Posted on 09/19/2007 4:26:24 AM PDT by IrishMike
Early in my career as a political speechwriter, a young but wise campaign manager explained why candidates from the same party too often tear each other to pieces in the primaries. He told me that when all the candidates of your party are shooting at the probable opponent from the other party, your frontrunner is going to get shot in the back. I thought of that analogy the other day as I read about Rudy Giuliani’s potent political attacks on Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, the frontrunner for the Democrats’ presidential nomination, stuck George Soros’ giant left foot in her mouth attempting to do the bidding of MoveOn.org. For the entire world to see, Hillary decided that a Senate committee hearing would be a good place to call a decorated war hero, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of American forces in Iraq, a liar. Parroting the same extremist nonsense that is rapidly making the folks at MoveOn the leading leftist nutters of the blogosphere, Hillary’s comments landed with a clank in most parts of America, most notably at the Giuliani for President Campaign headquarters.
The previous week, the folks running the nation’s premiere agenda-driven newspaper, The New York Times, embarrassed themselves by substantially discounting the now-infamous, full-page, MoveOn ad calling Gen. Petraeus “Gen. Betray Us.” Apparently, The Times management doesn’t realize that George Soros can afford the full rate.
Adding to their heartburn was former New York City Mayor and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who demanded and got the same $65,000 rate for what normally would be $165,000 worth of ad space. (Can you imagine anyone ever again paying the full rate for a full-page ad after this fiasco?) Rudy used the opportunity to excoriate Hillary for her cowardly submission to the anti-war Left and asked America who they trusted more, the senator or the general.
Rather than firing back at his opponents, Rudy is focusing on his likely Democrat challenger. Instead of answering the attacks of Mitt Romney and others in his party who are running behind him in the polls, Giuliani is acting as if he is already the Republican nominee.
Let me say again that even though Giuliani is tough on crime and terrorism, I don’t like his domestic agenda at all. As a pro-life, pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, pro-Second Amendment Republican, I find him far too liberal on most social issues. As my son said to me recently, “Rudy Giuliani is a just Democrat who’s willing to blow stuff up.”
I also find Giuliani’s personal life to be downright offensive. In some ways, he makes Bill Clinton look stable. At least Clinton never had Monica Lewinsky move into the White House and openly live with him like then-Mayor Giuliani did when he had his girlfriend (now his wife) move into Gracie Mansion while he was still married to the mother of his children.
Having said all that, going after Hillary Clinton is a brilliant strategy. It makes Rudy look presidential. It makes his GOP opponents look small when they attack him. And it creates its own momentum. The more Giuliani acts like the heir apparent to the Republican nomination, the more voters will become comfortable with him.
Those of us who were looking to Fred Thompson as the fiscal and social conservative who could wrestle the GOP mantle away from hizzonor are becoming increasingly alarmed by the efficiency of the Giuliani campaign. As I wrote a few months ago, just as Democrats must find a way to turn red states blue, the converse is also true, and Rudy could change the color of the map radically. Consider the electoral vote-rich states that could fall into the GOP column with Giuliani as the nominee: California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and, of course, New York. That’s a strong temptation to many Republicans who simply want to win.
Giuliani is leading in most polls largely due to his record as a tough mayor who cleaned up America’s biggest, dirtiest city and because of his leadership in the aftermath of 9/11. The war against Islamist fanaticism demands an alternative to Hillary Clinton. Rudy Giuliani firmly believes he is that alternative. An alarming number of Republicans seem to agree with him.
Rudy would do for the National GOP what Pataki did for the GOP in NY State: beat it down, cut its throat, bleed it out and then bury it out by the fence.
Rudy’d be fine. He’d have his office. The rest of us would be down the crapper. The Dems would be left with NO OPPOSITION WHATSOEVER.
Well I certainly hope not, and I refuse to believe it.
I’m supporting Fred first and foremost, but I will vote for whomever is the GOP nominee, I’ve already made that commitment.
It’s just too damn important that we keep the Clintons from ever returning to the White House.
The Democrats are just trying to use Hillary as a way to sneak around the 22nd Amendment.
Only on Seinfeld.
Very true, Rudy is the only candidate to have previously lost an election to Hitlery.
Yikes! So early in the morning ...
‘Were that so, even now Pope Albino Luciani John Paul I would be leading the Holy Church.’
Wait a minute....isn’t this man somewhat dead?
Other than that...you and I see eye to eye.
Newman!
> Creideamh agus Muinín
Bí láidir is bíodh muinín agat i gcónaí
We’re Scots in my family, and gaelic is, alas, not my strength (but I’m learning!). If you ever find yourself in Auckland, Irish Mike, do look me up, be my Guest, and we’ll sink a pint or three of Guinness at the RSA.
“Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.”
“I am the Chieftain of my Clan. I bow to nobody. Get out of my way.”
...or so we say in my Family.
Stay well!
*DieHard*
Wed Sep 19, 2007
In the 2008 White House race, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York led the Democratic field with 35 percent. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was second with 21 percent and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina was third with 10 percent.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden drew the support of about 3 percent each.
For Republicans, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani led the 2008 field with 26 percent, while newly minted candidate Fred Thompson, a former senator and Hollywood actor, was second with 24 percent.
Arizona Sen. John McCain was third at 13 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was fourth with 7 percent.
In both parties, about 20 percent of likely voters said they had not made up their minds, leaving plenty of room for the races to shift.
The national telephone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Thanks for correcting your mistake.
Big question for Rudy will be who is your VP running mate? Would be wise to pick someone who is conservative on social issues and who has history of supporting border enforcement.
Even if nominated, Rudy will never occupy the White House. The Reagan coalition well scatter to the winds. Millions of pro-life, pro-family Christian conservatives will drop off the Republican voter rosters. Conservatism within the Republican party will be dead. The Republican party will be dead. RIP RINOs. Let the new conservative party rise from the ashes.
This is how he is campaigning in an important Florida city
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1898436/posts
Jim,
I bet you would vote for a Guiliani/Hunter ticket.
I have it on good authority from hundreds of Freepers that Thompson won’t even consider a VP nomination, and has ruled it out completely. I am told “End of story.”
I don’t follow that one. Seems like the best defense against socialism is to ensure Hillary’s defeat.
Thompson / Romney ?
I will never ever support or vote for the constitution trampling abortionist Rudy Giuliani on any end of the ticket.
Rudy was never in the race. It was only speculated that he might enter the race.
> Wait a minute....isn’t this man somewhat dead?
He is, indeed. Luciani was murdered at an age far too young. A horrible loss! Conceivably, had he been able to live long enough to see his Papacy thru, he could yet still be Pope.
A wonderful man and an abject loss. And the guilty parties will never see Justice on this side of Elysium.
But wait! Just wait. Eternity is a very long time, and the Judge cannot be easily fooled.
God willing, one day I will meet him.
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