Posted on 04/15/2007 2:11:55 PM PDT by NapkinUser
It is hard to shock New Yorkers, yet Rudy Giuliani teetered close to the line when he sauntered onto a stage wearing a platinum-blond wig, a face full of makeup, white gloves and a pink gown filled out in all the right places.
His appearance at an annual political roast was exactly 10 years ago. At the time, the idea of the tough-talking mayor in a ball gown raised eyebrows but was mostly accepted as a good joke -- all part of the shenanigans at the roast known as the Inner Circle dinner.
After winning re-election that year, Giuliani took his feminine side to a national audience. While hosting ''Saturday Night Live,'' he appeared as a bosomy, gray-haired Italian grandmother, with stockings pulled halfway up his calves.
Now that Giuliani is running for the Republican presidential nomination, experts and political observers are wondering whether those well-photographed and widely documented performances -- and others -- could damage his campaign. Some say conservatives won't get the joke. Political observers say many voters associate a macho demeanor with Giuliani's post-Sept. 11 image -- an image that could lose its power if he's dressed as a woman.
His take: 'I enjoy having fun'''People think of him as a leader and a tough guy, and he has this image as somebody who tamed the city of New York and made the trains run on time, and seeing him dressed up like a girl would run contrary to all of those things,'' said political science professor Neal Thigpen of Francis Marion University in South Carolina.
South Carolina has one of the nation's earliest presidential primaries next year, and as the first Southern contest, it could set the stage for the region. With conservative voters dominating presidential primaries, some experts say the footage of Giuliani cavorting about in women's wear could damage his chances. The images are showing up on the Internet, including a mock campaign ad on YouTube.
Others say the gender-bending gags won't matter. In Nevada, another state with an early caucus, Republicans would be unfazed, said Heidi Smith, chairwoman of the Republican Party in Washoe County. Giuliani impressed Reno citizens in a campaign appearance there last month that included a trip to Costco, during which he mingled with shoppers. ''That meant more than seeing him in drag,'' Smith said. Giuliani's first drag appearance, in 1997, featured a Marilyn Monroe impression. In his most famous appearance, a spoof of the musical comedy ''Victor/Victoria,'' in which a woman pretends to be a man pretending to be a woman, Giuliani quipped: ''I already play a Republican playing a Democrat playing a Republican.
For conservatives le backing Giuliani because of his support for abortion and other positions on social issues, the dresses may remind them of his support of gays -- despite the fact most cross-dressers are not gay.
A poison-pen mailer or an e-mail could easily imply a connection, observers say. ''I'm imagining the negative ads -- they could use this as sort of an oblique reference,'' said Clemson University political scientist Dave Woodard.
Asked this month about his theatrical past, Giuliani told Fox News that it shows voters another side of him.
''I think what they'll find out about me is I enjoy having fun,'' he said.
Ping.
But, like you said it was a joke and most reasonable people seem to understand that.
Also check out the internals:
RG has 60% favorability rating among R primary voters, with only 10% negative. What is even more interesting that after another month of Rudy bashing, his favorability rating is UP from a month ago: 48% in March to 60% in April, and his unfavorability rating is down from 12% to 10%. The undecideds went from 40% to 30%, meaning that ALL those previously undecided now have a favorite opinion of RG, and 2% of those who has an unfavorable opinion, now have a favorable opinion.
Looks like the more people learn about him, the more they like him.
The Rudy bashing just doesn’t get traction — that’s why he will win the Republican nomination and can also beat Hillary.
This is the third time I’ve seen this same article posted here. Do different papers use different titles for the same article?
“But apparently some people, especially on FR, have no sense of humor.”
Exactly — that is all they are demonstrating, by this obsessive dwelling on this joke.
Get back to me in January. Polls now are so meaningless...no worder that’s all the Rudymites have to cling on to!
Parties’ nominees likely to be decided by early February
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1817843/posts
“This speedup would heavily favor well-funded, well-known front-runners, such as New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who leads her chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, and former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who has lengthened his lead for the Republican nomination by double-digit margins, according to most polls. “
How Reliable Are the Early Presidential Polls?
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/410/how-reliable-are-the-early-presidential-polls
“In seven open Republican contests since 1960, the early front-runners held on to win the party nod six times. By contrast, early Democratic poll leaders won four out of eight open contests between 1960 and 2004. “
Key word being reasonable. Not a lot of reason on the Rudy threads here lately, just a bunch of kooks.
He admits he's not a Republican. Interesting.
I wonder just how many “others” there were. Do it once and it's a joke... when it becomes your 'shtick'... that's another story altogether.
He’s got better legs than hitlery.
So it's not set in stone. Thanks for proving my point.
I never wanted to do this job, this whole mayor, politics gig in the first place!
I... I wanted to be...
A TRANSVESTITE!
He shows his knees, he skips and jumps,
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women’s clothing
And hangs around.... In bars???????
CHORUS
I show my knees, I wear high heels,
Suspendies and a bra.
I wish I’d been a girlie
Just like my dear papa.
Mounties: He shows his knees, he wears high heels
Suspendies?? and a .... a Bra????
(spoken, raggedly) What’s this? Wants to be a *girlie*? Oh, My!
And I thought you were so rugged! Poofter!
CHORUS
All: He’s a transvestite, and he’s okaaaaaaayyy..... (BONG)
Sound Cue: The Liberty Bell March, by John Phillip Sousa.
Additionally, in February of 1999 Bush had a 79% favorability rating among Republican voters and by that same month he had already hit 40%+ in the primary polling. Giuliani numbers have been stagnant or declining. He is essentially polling at the same percentage he was in November of 2006. In May of 1999 Bush broke the 50% barrier and 60% by June. Elizabeth Dole was polling 24% in May of 1999, Rudy just polled at 27% in the ARG poll.
I think it's a bit early to get excited about the poll numbers.
Roooooooooooooooody will not carry the south. Thompson on the other hand will mop the floor w/rooooooooooooooooooody.
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