What will you say if he gets an enthusiastic, excited, positive reception?
You mean like the hysterical, emotional and over the top, blind following Rudy gets from some conservatives around Free Republic? Right.
Since Rudy`s public relations machine hasn't really gone into full propaganda mode yet, I'd say the reasons he would receive a rousing reception at this years CPAC meeting, can be attributed to several factors. The major factor attribution being the MSM. The liberal press is doing their job pushing the candidate that would do the best job of fracturing the GOP`s conservative base.
In addition, the Rockefeller wing of the Republican Party sees an opening. They've waited 30 years for this opportunity and now its here. The moderate-centrist-liberal wing of the GOP is going all out for Rudy and some conservatives have jumped on the bandwagon, forsaking their principles and integrity. Not to mention throwing away their commonsense. How else can anyone explain the effort to downplay Rudy`s liberal record, and the obfuscation of his life long support for liberal issues and liberal causes. After the 2006 election outcome and the failure of the GOP to get the job done, some people just want a winner.
This is the same reaction we witnessed in California back in the 2003 recall election. A.Schwarzy was given a big time benefit of the doubt on his conservative credentials. And California got what they really wanted. A big name recognition, liberal Republican. A pop culture icon excited the masses. Not everyone was fooled.
Its happening ALL over again with Rudy Giuliani. At this point, the campaign for the GOP nomination is more about liberal pop culture politics, then it is about conservative politics. I'm still confident, that as conservatives become more aware of Rudy`s liberalism, they'll back off supporting him. The events of 9/11 can only carry Rudy so far.