Posted on 02/12/2007 5:24:32 PM PST by NapkinUser
Nobody can discredit the talent, skill and sheer genius of Frank Sinatra. Emerging onto the music scene in 1935, the hoodlum from Hoboken went from the marketplace to the marquee. For six decades this musical rock of Gibraltar wooed audiences from Jersey to Japan, Connecticut to Cambodia. He was a living legend.
But like most legends, Sinatra had an Achilles heel. While drugs, alcohol and cigarettes may be addictive, the spotlight is down right infectious, and when one has occupied the spotlight for decades, it is pretty much impossible to vacate it. Sinatra, even though a maverick of music, fell victim to this siren song.
Here was a man who shared a microphone with Count Basie, was a star of stage and screen, recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, and played sold out venues for more than half a century. By the time the 1990s rolled around, it was clear this legend had nothing left to prove.
Yet, Sinatra, after a brief retirement in the '70s, pressed on. The slim, fit, and handsome Chairman of the Board became an ailing singer who relied on TelePrompTers for his lyrics. The man who had commanded the stage at Madison Square Garden in 1974 was soon falling from the stage while singing "My Way" 20 years later. Gone were the images of Vegas and here were the images of vulnerability.
What can Sinatra teach Rudy Giuliani? For starters, the moral of Sinatra's story, which is not exclusive to him, is a simple one - quit while you're ahead and be remembered for your greatness, not your frailty. In other words, resist the quest to satisfy your ego and recognize your limits.
In the past few weeks, the speculation surrounding a Giuliani for President Campaign has moved from rumors to reality. It is painstakingly clear that the former Mayor from New York will be joining the likes of John McCain, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter and other GOP hopefuls all waiting for the opportunity to change their mailing address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The problem for Giuliani, though, is he has the most to lose if he chooses to travel this road to the White House.
Right now, Rudy is on cloud nine - a Jan. 12 Gallup poll has him ahead of any potential rivals and the media is swooning over America's mayor. Giuliani is living off his 9/11 inheritance and Americans are remembering him as the mayor who tended to America's wounds as she bled and wept. Rudy was there for America when she needed him most.
This is the image earned by Giuliani because of his heroic actions immediately proceeding 9/11 and this is the image most Americans hold. When Americans think of Giuliani today, they think of Time's Man of the Year, they don't think of the man with a mistress-and this is the realization that Rudy must come to grips with. Life was not always full of roses for Rudy. While he did crush crime in the Big Apple and evict the flesh peddlers from Times Square, Giuliani was a man whose public policies and private antics made enemies on both the right and left.
Moreover, his image prior to 9/11 is a far cry from the image held by the mayor today. Hence, the mayor should consider some things prior to throwing his hat into the ring and going "all in" on his living legend status. First, pushing aside Times Square and CompStat, this is a mayor who was not always a friend of social conservatives and his nomination, yet alone election, is far from guaranteed.
When Rudy officially enters this race, the liberty libations that have been pouring from mainstream media outlets will give way to a heartland hangover. Gone will be the images of Rudy standing on the rubble of the World Trade Center and here will be images of Rudy marching in the New York City Gay Pride parade. Furthermore, Rudy will have to explain to folks in New Hampshire and Iowa why they should nominate the first pro-choice candidate since Roe. To Rudy's credit, he has begun to address the abortion issue by telling social conservatives he will appoint justices in the mold of Samuel Alito. But this ship has long sailed. Since the rise and retreat of the Republican revolution 12 years ago, social conservatives have awoke from their slumber to realize they have been used and abused by a GOP establishment that takes their votes, but leaves their views at the door.
In the 12 years that the GOP-controlled Congress, six of which a Republican president was sitting in the Oval Office, many words have be spoken on the issue of life, but few actions have been taken. Even more important, when Dubya was championing the conservative cause in 2000, he, just like Giuliani, proclaimed that he was committed to nominating judges in the mold of Antonin Scalia and William Rehnquist.
Despite his spotty record on the cause of the unborn, conservatives took Bush at his word, held their nose, and pulled the lever. While Bush initially kept his promise with the nomination of John Roberts, the President then decided that one Scalia-like judge was enough and nominated unknown Harriet Meyers. Here was a president who promised "Grade A" judges and, in his second opportunity to reshape the jurisprudence of the High Court, he gave America a "Whopper." Who is to say that Rudy will not hold the same view of the president he makes look like Pat Robertson? Additionally, pro-lifers are beginning to see that the GOP has been dangling the judicial carrot before them for too long with too little results. If the rights of the unborn are to be protected, the pro-life movement needs a president who realizes that reshackling the Judiciary to the Constitution is his first step, not his last.
Finally, judicial nominations are not infallible. Remember, it was Eisenhower who gave the nation Earl Warren, Nixon who nominated Harry Blackmun and Reagan, the strongest pro-life president since Roe, who placed Sandra Day O'Connor on the bench. What are the odds that a moderate to left leaning judge will slip pass a publicly pro-choice President Giuliani? This writer thinks they are pretty high.
Translation - Rudy's pledge may have quelled fears a decade ago, but now Rudy needs more if he wants to win the White House.
The GOP's conservative base, however, is only the beginning of Rudy's nomination problems. The mayor's other rivals fighting for the conservative base will do there best to dredge up the mayor's less than lily white past.
And who will be the headline act? Donna Hanover. Hanover was Rudy's second wife and the mayor divorced her after an affair with Judith Nathan, now his third wife, was unearthed. Rudy's response to the breaking news was to call a press conference and announce his divorce to the media. This was done prior to informing Hanover of the mayor's decision. He then left Gracie Mansion and bunked with two gay friends, a residence he kept while responding to the 9-11 attacks.
Politics is an ugly game and very few men are able to escape it smelling like roses. Giuliani was one of those rarities and he has been able to live off of his political capital for six years.
If, however, Rudy decides to let his political capital ride on this presidential horse race, he better make sure he is riding Seattle Slew, for he could fall from the grace of being America's mayor to the man who, in the words of family values campaigner Maggie Gallagher, "made Bill Clinton look like a good husband and father."
The question is - will Giuliani go out on top or falling from the stage?
LOLOL!!! Exactamundo!!!!
LOL!!! Why are they so afraid of Rudy?
Seriously, all I've been seeing the past week has been thousands of anti-Rudy posts. The only thing I can figure is that some conservatives here are frightened when there is no reason to be.
I have to question any man who would pay for the 'death' of his own grandchild.
Rudy has crossed three lines here:
(1)RUDY's abortion position is in sharp opposition to the REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM.
(2)RUDY would directly fund/pay for an abortion; in this case with his own money, for his own daughter. If that is the type of leadership our REPUBLICAN party needs...[complete the sentence yourself]
(3)RUDY takes the position that his daughters CHOICE takes precedent over the LIFE of his own grandchild.
Sorry, this guy is the modern day equivalent of 'Queen for a Day' TV show...we only need to watch him for one episode...
If this is how Rudy Giuliani deals with his own 'flesh and blood' how will he deal with the rest of the people?
[scratching my head in disbelief at his popularity]
Just my thoughts....
As far as I'm concerned, Rudy's support of the war is the ONLY thing going for him.
Because Rudy will cause a repeat of 1992 if nominated.
Ohfercryinoutloud!!!
If you want to know why our side loses...this is it....
So you want the team of Hillary/Obama Osama (Marxist Party)
We already tried that in 1992 in case you forgot.
Welcome to Hillaryland!!
Because social conservatives know that the vast majority of folks care about economic and national security issues over social issues that a President has little impact on. It's the equivalent of when the dinosaurs were thrashing in the tar pits.
"Because Rudy will cause a repeat of 1992 if nominated."
You mean he will easily win? I think that you mean he will be like another Bill Clinton. ???
"Because social conservatives know that the vast majority of folks care about economic and national security issues over social issues that a President has little impact on. It's the equivalent of when the dinosaurs were thrashing in the tar pits."
Makes sense.
I'm already starting to feel sorry for Rudy and nothing has really even hit the fan yet, you guys are brutal...
No, that he will run left and split the GOP as a result.
"No, that he will run left and split the GOP as a result."
The GOP is already split.
I agree. Let's all wait until the last minute to attack Rudy, everyone! It's more effective that way. /s
APf
"The GOP is already split."
And do you not think it will split much more if a leftist "republican" wins the nomination?
So the solution of the Rudy boosters is to split it even further apart?
Do you really think Rudy can foresake large swaths of the social conservative vote, and make up for it running leftward as a pro-war candidate into moderate independents and Dems who get signficiantly pro-war the more leftward one goes?
Or will you just follow the Rockefeller Repubican path of "leftward ho!" in your quixotic quest to restore the country club Republican vision of the perpetual minority party, but one that doesn't have to deal with all those annoying Bible-thumping pro-life and pro-gun rubes?
Please explain how a president influences the abortion issue? He signs bills written by the legislature. A president's primary function is the safety and security of our country. Personally, if we don't have SAFETY and SECURITY we'll all be wearing burkas and you'll still be talking about abortion??? We'll all wish we were dead.
Sure, Rudy isn't my ideal candidate, but who is? Bush has been rather liberal on most issues except the war and he's been too politically correct regarding the war. IMO, Rudy has more balls or is more assertive than Bush when it comes to getting things done.
No freedom, and you can kiss the abortion issue adios. Also, it's the Democrats that get abortions, and I want fewer of them. LOL
Oh, in 8 years of Clinton and 6 years of Bush, what piece of paper have they signed influencing Abortions? How have either of them either increased or decreased abortions? OK. Please someone give an answer.
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