Lest we forget the "melting pot" that is NYC and always has been, Rudy was an old school *tough* Democrat originally, and only changed his party affiliation to Republican when President Reagan offered him the job of US Attorney for the District of New York, and *only* if he changed his affiliation to Republican. Reagan, (another "old school" tough former Democrat) insisted, and so Rudy changed his stripes in order to get the job.
OK, we may call them RINO's and we may call them liberals in Republican clothing ... but the brutal reality is that no true conservative would ever be able to attain high elective office in the melting pot of New York, it just isn't in the cards given the historic social fabric of this region.
Rudy as Governor of New York? OK, that would work.
Rudy as President of the United States? Nope, ain't gonna happen.
My father always said that the position of Mayor of NYC is a dead end job ... no NYC Mayor has ever gone on to attain higher political office. Rudy could have been the first to achieve the governorship, but instead he overreached and shot for president instead, thereby damaging not only his national image, but right here at home too. It would have been a slam-dunk in '06, but now its an uphill battle if he decides to run for governor in 2010.
Rudy as Vice President of the United States?
Yes, he will be too busy arguing to heed any suggestions from McDole to play nice and apologize to Democrats. I hate that he is liberal too, but if they can win on conservative ideas and keep Democrats from passing massive tax increases, it the least I can do for the young to have more opportunity.
Are the "minorities" now the majority? If they are, Rudy ain't gotta prayer. when Rudy ran for Mayor, things in NYC had gotten so bad , that even the powerful NYC Jewish Liberal voting block threw some weight behind Rudy. Once he got the town straightened out, and his character defects, which are many, started to show, they couldn't wait to get rid of him. The town got so safe and even livable, that perhaps the limousine-liberals found it too boring.
Rudy will take the upstate Irish-Italian- Catholic-Normal-People-vote, a lot of which is closet-democrat in nature, probably will even carry Staten Island, but win the whole state? Fuggedaboutit. This guy is damaged goods.