the goal of EVERY politician is to get listed on as many lines as one can. And FYI....Rudy was also on the CONSERVATIVE and the GOP party lines.

154 posted on 08/26/2006 12:46:31 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons; MrEdd
The MSM never "pushed" Dole.

Now, if anyone had the credentials to be legitimately called a war "hero," it was Bob Dole.

(Newt Gingrich made the comment "tax collector for the welfare state.")

Nevertheless, Giuliani is the Trojan Horse being pushed by the Madison Avenue limousine liberals...

155 posted on 08/26/2006 12:47:12 AM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: JCEccles
It's only "WEIRD" to YOU! This was for a show. How about posting the pictures of Rudy when he road a HARLEY on stage, in another show? NO? I thought not....you and your ilk only post the same few pictures over and over and over and over and over again.

I'm beginning to think that you are a closet something, since you are so very enamored of seeing pictures of Rudy dressed for this one show.

156 posted on 08/26/2006 12:49:45 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons

A man putting on women's clothes and acting like a girl is weird period...


157 posted on 08/26/2006 12:53:05 AM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood
Yes, re the Dole statement; NO, re the Madison Ave. garbage.

First of all, using the term "Madison Avenue" used to refer to ad agencies.

Secondly, you could have just said Limosine Liberals ( many of who live on Fifth Avenue, Park Avenue, NoHo, SoHo, Central Park West, Tribecca, the upper West Side, Columbus Circle, Central Park South, and all around the town ), but that term refers to WEALTHY DEMS and they aren't "pushing" Rudy, either.

Easy rule of thumb.....if you don't want to look foolish, don't post about what you don't know.

158 posted on 08/26/2006 12:58:16 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: JCEccles

159 posted on 08/26/2006 1:00:58 AM PDT by BunnySlippers
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood
Only to you, because you have NO knowledge of the history of what used to be called "HAIRY LEG SHOWS", nor the history of N.Y.C.'s, Chicago's, and Washington, D.C.'s annual political spoofs; all of which have very long traditions.
160 posted on 08/26/2006 1:01:16 AM PDT by nopardons
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