Posted on 02/16/2007 1:58:44 PM PST by Spiff
Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, has become the clear frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination despite a personal life that his own staff once conceded opened him up to accusations of "weirdness".
A USA Today/Gallup poll gave Mr Giuliani a 16-point lead over his rival Senator John McCain and showed him trailing Hillary Clinton, the leading Democrat, by just a single percentage point.
But the extent of his task to persuade Americans he can lead them was underlined this week when a remarkable 450-page "vulnerability study", compiled by aides in 1993, emerged. His current advisers fear that his colourful past and his liberal social positions could scupper his candidacy.
The study listed all the former prosecutor's perceived weaknesses as part of a "tough and hard-hitting" assessment.
Mr Giuliani, who subsequently became a national hero as mayor of New York after the September 11 attacks, ordered all copies of the document to be destroyed. But it was obtained by a reporter working on a book about him and posted on the Smoking Gun website.
According to the document, chief among his problems as he sought re-election as mayor was that his "personal life raises questions about a "weirdness factor". This stemmed from a 14-year first marriage to his second cousin that was annulled by the Roman Catholic Church.
"When asked about his personal life, Giuliani gives a wide array of conflicting answers. All of this brings the soundness of his judgement into question - and the veracity of his answers."
Mr Giuliani, who has twice married subsequently, was also vulnerable to claims he avoided service in Vietnam by receiving "special treatment from a friendly federal judge" and later "hypocritically prosecuted draft dodgers".
In an interview with CNN's Larry King Live on Wednesday, Mr Giuliani conceded that there was lots of material with which the press and opponents could attack him. "The way I deal with that is, hey, I'm a human being," he said.
"You know, I made mistakes. I'm not perfect. I keep trying to learn from them. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I keep working on that. I keep trying to learn from them. I'm a human being, much like, I think, everybody else." Mr Giuliani confirmed that he was in favour of abortion rights and against gun control - litmus-test issues for many conservatives - but emphasised that he personally hated abortion.
He would also "select judges who try to interpret the Constitution rather than invent it" - a notable reassurance to conservatives who fear presidents who use judicial appointments to engage in what many see as liberal social engineering via the courts. Whereas Democrats often reject a front runner during the party primaries, Republicans tend to coalesce around a leading candidate who they feel is electable by the broader populace. Mr Giuliani, 62, is vying to be that candidate in place of Mr McCain, 70, the early choice of the Republican establishment.
The document was the second to hand Mr Giuliani's White House rivals an arsenal of ammunition against him. Last month, a 140-page campaign battle plan setting out budgets, fundraising plans and details of possibly "insurmountable" problems with his candidacy was leaked to a New York tabloid.
Colourful past threatens Giuliani's lead
The Daily Telegraph
By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 2:04am GMT 16/02/2007
It will be quite interesting if that turns out not to be the case.
Speaking of his wife, Lynne, Hunter likes to tell the story of when he recently asked her if they could host a fund raiser.
I'm still looking for the exact quote, but she said something like 'Well, our house just burnt down [and something else] ~ how many should we invite?'
The lady's got GRIT!!!
In spades!
(Their Alpine house burnt down in the 2003 Cedar fires.)
I heard him being inteviewed by Laura Ingraham. He's pretty smooth. He comes across as a real guy and not some political stooge.
To fight the info war we need a communicator...and someone willing to fight that war of words. We've not had that in a while.
Abortion is a ritual murder performed on an altar of conceit before an idol of vanity...
Human sacrifice is unconstitutional...
I'm very impressed with Duncan Hunter. He's genuine, humble and I believe he has a good grasp of the issues and what he believes. Very impressed.
Bravo Sierra on that.
Hunter doesn't have to switch his stances or tack to the right or left, he is what he is.
Because ultimately it is the MSM that tells us who is or is not worthy of being president. And we believe them.
Duncan Hunter is the only guy in this race on both sides that does not have any backtracking to do to appeal to anyone. He's the real deal. WYSIWYG.
Duncan Hunter is as solid as they come.
I want meat and pototoes, not cherries jubilee.
I need a pilot light, not a flaming fire works display.
Dear Mr Robinson,
In order to predict how effective a Giuliani Whitehouse whould be, one would have to look at Arnold's administration in CA. Both Rudy and Arnold have the same political instincts. In your opinion, was it worth installing Arnold as Governor via the Recall?
:-} Me too Ma'am.
That he is Phillip.
I agree with you. The way people are jumping on Guilianni's bandwagon reminds me very much of the way they jumped on Arnold's. And Rudy and Arnold are similar on the issues.
You are right about Hunter. Most unfortunately, he doesn't have a prayer.
Right and left wing bigots out to smear a good man and a good Republican.
Vote against him if you don't like his positions--but only moral cowards would try to dredge up his past this way.
They said the same thing about Bill Clinton in 1991.
Well, I once wondered how California could get any worse than Davis, Bustamonte, et al. I wouldn't wish Arnie on America.
Because Hunter isn't one of their own.
half of these people are Liberals. Half of them are cowards more invested in the advancement of "R"'s then conservatives. in being so motivated they'd actually lose ground if we followed their lead.
Right now I'm supporting Hunter. I'm open to any conservative. There just aren't many in the race. unlike the Liberals we don't have the luxury of debating between the grand trip of Rudy, mcCain and Romney. they take this as narrowmindedness because we refuse to consider anybody then hunter. What this is really about is refusing to consider a liberal.
We've already inflicted damage against McCain, something they are bitter about. Romney is being ripped apart for the MASS tradition of flipping and flopping. The shreiking you are seeing today is directly reflective of their realization that Rudy is next to be exposed for the beliefs he holds. just imagine. if we destroy the Liberals three hopes, they might actually have to deal with a conservative nominee. This isn't what they had planned.
Not of it matters if you don't have charisma. Hunter lacks charisma.
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