Posted on 03/08/2007 7:24:41 AM PST by meg88
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has won the early part of Campaign 2008, defying conventional wisdom about Republicans liberal on social issues, to surge to a staggering share of support in surveys of potential primary voters. Since announcing his exploratory committee for president in November, Mr. Giuliani has seen his standing in the polls grow by about 15 percentage points, to hover around 40 percent of possible primary voters.
He also proved last weekend his appeal can reach even the most conservative of audiences as he won the combined first and second choice ballot at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll. And Mr. Giuliani's camp says they haven't even put their full team on the field yet.
"What's fascinating, even more than just this whole notion about the conservatives, is generally speaking, he's doing so well for really not having started the campaign in earnest yet," said Jim Nussle, a former member of Congress and gubernatorial candidate in Iowa who has signed on with Mr. Giuliani.
"We are starting to remember the common denominator that was successful for President Reagan, and that was strength, growth and opportunity," Mr. Nussle said.
At the same time, the results from this weekend's CPAC straw poll show Mr. Giuliani's appeal to conservatives.
Among those who said their core conservative belief was security, Mr. Giuliani topped the field with 25 percent.
And he won 21 percent of those whose core belief was individual freedom and limited government, good for second place behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"At CPAC, there wasn't one person in the room who did not specifically know his positions on just about every issue," Mr. Nussle said. "This is one of the most savvy conservative groups you could speak to."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
After the CPAC straw poll, it will be hard to anyone to say Rudy can't get the nomination. He just about won the straw poll made up of well-informed, hard-core conservatives. And of course he will clean up among the moderate Republicans and independents (in states that allow them to vote in Republican primaries). The one thing that could derail Rudy would be if conservatives were pretty much unanimous in opposing him. But the CPAC poll shows that is far from the case.
You can never overrate likeability. Rudy has it, Reagan had it, and like it or not, so did Bill Clinton.
BINGO!! Likeability is a big part of it. Post of the day.
Rudy is going to be like playdoh as the primaries continue; twisting himself into all sorts of shapes to be all things to everyone.
Guess what. I ain't voting for him.
Rudy not only has likeability, he also has authenticity, and trustability. All 3 together are what Reagan had as well.
Hillary is the Barbaroe of thoroughbreds and Rudy is a true Texas Quarterhorse with a New York state of mind
Rudy and Clinton, I see the similarities. Likeable, maybe for some libs or mods, but not for anyone close to conservative.
I think we need a larger picture. LOL.
THOROUGHBREDS? Duncan Hunter? John McCain? Mitt Romney? Newt? The reason Giuliani is doing well is because the social conservatives don't have any thoroughbreds who can successfully appeal to swing voters.
LOL. So much for "core beliefs."
Rudy was in here in Indianapolis, yesterday:
1. He completely dodged the gun control argument. Other people were trying to "explain" that he only favored gun control in NYC, and that he said it wasn't for the rest of the US, but his statements stand by themselves.
2. After he explained all the great things he's done for NYC, he had the nerve to say that his policies were being continued by "another Republican".
If Bloomberg is Rudy's idea of a "Republican", then I've got some idea where he'd like to take the Republican Party.
No thanks.
Democrats and Rudy Rooters go by feelings, not issues.
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This is why the debates are SOOOO important. ISSUES MUST BE ON THE TABLE AND DISCUSSED OPENLY. The rotten MSM will do everything it can to water down any pro-American, conservative critical thinking...so it is up to the individual candidates to make their pitch. I strongly hope Newt is in the mix. He will make the points and ISSUES that face America very clear.
CPAC represents more the business conservatives and hawks than it does the social conservatives. Guiliani is going to have a fun time explaining his pro abortion, pro gun control, and press conference divorces to the social conservatives.....a voting block that will make up it's own mind.
"and like it or not, so did Bill Clinton."
He did? Oh yeahhhhhhhh,come to think of it the North Koreans and communist Chinese liked him alot !!!
..good observation
If there had been a better representation of the conservative base, IMO, that CPAC straw poll would have been very different...
You're way off base.
The hysteria comes from the abortion centric crowd. They flail about spewing self righteous, moral indignation while never presenting politically astute strategies to advance their issue.
The Rudy crowd seem to be the ones who are thinking with an open mind as to how to advance the issues important to them.
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