Posted on 02/13/2007 9:04:27 AM PST by meg88
'America's mayor' in strong position for '08
With the 2008 race off to a fast start, there have already been some big surprises (Obama, anyone?). But the biggest shocker so far has to be how strong "America's mayor" is running in the polls.
The most recent poll has Giuliani leading the Republican field by five points (with 31 percent to John McCain's 26 percent, according to Real Clear Politics). True, it's early. But the numbers do reflect a deep reservoir of support among some GOP primary voters.
Giuliani has a few things going in his favor. For starters, he has incredible name recognition. In what's shaping up to be a field of outsized personalities for both parties, Giuliani may well loom largest. He formed a bond with Americans in the wake of Sept 11., and his handling of that event is still strongly appreciated.
Largely because of this, the National Journal noted that Giuliani enters the race more admired and more-liked than "any presidential candidate since Eisenhower."
As is probably apparent, this columnist is elated at the prospect of a Giuliani candidacy. I've long admired him not only for his leadership after Sept. 11, but for his take-no-prisoners style when governing New York.
Here's one example: For decades, education in New York City followed a strict routine. The mayor went to Albany to request more funds, and the sate legislators grudgingly granted it. That changed with Giuliani.
When legislators asked him the almost scripted question of whether additional money was needed for city schools, Giuliani stunned the assembly by saying that the system was so broken, more money was useless. Instead, he promised a "relentless campaign" to "literally crush the cost of bureaucracy in the school system."
The best Giuliani moment, however, had to be his showdown with the late Palestinian leader (and terrorist enabler) Yasser Arafat. When Giuliani was a U.S. attorney, he investigated some of Arafat's activities - and learned that he was hardly the man of peace commonly supposed.
So when Arafat was in town for a U.N. conference and showed up uninvited to a concert at the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, the mayor knew exactly what to do. He kicked him out.
The incident caused an uproar. Former mayor Ed Koch declared that "Giuliani has behavioral problems," and the Clinton administration was angered at Giuliani's boldness. Giuliani, however, was not swayed. "My only regret," he told an aide, "was that I didn't throw him out myself." Actions like this earned Giuliani the ire of Democrats everywhere in the '90s.
If he goes deep into the primaries, liberals will undoubtedly dredge this and other incidents up in an attempt to portray him as racially insensitive. But nothing will reassure Republicans that Giuliani can be trusted more than the sight of Al Sharpton denouncing him.
So what does this all mean? There's no denying that Giuliani will have a tough time getting the nomination, but it's hardly impossible. As Sam Brownback, George Pataki, or any other Republican no-names could tell you, there are worse places to be than at 31 percent.
Andrew Buttaro is a Heights staff columist. He welcomes comments at buttaroa@bcheights.com.
So when Arafat was in town for a U.N. conference and showed up uninvited to a concert at the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, the mayor knew exactly what to do. He kicked him out.
The incident caused an uproar. Former mayor Ed Koch declared that "Giuliani has behavioral problems," and the Clinton administration was angered at Giuliani's boldness. Giuliani, however, was not swayed. "My only regret," he told an aide, "was that I didn't throw him out myself." Actions like this earned Giuliani the ire of Democrats everywhere in the '90s.
PING
It should be posted in BLOGS, IMO.
((((PING))))
So college student votes don't count?
New York stateis overwhelmingly Dims, no?
I think what Hillary is most afriad of is to have to face Rudy in the general election.
Dang! He deserves my support for that statement alone!
Another reason to love the guy.
Voting perfection will get you Hellary for four years.
He's holding his ankles?
Gosh, I guess that explains how City of New York spending increased at twice the rate of inflation under his leadership.
Hillary is not afraid of him. Rudy dropped out of the NY senate race against her. Hillary is way ahead of Rudy in the NY polls.
sw
Have you noticed that none of these people seem to have anything positive to say about anyone? They claim to like Duncan Hunter, I guess, but they don't even post any pro-Hunter threads. They just swarm onto the Rudy threads and post the same tedious comments day-after-day-after-day. I first tried to engage them in reasonable discussion. When that didn't work, I just toyed with them as sport to watch them go ballistic. But there's no reaching them. Now, I don't even respond. It's best to ignore them.
According to SurveyUSA, one of the more accurate state-by-state polling organizations around, a Giuliani v. Hillary match-up would result in Giuliani winning 37 states, including the Blue States of Maine, Rhode Island, Conn., New Jersey, Penn., Michigan, and Oregon, for 354 electoral votes.
Thanks for the ping, Julie. Rudy isn't afraid of anyone and political correctness was pushed aside when he was Mayor of NYC, thank goodness.
This article also detailed how Rudy's intolerance for Anti-Semitism is legendary: (I've lost my link to the article which was posted on FR at one point)
The rebirth of New York City, the most visible urban achievement in the 20th century is the work of the person now dubbed America’s mayor. For the millions of Americans who live in New York and the millions more who work or whose livelihood has been affected by its revival the contrast between the pre and post Giuliani years could not be more striking.
His defense of Israel and intolerance for Arab and U.N. sponsored anti-Semitism is legendary.
He figuratively walked into the lion's den of a crime ridden, high tax, and decaying city and carried out a conservative agenda of tax cuts, crime reduction and, in the case of the Brooklyn Museum, defense of religion in the public square. On this count Giuliani seems to be the winner in the public character category for his extraordinary vision and leadership.
But there's no reaching them. Now, I don't even respond. It's best to ignore them.
He figuratively walked into the lion's den of a crime ridden, high tax, and decaying city and carried out a conservative agenda of tax cuts, crime reduction and, in the case of the Brooklyn Museum, defense of religion in the public square. On this count Giuliani seems to be the winner in the public character category for his extraordinary vision and leadership.
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