Posted on 04/17/2007 9:05:10 PM PDT by FairOpinion
The News: Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens Jr. emerges as a leading fund raiser for Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani.
The Upshot: Mr. Giuliani so far has raised more money in this key state than all Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.
T. Boone Pickens Jr. has made most of his estimated $2.5 billion fortune in the oil market over the past eight years. Now, the Texan is betting big money on a bull market in another commodity: the presidential candidacy of Rudy Giuliani.
The 78-year-old hedge-fund manager and former corporate raider says he has raised more than $500,000 for Mr. Giuliani's campaign.
Mr. Pickens says he first met Mr. Giuliani at the taping of a television show in 1987. But he didn't see him again until 2001, when, as New York City's mayor, Mr. Giuliani welcomed him to his office after Mr. Pickens made a $1 million personal donation to the Twin Towers Fund that helped families of firefighters and police officers killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack.
Impressed by Mr. Giuliani's handling of the attack, Mr. Pickens says he got to know Mr. Giuliani better over dinner at the home of Mr. Bailey in April 2005. Mr. Pickens says he asked Mr. Giuliani then whether he would consider a presidential run. "He said his business was going well and he wasn't sure," Mr. Pickens recalls.
Mr. Pickens backed President Bush in the 2004 election. ... he did contribute $3 million to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and its controversial advertising campaign attacking the Vietnam War record of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee.
"Stylistically, Texans like the Giuliani swagger," says Republican political consultant Roger Stone. "He's a tough guy, and Texans like tough guys."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
(((((( RUDY PING )))))
Forbes, then T. Boone, there are some pretty serious folks supporting Rudy.
They understand what’s at stake.
I’m one Texan who has no use for Boone Pickens, and little to no use for Guillani.
I agree that Texans will like Giuliani's style. They don't cotton to wimps down there. But there is also a bible belt subculture in Texas (they still have dry counties), and he will meet that head on. It will be interesting to see.
I graduated from the University of North Texas, married a Texan, and currently winter in Texas, so I know a bit about the place. The Hill Country is one of the best places on earth, IMHO.
The current wimp factor in the republican leadership is going to create a backlash in favor of Rudy IMO.
When will this madness end?
I read some poll internals that Rudy is leading among every category Republicans, including evangelicals.
LOL!
Yes, all these flaming liberals, like Forbes and Pickens are supporting Giuliani. (/sarc)
Likewise.
Rudy's got his hand in all the annointed camps of the Pubbie party. There was the Kerek fiasco with Bush wanting to "hep" Rudy grease in a mafia connected Commissioner into Homeland Security, then we got the oil barons pushing Rudy, the same guys who pushed out Delay and brought RINO rule.
Rudy wants to be their liberal "boy."
We have seen what these folks brought the Pubbie Party over the last 7 years, and it ain't all good. Praps only a little of it was good because they folded on illegal aliens and other conservative agenda issues.
Thompson or Hunter would make far better presidents that a T. Boone Pickens nominee.
Well, They’ll just love Rooty Toot then.
“According to The London Times, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani gives kisses before he leaves every morning, but to neither his estranged wife, nor his girlfriend. Instead, says The Times, “Sir Rudy” gives a peck on the cheek to the two homosexual men he’s living with.
“We always get a little kiss, it’s cute,” says wealthy car dealer Howard Koeppel, with whom Giuliani has been sharing an apartment since June. When Giuliani was recently knighted, Koeppel tells The Times that he told “Sir Rudy” to call him “Queen Howard.” Koeppel (63) and his homosexual lover Mark Hsiao (41) have been comforting Giuliani, and trying to make him laugh, in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks......
http://www.cwfa.org/printerfriendly.asp?id=318&department=cfi&categoryid=cfreport
Its all about Fred Thompson now. If he gets in, Rudy is toast. If he doesn’t, its probably Rudy. The only thing that can save McCain now IMO is a radical turnaround not only in Iraq, but COVERAGE of Iraq, which is about as likely as Rosie O’Donnell falling in love with Newt Gingrich.
If Fred T gets in, It’s MCCAIN, then Pres Hillary — as some of us have been saying all along.
MCCAIN GAIN IN GOP POLL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1818582/posts
“Rudy Giuliani’s lead in the polls has started slipping, putting struggling Sen. John McCain within striking distance in the Republican presidential race - but only if Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich jumps in, a new poll shows. “
He put all his blemishes out there early and still leads decisively in the polls. Once Republicans get over the shock of his abortion and gun positions, they'll look at the man and his incredible determination, and they'll decide he is the most potent weapon the party has to carry the banner into 08.
The guy is a formidable bulldog, self-made, and a force to be reckoned with. He is a helluva campaigner. He keeps moving forward, and the religious right can't seem to keep him in their sights long enough to get a shot at him.
The Rockefeller wing needs to fully retire in 2009.
We need a true Conservative.
If this is so, it may lead some credence to the theory that most Republicans do not know Rudy is pro-choice. Or it may mean that even among evangelicals, they trust and like him in spite of his abortion position. Time will tell.
He has taken a bit of a dip in the polls in the past week or so, mostly because of the abortion issue, I think. But he needed to get it out there early, take his licks and then move past it. The fact that he continues to lead decisively means he will overcome it, I think.
Rudy is going to rip new ones, not only in the dims’ white flag hindies, but rip new ones in the islamofascist whiners.
“We need a true Conservative.”
Why, so Hillary can win all fifty states?
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