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James Lileks: Don't Underestimate Giuliani (And Newt still can't win!)
The Newhouse News Service ^ | February 6, 2007 | James Lileks

Posted on 02/06/2007 6:08:59 PM PST by quidnunc

Rudy Giuliani is in. Suggested campaign slogan: "He dealt with Brooklyn. He can handle Baghdad.'' He's not a sure thing; he has enough baggage to fill the cargo hold of a cruise ship. His sundry personal-life issues bother social conservatives; the gun control stance dismays the Second Amendment wing of the party; the pro-choice opinions alarm the evangelicals. That leaves about 47 Republicans, right? After all, it's just a party of cousin-marrying yahoos who'd sooner shoot up Planned Parenthood than vote for one of those fish-on-Friday types. Right?

No. Voters are more flexible and forgiving than you might expect. And none of the objections obscure the central appeal of the Rudy candidacy: He'll nuke 'em if he has to. That won't be the central theme of his campaign, of course, but it's the unstated strength of his candidacy. He's not a wuss. Look at the rest of the field:

Mitt Romney. He's a heavy fave, but the M-word makes his support in the evangelical community unsure. Many will vote for him, since he's an all-around moral guy, and no one wants a public debate over doctrinal differences. Other evangelicals regard his faith as something between David Koresh and Scientology, and would rather vote for Joe Lieberman. (Him you could convert!) Romney has an abortion flip-flop to confront, which softens his support as well. He's a solid candidate thus far because he's, well, solid: He appears hewn from the Presidential Quarry.

On the other hand, he could be a genial cyborg from an invading race. Wouldn't exactly surprise anyone.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at newhouse.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: adulterer; bluestater; brooklynese; burnnycburn; corrupt; crimebuster; lawyer; nyersarecommies; nyliberal; nyscks; politician; prosecutor; squeegeestopper; streetsweeper; windowfixer
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To: BibChr

You are 100% correct -- there is a total void. We didn't concentrate enough on electing good Conservative Governors either -- now states like OK have a liberal Dem heading them. We nominated the wrong candidates to run and took everything forgranted that the Country was turning conservative because that is what the pundits told us.

We were clobbered here statewide in OK with a social conservative at the top of the ticket with no real plan to fix the State just that he would be better than the current Governor -- worst run campaign I have ever witnessed. So Governor Sleeps a Lot will be here for four more years and is a huge Clinton supporter. We have a pro-abortion liberal Lt Gov now -- first time since 1994 a Republican hasn't held that seat. We had a Republican running for State Senate that isn't 100% pro-life (being kind) who beat out a 100% pro-life Dem.

After the 2006 election here in OK, I knew I had to support someone who could win and I agreed with on the WOT, etc. After getting clobbered statewide, I knew even in OK we could not nominate for President someone that couldn't reach out across the board to various groups.

I love Dick Cheney but that was one of the drawbacks in naming him VP. Even look at the cabinet -- there is no one there you could draw on to be a candidate. Our State Parties have done a louzy job as well in recruiting good statewide candidates for Governor so we could draw from there.

Am hearing from other Freepers that did the same research and came to the same conclusion -- we don't have a bench. That's why I would rather support Rudy who I agree with completely on the WOT, smaller government, less taxes, national security and appointing judges like Alito, Roberts, and Scalia to the SCOTUS and other federal benches. I want a candidate that can win and beat any DemocRAT out there!


321 posted on 02/07/2007 8:51:44 AM PST by PhiKapMom (Broken Glass Republican -- Rudy 08 -- Take back the House and Senate in 2008)
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To: Miss Marple
Rudy can go to the office in a pink tutu everyday of the work week for all I care. His attire is way down on the shopping list for me. The ex-mayor is just to liberal and immoral for my vote.
322 posted on 02/07/2007 9:23:03 AM PST by Coldwater Creek (The TERRORIST are the ones who won the midterm elections!)
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To: quidnunc

I don't think independents have turned their back on conservatism (at least the small-government, strong-on-defense kind). I think independents have turned their back on people who get elected after promising to champion small government, and a mere 10-or-so years later are wallowing in OUR MONEY like pigs in slop. Oh, and at the same time doing stupid, corrupt, mommy-state crap like outlawing internet gambling.

That said, Newt is a non-starter -- he got rolled by the 'toon in the 90s, and he cannot control his mouth. Let him craft strategy, but don't let him be the public face of the party.

Romney and Hunter are possibilities for me; Rudy is less so unless he can convincingly come out against his gun-grabbing positions; McCain is absolutely out.


323 posted on 02/07/2007 9:32:10 AM PST by ellery (The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts. - Edmund Burke)
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To: PhiKapMom

I understand. It's a pathetic place our "leadership" has taken us. I blame agressive moderates and underaggressive conservatives, to a degree.

I won't revile you, but I really can't go there with you, for the primaries. I don't vote for I'm-okay-with-killing-inconvenient-babies candidates in primaries. I don't see ANY excuse for public persons holding that position, a position even its advocates to a man/woman cannot rationally defend.

So there's a lot I like about Rudy, but he's more like Hillary than Reagan (or me) in too many positions. If I have to bite the bullet in the general... we'll see. But I don't see supporting a pro-abort in primaries. The war's important; the war on the unborn is, too.

It's a dilemma.


324 posted on 02/07/2007 9:58:20 AM PST by BibChr ("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
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To: Miss Marple

Good post, Miss Marple.

I don't have a candidate either, but I sure hate SPAM. It's only posted by petty, hateful people, to fuel hate and discontent.


325 posted on 02/07/2007 11:53:36 AM PST by onyx (DEFEAT Hillary Clinton, Marxist, student of Saul Alinsky & ally and beneficiary of Soros.)
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To: Hambone02

I have no problem voting for Newt. My choices after him would be Mitt, Rudy and a dog named, "Boo". Should I lose 75% of my brain function, I'd vote for McCain or Hagel.


326 posted on 02/07/2007 12:18:27 PM PST by MCPO Airdale
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To: Miss Marple; All
Thank you Miss Marple!

What those not old enough to remember, or too biased to admit, is that Milton Berle, whose show on NBC was so popular, that restaurants and movie theatres were almost empty, one night a week, from the late 1940s through the '50s, when "Uncle Milty" was on. One also has to take into consideration, that few people owned T.V.s at the start of of this. SO how did so many people watch this show? Some went to someone's house that had a T.V. and others stood outside, in front of local stores that sold T.V.s watched, but NEVER got to hear the sound. THAT'S HOW BIG HE WAS!

BTW, "Uncle Milty" is credited with being responsible for selling more T.V., than any other reason people gave for buying one and none of his commercials were for T.V.s; his main and only sponsor, for many years, was TEXACO !

327 posted on 02/07/2007 12:22:06 PM PST by nopardons
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To: nopardons

But there was never any evidence against W. The evidence against Rudy is public record, in print and on video. Not that he isn't a great guy and one of the most accomplished people in the party but he ain't a standard bearer and the Dems will love beating us to death with his liberal views on all things non-military/law enforcement.


328 posted on 02/07/2007 8:18:17 PM PST by bpjam (Never Give Up, Never Surrender (Unless James Baker gives you permission))
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To: jellybean
Fred Thompson's name is finally starting to circulate! Excellent!

Indeed.. :)

329 posted on 02/07/2007 10:25:01 PM PST by carlo3b ("I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."--Thomas Jefferson)
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To: bpjam
As far as some of the public record of Guliani's personal life, you are quite right, although ANY Republican already has a dossier of "failings" that the MSM will pull out when it's appropriate. You are fooling yourself if you think Hunter or Romney will get better press. They won't...the stories will just be different. Hunter will be castigated for his "questionable defense industry ties" and his son in Iraq will no doubt have his career ruined by reporters combing through his service record and creating scandals out of whole cloth. Romney will be attacked because of his religion and will be protrayed as a heartless businessman.

MY point is that if you have some concerns about Guiliani's ability to withstand the press, that is understandable. Constant posting of a petty complaint and thinking that it is THE killer point is simply annoying and not worthy of continued debate.

330 posted on 02/08/2007 4:26:25 AM PST by Miss Marple (Prayers for Jemian's son,: Lord, please keep him safe and bring him home .)
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To: carlo3b
Indeed.. :)

Can I infer from your smiling face you had something to do with this?

331 posted on 02/08/2007 6:26:06 AM PST by jellybean (FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT! Proud to be an Ann-droid and a Steyn-aholic)
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To: quidnunc
Back a loser Gingrich bump.
332 posted on 02/08/2007 8:55:03 AM PST by capitalist229 (Get Democrats out of our pockets and Republicans out of our bedrooms.)
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