Free Republic

NEW YORK – Another sign of how much New York has changed: The most influential source of political ideas is a conservative think tank that was founded by Margaret Thatcher's mentor and Ronald Reagan's spymaster. Manhattan Institute president Lawrence Mone (left) with Myron Magnet, editor of the Institute’s influential magazine City Journal. The Manhattan Institute was a speck on the margins of the city's political landscape when it opened in 1978, promoting the un-New Yorkerish notions of free-market economics, conservative values and the dismantling of the welfare state.Now, 20 years later, it dominates political discussions and helps set the agenda....

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Well-connected public figures report that they have been told recently by Rudolph Giuliani that, as of now, he intends to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. The former mayor of New York was on top of last month's national Gallup poll measuring presidential preferences by registered Republicans, with 29 percent. Sen. John McCain's 24 percent was second, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich third at 8 percent. National polls all year have shown Giuliani running either first or second to McCain, with the rest of the presidential possibilities far behind. Former New York City Mayor...

There's no doubt about it, writes columnist Robert Novak: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is running for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. Novak made this declaration in his July 8 nationally syndicated column, reporting that friends of Giuliani confided he has told them of his intention to run for the White House. Giuliani - dubbed "America's Mayor" for his cool courage and spectacular leadership during his city's 9/11 emergency - leads at least one national poll, beating runner-up Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., by a healthy five points, Novak reports, citing last month's national Gallup poll that measured...