Posted on 02/03/2007 1:17:10 PM PST by BunnySlippers
By JIM DAVENPORT, Associated Press Writer
He keeps an itinerary that has all the makings of a full-fledged presidential candidate: South Carolina this weekend, New Hampshire the one before.
Which is what Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, says he's leaning toward becoming.
"There's a real good chance," Giuliani told The Associated Press on Saturday, after a 30-minute speech and question-and-answer session with party leaders in South Carolina. In year, they will put on the first-in-the-South GOP presidential primary.
On Giuliani's first visit to New Hampshire last weekend since setting up the committee, he told reporters he'd received a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and support from people.
But he said he had not yet decided whether he could make a "unique contribution" toward strengthening the nation that would justify a run for president.
He has emphasized his steady hand dealing with the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. However, his moderate stances on gun control, abortion, gay rights and other social issues could be liabilities for him in a GOP presidential primary that includes hard-core conservatives as a central voting group.
For instance, in November, South Carolina voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on same-sex unions.
"The fact is I appeal to conservative Christians the way I appeal to everyone else," Giuliani said at a news conference. "I don't think you have separate appeals to people."
Giuliani formed a presidential exploratory committee in November to prepare for a possible bid for the GOP nomination in 2008. It lets him raise money and travel the country, gauging how much support there could be for him.
In his few first weeks, Giuliani took in $1.4 million. He collected donations online, and held a major fundraising event in New York in December.
Financial documents show that by the start of this year Giuliani had about $1 million available, having spent money to set up campaign headquarters, buy equipment and hire workers.
The Republicans' top tier of candidates for 2008 includes Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record).
Giuliani's visit to Columbia wrapped up a busy week in the state for White House hopefuls. Romney was in the capital on Tuesday and Brownback on Friday.
What childish signs?!
You just don't like that Rudy can win and that people support him
Even with his Pro abortion stance he is preferable to McCain.
It's better than Hillary, Obama, or Edward's stand on guns.
BTW, the Rudy ping list consists of far more people than just PhiKapMom and myself.
He's garnering a great deal of support within the party.
"Rudy can win"
And that's all that matters to you rudy the rino fans.
Could you please provide a source of this "Fact?"
Great tagline!
Place me on the Rudy ping list please.
I'm voting for whoever wins the GOP primary no matter who it is.
Done
I am glad you posted this as I just saw this in AOL News. Wonder how long before we end up in the Smokey Backroom again and go deep into the night? :)
ah, there you go,being a good extremist again.
Instead of waiting for a good conservative candidate to emerge, you latch on to the rinos, and you can only damn them with the faint praise of them not being hillary clinton.
Superb reasoning. 20 some months to the election and it's already time to surrender.
Actually, there is no discernable difference.
But the fact that you'd say it anyway is instructive.
It's the old GOP 2004 strategy of 'vote for my guy because he is not as bad as the other guy'. I'll never support anyone who doesn't believe people have a right to defend themselves. It's one of the most basic questions and determines if candidates believe we are fundamentally free or wards of the state.
I'm voting for whoever wins the GOP primary no matter who it is.
LOL ... I don't know if I can keep this up for 2 years!
Sunsong, Come back!!!
Not by any substantial amount. He is no more committed to RKBA, in principle, than they are.
Hey! Maybe you'll get lucky and Hillary will run as a Republican! Then you'll have it all in one fell swoop!
I'm not. Now what?
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