Giuliani's... filings don't lend hints to... run - he hasn't... checked the Republican box

Newsday ^ | February 2, 2007 | CRAIG GORDON

[sitetest]

WASHINGTON - Republicans looking at Rudolph Giuliani's campaign for president always ask two questions - is he really running, and is he a "real Republican?"

They're probably not going to like the answers found by Newsday in Giuliani's government filings.

The ex-mayor still is holding back from submitting the simple one-page form declaring himself a possible candidate, despite raising $1.4 million to run. And asked what party he belongs to on a different form, Giuliani didn't say - he left the answer blank.

[sitetest]

Dear Alberta's Child,

I have a really, really hard time seeing Mr. Giuliani trying to run with any other label than a big "R." Do you really think that he's keeping his options open with regard to party affiliation? I don't see it.

That does, of course, leave us then with the original question: If he did this deliberately (which his campaign assures us that he did), why did he do it?


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[longtermmemmory]

Somehow I don't see this historically significant document as being in error.

Seriously, the SERIOUS candidate filings muct become part of a historic record somewhere.

[MEGoody]

I define "viable" as someone who can beat Hillary.

I view Hillary as very beatable. Too many people just hate her, and there are many who like her that know she would not make a good President because of her tendency to rub people the wrong way. Besides, I'm not convinced the U.S. is ready for a female President.

Duncan Hunter has impressive conservative credentials, but IMHO he will not be the nominee.

You could be right. But Reagan was not considered a viable candidate at this point in the election cycle.

He has neither the money, nor the organization.

Lots of time left to fix those issues. He sure has some enthusiastic supporters on FR.

I think Newt is brilliant and would love to vote for him, but I don't think he will be the nominee and he doesn't have broad based support.

I think Newt's 'dirty laundry' would do him in.

I haven't given up on getting a more conservative candidate on the ballot than Rudy or McCain. Since Rudy hasn't even filled out paperwork or declared himself a Republican candidate yet, he might not even be on the ballot.

[sitetest]

Dear MEGoody,

"I view Hillary as very beatable."

I agree. In fact, I know Democrats who agree with this.

I don't think that Mrs. Clinton is a slam-dunk for the Democrat nomination.


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[PSYCHO-FREEP]

I wouldn't hold your breath too long.

Rudy hasn't made the announcement yet because he doesn't have to. He is still strongly in the lead without it.

All this speculation that he will turn Democrat or independent at any moment is mostly wishful thinking. Give it time, he will eventually open up his campaign when he has all of his ducks in a row. This is a winning strategy from the very start.

He will enter the race when the time suits his advantage.

[Alberta's Child]

He's leaving his options open -- sort of like what Michael Bloomberg did when he ran for mayor of New York City in 2001 (Bloomberg was a life-long Democrat who switched to the GOP just to avoid running in a hotly-contested Democratic primary).

He's not going to switch parties, but there is at least an implied threat that he could run as an independent on a "neo-conservative" ticket -- probably with Joe Lieberman as his running mate. In fact, this scenario would probably offer him the best chance -- though still a small one -- of winning a presidential election.

I wonder how his cheerleaders here on FreeRepublic would feel about a turn of events like this.

[longtermmemmory]

I think it is a clever way to appear in the leftist mythical "mainstrean". Another maverick mccain if you will.


I do think we will see the repeat of the "Clinton/Guiliani" ticket fluff stories.

[sitetest]

Dear Alberta's Child,

In the extremely unlikely event that Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Lieberman ran together as independents, I'd expect that a substantial minority of FR members would back the ticket.

I think this would mirror the electorate as a whole. I think that a Giuliani/Lieberman independent ticket would take an appreciable number of voters who would otherwise most likely vote Republican, and perhaps a small sliver of those who would ordinarily vote Democrat.

The question is, whose ego would win out for the top of the ticket??


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[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

I'm in the minority and believe that they are our greatest enemy, and have run this country for 40 years, and should be completely destroyed

You might be in the minority, but you couldn't be more right.

[Alberta's Child]

Keep in mind that a Giuliani-Lieberman combination was presented as an ideal Republican ticket by that limp-wristed neo-con John Podhoretz just last summer.

The question is, whose ego would win out for the top of the ticket??

It has nothing to do with egos. Lieberman cannot run for the White House on any ticket. He's not telegenic, and Americans will never support a candidate whose normal pattern of speech is a pathetic whine like his.

[FreeInWV]

"The fact is, Rudy is a Republican and for as far back as I can remember, has always been a Republican. "

among other things.....

From wikipedia:
"Giuliani first ran for New York City Mayor as the candidate of both the Republican and Liberal parties, attempting to succeed Ed Koch in 1989. "



from the Liberal Party website:http://www.liberalparty.org/Feb94Page1.html

"The Liberal Party scored a major victory on Election Night when Rudy Giuliani was elected the 107th Mayor of the City of New York, after a bruising campaign as the candidate of both the Liberal and Republican parties. The outcome of this race reinforces the Liberal Party's historic role of providing the crucial margin to exceptional candidates for both statewide and local offices. A coalition of Liberals, independent Democrats and independents came together to cast 62,469 votes for Rudy Giuliani on Liberal 'Column E.'

The Liberal Party's involvement in Giuliani's victorious campaign provided key leadership roles in the political effort. Vice-Chairman Raymond B. Harding was one of Giuliani's closest political advisors. State Chair Fran Reiter served as one of Giuliani's three Deputy Campaign Managers, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the campaign. And Executive Director Carl F. Grillo, as Executive Director of Field Operations, planned and masterfully executed the 'Get Out the Vote' strategy on Election Day. "

[sitetest]

Dear longtermmemory,

"I think it is a clever way to appear in the leftist mythical 'mainstrean'. Another maverick mccain if you will."

I don't know. A thin reed on which to base that effort.

I'm not sure that Mr. Giuliani ever thought that it would be reported in the media.


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[RichardW]

Why should he? He's just playing it close to the vest. After he gets in then his opponents will go tooth and toenail after him. Offhand, I'd say he's employing a form of the rope-a-dope strategy. Let them knock each other out of the race and then he can step into the breach. I like it.

[sitetest]

Dear Alberta's Child,

"Keep in mind that a Giuliani-Lieberman combination was presented as an ideal Republican ticket by that limp-wristed neo-con John Podhoretz just last summer."

Although that piece seemed to cause a frisson of excitement amongst other girlie-men pseudo-conservatives, I didn't think anyone out of the Tucker Carlson / Jonah Goldberg crowd took it at all seriously. But I could be wrong.

"It has nothing to do with egos. Lieberman cannot run for the White House on any ticket. He's not telegenic, and Americans will never support a candidate whose normal pattern of speech is a pathetic whine like his."

Good point. But then again, he doesn't lisp, and has much better hair than Mr. Giuliani. ;-)


sitetest

[sitetest]

Dear RichardW,

"He's just playing it close to the vest."

I understand playing close to the vest, but NOT DECLARING YOUR PARTY?

I think that's a step or two too far. It certainly reinforces my own negative view of Mr. Giuliani.


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[Doninnj]

NEWSALERT FROM FReeInWV!

"Giuliani first ran for New York City Mayor as the candidate of both the Republican and Liberal parties, attempting to succeed Ed Koch in 1989. "

Thanks for the newsflash, Jimmy Olsen!

Of course, anyone who lives in NY knows that Rudy ran for Mayor as a Republican and Liberal candidate.

And I guess if you live in West Virginia wouldn't understand that it means absolutely NOTHING.

It has nothing to do with his qualifications.

And it has everything to do with your ignorance on the local politics of NYC.

NICE TRY, SCOOP!

[FreeInWV]

"it means absolutely NOTHING. "

Perhaps to a New Yorker. Not to the rest of us.

Everyday I hear the same thing. His stance on abortion means NOTHING. His stance on gay rights means NOTHING. His stance on gun control means NOTHING. His stance on illegal immigration means NOTHING. His affairs and divorces mean NOTHING. His questionable business dealings mean NOTHING. His dressing in drag means NOTHING. His lack of national experience means NOTHING. His support of universal healthcare means NOTHING. His civil rights concerns mean NOTHING. His kind words for Justice Ginsburg mean NOTHING.


It all sounds the same after awhile.

[JimFreedom]

<img src="http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s222/Jimsot/Dissedspiff.png?t=1170442557"

[sitetest]

Dear FreeInWV,

Or, how about his endorsement of Mario Cuomo? Or Jim Florio? I guess those mean nothing, too.

Or his tepid "endorsement" of Sen. Dole, while praising Mr. Clinton? I guess that means nothing, too.

LOL.

It seems that nothing of what Mr. Giuliani has said over the years means anything.

If that were true, why would we start listening now?


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[Free ThinkerNY]

Calling Rudy a RINO is an outrage. He endured years of the most vicious attacks I've seen a NYC Mayor go through at the hands of Lieberal Demonrats. He was called a Nazi, a racist, a fascist, and ironically a far right Conservative by the Liberals who hated him. If Rudy was a RINO he would have surrendered to them the way Bloomberg has done on many occassions. Instead, Rudy stood up to the Left and never turned his back on the Republican Party. He would have given up and joined the Democrats if he were a RINO. It's disgusting to see so many Republicans stabbing him in the back after his years of loyalty to the party. For 8 years we had a Republican as Mayor in this city which was a miracle considering how Liberal this town is. He is not a Republican in name only. His enemies on the Right are stooping as low as the Left who vilified him for years by calling him things he was not. I don't know if he should be POS, but I do know that he deserves respect from Republicans for the great job he's done for the party for decades.