I do know when the real votes get counted. And you didn't give any reasons for your conclusion about Rudy disappearing, most likely because it's wishful thinking on your part.
The base isn't up for another 4 or 8 years of "new tone" "moderate" crap. If Rudy was the only guy running who didn't mind putting bullets into jihadis, we might have something to talk about. Rudy has really only done one thing that the whole country supports, which is disaster recovery after 9/11. This qualifies him for SecDef or Secratary of State, IMO, but his record on the Second Ammendment makes him uniquely unqualified, as a Republican, for any position even close to domestic law enforcement. The NRA (I'm a Life Member) and the Christian Right (me, again) will not support him, thus he will not get the nod. The NRA is too powerful and those of us who vote our consciences cannot support such a liberal man for President. W is too far to the left for my blood, and I think a lot of people share that belief.
We conservatives are tired of being taken for granted and we won't be anymore.