Posted on 02/13/2007 9:04:27 AM PST by meg88
'America's mayor' in strong position for '08
With the 2008 race off to a fast start, there have already been some big surprises (Obama, anyone?). But the biggest shocker so far has to be how strong "America's mayor" is running in the polls.
The most recent poll has Giuliani leading the Republican field by five points (with 31 percent to John McCain's 26 percent, according to Real Clear Politics). True, it's early. But the numbers do reflect a deep reservoir of support among some GOP primary voters.
Giuliani has a few things going in his favor. For starters, he has incredible name recognition. In what's shaping up to be a field of outsized personalities for both parties, Giuliani may well loom largest. He formed a bond with Americans in the wake of Sept 11., and his handling of that event is still strongly appreciated.
Largely because of this, the National Journal noted that Giuliani enters the race more admired and more-liked than "any presidential candidate since Eisenhower."
As is probably apparent, this columnist is elated at the prospect of a Giuliani candidacy. I've long admired him not only for his leadership after Sept. 11, but for his take-no-prisoners style when governing New York.
Here's one example: For decades, education in New York City followed a strict routine. The mayor went to Albany to request more funds, and the sate legislators grudgingly granted it. That changed with Giuliani.
When legislators asked him the almost scripted question of whether additional money was needed for city schools, Giuliani stunned the assembly by saying that the system was so broken, more money was useless. Instead, he promised a "relentless campaign" to "literally crush the cost of bureaucracy in the school system."
The best Giuliani moment, however, had to be his showdown with the late Palestinian leader (and terrorist enabler) Yasser Arafat. When Giuliani was a U.S. attorney, he investigated some of Arafat's activities - and learned that he was hardly the man of peace commonly supposed.
So when Arafat was in town for a U.N. conference and showed up uninvited to a concert at the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, the mayor knew exactly what to do. He kicked him out.
The incident caused an uproar. Former mayor Ed Koch declared that "Giuliani has behavioral problems," and the Clinton administration was angered at Giuliani's boldness. Giuliani, however, was not swayed. "My only regret," he told an aide, "was that I didn't throw him out myself." Actions like this earned Giuliani the ire of Democrats everywhere in the '90s.
If he goes deep into the primaries, liberals will undoubtedly dredge this and other incidents up in an attempt to portray him as racially insensitive. But nothing will reassure Republicans that Giuliani can be trusted more than the sight of Al Sharpton denouncing him.
So what does this all mean? There's no denying that Giuliani will have a tough time getting the nomination, but it's hardly impossible. As Sam Brownback, George Pataki, or any other Republican no-names could tell you, there are worse places to be than at 31 percent.
Andrew Buttaro is a Heights staff columist. He welcomes comments at buttaroa@bcheights.com.
Go Rudy! He is looking better day by day. Who would have thought that in 2008 we may have a decent shot of taking California and New York?
Last time we took California was with Ronald Reagan.
Okay, I have openly DESPISED his candidacy, and would sooner vote for Hillary in the 2008 election to save the issues I care about in the GOP. But I love this quote:
---"Giuliani, however, was not swayed. "My only regret," he told an aide, "was that I didn't throw him out myself."---
Actually it was in 1988, with Bush Senior.
Regards, Ivan
He is certainly liberal enough to win any blue state.
Bttt!
Thanks for the correction. I didn't know that. That is stunning that Senior President Bush was able to take California. It seems almost impossible now.
I don't think so:
Hillary leads Dems, Republicans in poll: NY voters would choose senator over Obama, Giuliani 2/4/07
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783559/posts
Hillary 53%
Rudy 32%
A 21-point deficit in New York State.
of course Bush '88 was pretty much a third election win for the Gipper. On his own in '92, he didn't fare so well.
Giuliani is NO Ronald Reagan.
We carried California with Bush #41. I would hope that
Gov. Arnold would actively support and push for Guilani
and then it would become very intresing....If we in
California push for this..it would mean a big boost for
all - Congress and Senate..makin '08....the big one
for our guys... JK
I vote on the issues of individual liberty and freedom. Rudy looks like a collectivist true believer to me. Is he really different than any of the leftist candidates the Dems are fielding?
That's true.
My mayor is pro second amendment, pro-life, pro-traditional-marriage and doesn't dress in drag.
Now op-eds from COLLEGE NEWSPAPERS are news?? This "The Heights" is the paper of Boston College for Pete's sake. What's next, articles from High School newspapers????
This cr@p is nothing but...
So golly gee whiz, I'm sure glad that this COLLEGE STUDENT Andrew Buttaro piped in with Rudy endorsement. I can't wait to hear from his little sister whose in 7th grade.
He will be the next President IMHO.
He will be the next President IMHO.
Impossible?
No!
Just be a liberal, and you can win both states. What is impossible about that?
So when Arafat was in town for a U.N. conference and showed up uninvited to a concert at the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, the mayor knew exactly what to do. He kicked him out.
The incident caused an uproar. Former mayor Ed Koch declared that "Giuliani has behavioral problems," and the Clinton administration was angered at Giuliani's boldness. Giuliani, however, was not swayed. "My only regret," he told an aide, "was that I didn't throw him out myself." Actions like this earned Giuliani the ire of Democrats everywhere in the '90s.
PING
It should be posted in BLOGS, IMO.
((((PING))))
So college student votes don't count?
New York stateis overwhelmingly Dims, no?
I think what Hillary is most afriad of is to have to face Rudy in the general election.
Dang! He deserves my support for that statement alone!
Another reason to love the guy.
Voting perfection will get you Hellary for four years.
He's holding his ankles?
Gosh, I guess that explains how City of New York spending increased at twice the rate of inflation under his leadership.
Hillary is not afraid of him. Rudy dropped out of the NY senate race against her. Hillary is way ahead of Rudy in the NY polls.
sw
Have you noticed that none of these people seem to have anything positive to say about anyone? They claim to like Duncan Hunter, I guess, but they don't even post any pro-Hunter threads. They just swarm onto the Rudy threads and post the same tedious comments day-after-day-after-day. I first tried to engage them in reasonable discussion. When that didn't work, I just toyed with them as sport to watch them go ballistic. But there's no reaching them. Now, I don't even respond. It's best to ignore them.
According to SurveyUSA, one of the more accurate state-by-state polling organizations around, a Giuliani v. Hillary match-up would result in Giuliani winning 37 states, including the Blue States of Maine, Rhode Island, Conn., New Jersey, Penn., Michigan, and Oregon, for 354 electoral votes.
Thanks for the ping, Julie. Rudy isn't afraid of anyone and political correctness was pushed aside when he was Mayor of NYC, thank goodness.
This article also detailed how Rudy's intolerance for Anti-Semitism is legendary: (I've lost my link to the article which was posted on FR at one point)
The rebirth of New York City, the most visible urban achievement in the 20th century is the work of the person now dubbed America’s mayor. For the millions of Americans who live in New York and the millions more who work or whose livelihood has been affected by its revival the contrast between the pre and post Giuliani years could not be more striking.
His defense of Israel and intolerance for Arab and U.N. sponsored anti-Semitism is legendary.
He figuratively walked into the lion's den of a crime ridden, high tax, and decaying city and carried out a conservative agenda of tax cuts, crime reduction and, in the case of the Brooklyn Museum, defense of religion in the public square. On this count Giuliani seems to be the winner in the public character category for his extraordinary vision and leadership.
But there's no reaching them. Now, I don't even respond. It's best to ignore them.
He figuratively walked into the lion's den of a crime ridden, high tax, and decaying city and carried out a conservative agenda of tax cuts, crime reduction and, in the case of the Brooklyn Museum, defense of religion in the public square. On this count Giuliani seems to be the winner in the public character category for his extraordinary vision and leadership.
That same "accurate" poll has John Edwards winning all 50 states against Newt Gingrich.
And the poll CERTAINLY doesn't take the third party candidate who WILL be there to Rudy's right.
Very good points... For someone on this thread saying that Hillary has no qualms about facing Rudy in the General -- I assume he/she thinks that Hillary is shaking in her boots about facing Duncan Hunter.
The Rudy-phobes seem like the "conservatives" who followed Ross Perot over the cliff resulting in the first 4 years of Bubba. While many might think those years weren't so bad, I would only have to point to the terrorist attack on the WTC in 1993 -- one of the starting points for the path to 9-11. The only reason 1993-1996 wasn't a disaster was because Reagan/Bush had won the cold war and handed off a country going into the "end of history" period in which the military could be cut and the economy could even withstand the tax rate increases Bubba was stupid enough to push. We know where all that led.
Ditto and advice I am following with a few exceptions. It's simply not worth it. When I see the serial spammers trash talking good conservatives like Rep. Sessions, I know they've jumped the shark.
Indeed.
Why are we looking at polls now, isnt it too early? That's all I hear whenever a postive Rudy poll shows up, guess the negative polls are accurate!... ;)
My elementary school niece writes for her school paper, I will ask who she is endorsing... LOL
Look.
All I was doing was proving that Rudy isn't going to put NY into the red column, as many - MANY - Rudophiles declare.
It is utterly ridiculous to think ANY Republican is going to carry NY in 2008.
It is utterly ridiculous to think ANY Republican is going to carry NY in 2008.
And I was just pointing out the double standard some apply when it comes to Rudy. The world has changed since 9/11, people have changed and their priorities along with them. I wouldn't rule out Rudy or any other Republican from taking a blue state, states have flipped before and will do so again, So, it isnt a ridiculous idea as you suggest. This country is begging for a leader to take back control from liberals and their cowardice, and no I don't consider Rudy a liberal so don't say it!... ;).
---" and no I don't consider Rudy a liberal so don't say it!... ;)."---
That is a fundamental disagreement with my opinion. I do firmly believe he is a Liberal in the mold of Joe Lieberman, who is also a Liberal.
But the Democrats will win NY. Just a couple of years after 9/11 - when Bush was a hero in NY - he lost in a relative landslide in NY. That's just the way it is, sadly.
Winning in 2008 is going to be dependent on MAXIMIZING base turnout and not getting flanked by a third party. Rudy fails both of these tests. Bush lost Indies and Moderates in both 2000 and 2004 (54 to 45 for Kerry), and won both elections.
Indies are not going to go Republican - especially after eight years of GOP in the White House - in the massive, landslide amounts needed to overcome losing a biting chunk of the base. Especially when you accept the fact that Rudy will be trying to sell them a war they greatly dislike.
That is a fundamental disagreement with my opinion. I do firmly believe he is a Liberal in the mold of Joe Lieberman, who is also a Liberal.
Our fundamental disagreement is productive discussion, and it's ok with me.
But the Democrats will win NY. Just a couple of years after 9/11 - when Bush was a hero in NY - he lost in a relative landslide in NY. That's just the way it is, sadly.
I may have missed it but to what are referring when you say he lost in a landslide?
Winning in 2008 is going to be dependent on MAXIMIZING base turnout and not getting flanked by a third party. Rudy fails both of these tests. Bush lost Indies and Moderates in both 2000 and 2004 (54 to 45 for Kerry), and won both elections.
Base turn out will play a role as it always does, however this isnt any ordinary election. Many like to deny it but this is election for our survival, Islam isnt going away and no Democrat will confront the threat.
We may see many independents and moderates cross over to the Republicans this election. You can call me naive and maybe I am, I know that no one wants to compromise, but sometimes we have to bite the bullet. Rudy isnt going to run around the country confiscating guns, or doing any of the other things some fear he may do. That is just my opinion, and I do believe if we don't win the WOT we aren't going to have to worry about our guns, or anything else we hold near and dear.
Indies are not going to go Republican - especially after eight years of GOP in the White House - in the massive, landslide amounts needed to overcome losing a biting chunk of the base. Especially when you accept the fact that Rudy will be trying to sell them a war they greatly dislike.
Again we disagree, if the war on terror is important to them, they may consider Rudy the right man for the job.
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