Posted on 03/13/2007 2:27:45 PM PDT by Spiff
Despite former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's lead in the polls, Republican insiders say the GOP base is so divided and Giuliani's ascension is so fragile that the party's presidential nomination for 2008 is totally up for grabs.
"I've never seen the party so split," says a GOP strategist with close ties to evangelical Christians.
Giuliani, despite his strong image from 9/11, consistently falls well short of a majority. The latest CNN survey gives him a 34-18 lead over John McCain in the race for the Republican nomination.
"Contrary to the view inside the Beltway," the strategist says, "we don't have anybody who is the torch bearer or who is remotely agreed upon."
There is also a growing belief among social conservatives that the race isn't starting too early, as some pundits and White House political architect Karl Rove have said. Instead, the GOP rank and file welcomes the early start of the campaign because they will need a long time to assess all the candidates and see how they operate under pressure. Many social conservative activists argue that Giuliani's lead in the polls will begin melting away as the year wears on and as conservatives scrutinize his liberal record on abortion, gun control, and gay rights.
"For very good reasons, the base will say 'no thanks' to Rudy," says the strategist. "Eventually there will be a reckoning."
He sees the start of that reckoning in the negative ripples among religious conservatives caused by recent news stories about the distant relationship between Giuliani and his son and about Giuliani's three marriages.
Please don't be taken in by this self-fulfilling prophecy.
Rudy is a liberal. His record is all documented and verified. Would you trust a President who openly believes in abortion, thinks that the 2nd Amendment is for hunting, to safeguard our guaranteed rights and freedoms?
If 2006 taught us anything it is that the religious right is politically out of touch. Their support is a net negative in most of the swing states.
Indeed. Now is the time to get behind and push for Hunter. Since the "chosen" chose to come out so early, Hunter needs our push now.
Look, it will come down to the primaries...whoever wins the primary will get the votes in November. There is absolutely no harm in backing anyone until then.
Let's give support to Duncan...the vote will happen no matter what.
FMCDH(BITS)
Even the south is evolving into a secular, urban majority. Giuliani is appealing to a large number of these folks, and the most of the rural bible thumpers will compromise when push comes to shave.
When are the highly esteemed and all knowing publican leadership going to make mincemeat out of hillary? If the pub-powers-that-be had a sack with the jewels still in it, she wouldn't stand a chance.
Hahahaha!!!! When will our "leaders" dare to speak the unmitigated truth about her all over the news outlets? Hahahaha!.....never!
She is an easy target to utterly destroy if the "men" in our party had any balls. (I don't want to hear about any frikkin' FBI files either!)
FMCDH(BITS)
Rudy isn't polling at 34 percent in a general election. He polls in the hi 40's against Hillary in the low 40's. He beats her easily in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and is competitive in California and New York while sweeping the red states. He does even better against Obama. Goodness, what other candidate can accomplish that?
That's true. A Clinton presidency would be horrendous, but at least we would still have a voice. With Guiliani, he will be head of the Republican Party, and in turn he will swing the party left. There is no need for two parties left of center.
I know that many social conservatives are not going to support a social liberal like Rudy. As a Dem told me, if Rudy wins, they call it a "moral victory".
What have you won if you compromised everything you've stood for?
Rofl!
Rudy did work hard in 2006 to get republicans elected.
The democrats won the house, AND the senate.
And now Rudy is supposed to get republicans elected in 2008?
"Rudy is the stalking horse for the return of the Rockefeller Republicans, IMHO."
Wow. One of our senators is a Rockefeller. Maybe he can be VP. They agree on most everything.
"Giuliani, despite his strong image from 9/11, consistently falls well short of a majority"
Just as many of us have been saying all along!
I'll vote for Duncan or Fred.....I WILL NOT VOTE FOR RUDY...I'll leave the ballot blank or write in Duncan or Fred........
Period
NJ Right, PA WRONG, (CA?), and NY really WRONG.
Also..
These are the latest Quinnipiac polls.
And Rudy 'sweeping' Red States? Please, give me some of what you're smoking. 70% of the people have no idea of Rudy's position on Guns, Gays and Abortion - or anything is. He 'leads' by name recognition. When those items come out Rudy won't win any Southern or Western red state.
Oh, and no POTUS has ever won without taking his home state, just ask President Gore. Sheesh, with Rudy it will be a Dem bloodbath - like LBJ's win over Goldwater.
Play the Electoral College 'Game'. And for fun give Rudy every Red & Blue state that touches water on both coasts (even Mass (hahaha) - except NY since he's losing BIG there. Rudy comes up with 234 EVs, or 36 short. Heck give him NY, that's 265 - STILL short. But since Rudy WON'T win every coast state his actual number is around 126 - a slaughter.
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