Republicans 2008: Giuliani 28%, McCain 20%

Rudy Giuliani is still the preferred presidential hopeful for Republican Party sympathizers in the United States, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 28 per cent of respondents would support the former New York City mayor in a 2008 primary.

Arizona senator John McCain is second with 20 per cent, followed by former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich with 14 per cent, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with eight per cent.

Earlier this month, Gingrich questioned the GOP’s reliance on its conservative base, saying, "Ronald Reagan understood that arguments should be made where we have huge advantages with virtually all Americans. He was brilliant at avoiding base-narrowing appeals and emphasizing base-broadening appeals. A base-motivation party inherently, in the long run, drives away the non-base."

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2008.

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 454 likely Republican voters, conducted from Jan. 8 to Jan. 11, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.

"Bush to Offer Health Insurance Reforms"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16743538/

Health insurance is a hot issue currently, even President Bush is talking about it.

I understand your reservations re Rudy not being a true conservative, but I truly don't see any Republican who has a realistic chance of winning the nomination who is not more of a centrist. In all honesty, Bush is no real conservative either, if by conservative you mean limiting government and spending.

Well, then we may as well settle for either a mediocre candidate that other conservatives (not to confuse with Republicans) can't abide, or a "kind and gentle" milquetoast candidate like Bush Sr. or Bob Dole that will get slaughtered by opposing campaign and relentless media attacks after forgetting "to take the gloves off" until it's all over.

Guarantee you that by the end of the campaign ANY Republican candidate will be made to look like dirt... The difference is that some will have the brains, ideas, eloquence to deliver and convince the masses with the power of these ideas, and the will of fighting and talking back to opponents and the media, the demonstrated leadership and organization abilities - I see all that in Newt, as evidenced by 1994 (before Bob Dole and other "grownups" undermined and back-stabbed him in later years) and his speeches and town-hall appearances that I saw on C-SPAN and other venues since then.

Personal flaws ("baggage") notwithstanding, Newt's are well known already and I saw him deal with them very well recently and not with "move on..." Rudy has much bigger personal "baggage" that Newt has, political philosophy incompatible with conservatives outside of New York and California and few of the other qualities required to run for President on GOP ticket.

I know, right now is the season of "he can't win" arguments: I would put Rudy and McCain on that list, believe me Newt doesn't belong on it.

Do make an effort to see him and hear him, you may change your mind, or at least give him consideration. If nothing else, he is on the right side on most issues that are important to us here, which can't be said of many other candidates.

Regards.

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