Giuliani a surprise hit in S.C.

Hilton Head Island Packet, SC ^ | 11.05.07 | JOHN O’CONNOR

[rface]

Giuliani is in a statistical tie for first place with fellow GOP front-runners, former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.......

Rudy Giuliani was not supposed to compete in South Carolina.

The New York Yankee, pundits said, could not overcome his stances favoring gay rights, abortion or gun control. Social conservatives, they said, would torpedo him in the Palmetto State.

But with less than three months to go before South Carolina’s Republican primary, fresh polling shows Giuliani is in a statistical tie for first place with fellow GOP front-runners, former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Giuliani has been running at the front of the pack since entering the race last November, according to a number of polls. His ability to remain among the front-runners in the Palmetto State is a sign of the former New York City mayor’s broad support, said campaign spokesman Elliott Bundy. “The campaign has shown remarkable consistency in polls throughout the campaign.”

Giuliani has touted his leadership experience, pro-business policies, and support of the war on terror and strong national security. Giuliani also has cast himself as the Republican who can beat Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton, a fellow New Yorker.

Giuliani also has proven he can raise money, even in South Carolina

Giuliani leads all Republican candidates in individual donations, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis. And, with $16.7 million in his campaign war chest, Giuliani has $7 million more on hand than any other candidate.

An analysis by The State showed Giuliani raised more money in South Carolina last quarter than any other candidate.

That means Giuliani can afford to hit the airwaves in South Carolina.

“(Most of) the other candidates simply haven’t been putting the money into media yet,” said College of Charleston political scientist Bill Moore. Giuliani and Thompson, he said, “have the upside” to win over more voters.

But some also see troubling signs for Giuliani. Though Giuliani is among the leaders, newcomer Thompson is running stronger and Romney has gained ground, partially due to television advertising.

Giuliani, said Clemson University political scientist Dave Woodard, could be at his high-water mark in the Palmetto State.

Woodard’s polling shows a significant portion of GOP voters think unfavorably of Giuliani and social conservatives are skeptical.

“There’s going to be a lot of independent groups that are going to fill up South Carolina voters’ minds on social issues,” Woodard said. “They’re going to really rattle the tree here.

“I really think he’s going to take a real dive here.”

Woodard and Moore said South Carolina is not a must-win primary for Giuliani. Bundy said the campaign is focused on all 50 states, campaigning in Florida, California and other large states.

However, Bundy dismissed the idea that S.C. voters do not know where Giuliani stands.

“He’s been running for a year,” Bundy said. “People are very aware of where he stands and that’s why he’s doing well.”

West Columbia resident Claudette Lorick, a Republican who supports Giuliani, said her top three issues are winning the Iraq war, stopping illegal immigration and expanding access to health care.

But, most of all, Lorick said she favors Giuliani because she sees in him the one candidate with the steel to make hard decisions.

“Once ... the debating really begins,” Lorick said, “I think he’ll hold his own.”

[rface]

There is no longer any important differences between Fred Thompson and Hillary Cklinton.... BECAUSE NOW there's big problems with Good Ol' Boy, Fred Thompson - What's a good FReeper supposed to do?

Fred Thompson Rejects GOP's Pro-Life Platform Plank

[Fawn]

Looks like it’s going to be Rudy and Hitlery....

[The Wizard]

Trust me my fellow Freepers, as a former NYer who lived during Rudy’s tenure, he only did good things and didn’t waste time on the nonesense.....

Go Rudy Go...

[Uncledave]

ditto from this NYer

[madvlad]

You lived during Rudy’s tenure? Does that mean you are now talking to us
from beyond the grave?

MV

[Vaquero]

Giuliani: Gun control helped lower crime:

…most of Clintons Policies are very similar to most of mine... Rudy Giuliani 1996

On Abortion ...I’ve said that I’ll uphold a woman’s right to choice, that I will fund abortions so that a poor woman is not deprived of a right others can exercise… Rudy Giuliani 1989.

On Gun Control ...This is an industry that is profiting from the suffering of innocent people. What’s worse, its profits rest on a number of illegal and immoral practices. This lawsuit is meant to end the free pass that the gun industry has so long enjoyed... Rudy Giuliani 2000 after filing suit against gun makers and distributors.

On Gun Control ....We need a federal law that bans all assault weapons, and if in fact you do need a handgun you should be subjected to at least the same restrictions-and really stronger ones-that exist for driving an automobile... Rudy Giuliani 1997

from 1995 "The NRA, for some reason, I think goes way overboard. It's almost what the extremists on the other side do. I think the extremists of the left and the extremists of the right have essentially the same tactic — the slippery slope theory. `If you give one point, then your entire argument is going to fall apart,' and we kind of get destroyed by that," Giuliani said.

[SoConPubbie]

I see the Rudy Flacks are out in force today!

[Congressman Billybob]

My wife, the lovely and talented Michelle Mead, lived and worked in the Upper East Side for 14 years. She was there during Giuliani's entire time in office. (She was also two blocks from the WTC when the first Tower fell.) She echos your comments exactly. Rudy took on a City that was down the dumper under the Dinkins regime, and turned it around in all ways. He is someone who makes good decisions, and then carries them out effectively.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "Ma, They're Makin' Eyes at Me"

Here's my announcement of running for Congress in 2008.

[trisham]

You’re forgetting the Second Amendment and illegal immigration/sanctuary city issues. This was never a one-issue problem.

[dforest]

Looks like Hitlary will be POTUS.

[Ingtar]

What's a good FReeper supposed to do?

A good FReeper might begin by actually examining Thompson's position and see that what he said was not an antilife position at all. But then, some FReepers want any sort of excuse to support someone else. (Not necessarily you. We are talking about a hypothetical FReeper here.)

[Hazwaste]

Rudy Giuliani was not supposed to compete in South Carolina.

Well sure, in a 3-way race he's bound to do OK. Thompson and Mitt Mormny probably split the conservative vote.

[PGR88]

I don’t know the figures, but the Carolina’s population is probably 20% illegal, and 40% economic refugees and retirees from the Northeast. I am an upstate NY’er, and half my high school class lives there. Don’t be so surprised that people are used to Rudy in the South.

[samtheman]

This will be down to a 2 man race after NH. It’s going to be Fred vs. Romney, or Fred vs. Rudy.

Romney or Rudy... one of them will lose a lot of momentum in NH.

[ClarenceThomasfan]

“Looks like Hitlary will be POTUS”

No Hillary will be PIAPS (pig in a pantsuit) but she will NEVER be president. Fred, Mitt, Rudy or McCain will, but not Hillary.

[The Dude Abides]

You’re wasting your time poking these guys with sticks.

Any positive mention of Rudy on FR these days and you will be called an idiot, an a$$, a moron, a child, a Rootybot (a Rooty Flack now, although I don’t know what that is), and any number of other names.

Wait and see... it will get worse.

Its unimaginable to me that many on this forum will not accept Guiliani as the current Front Runner and debate his positions without resorting to DU tactics and personal attacks. But there you have it. The moderators don’t seem to mind.

[Mike10542]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rogue yam]

This article reads like a Julie-Annie press release. Its whole premise is polling that is never described.

And there is no one on this earth who thinks there are no important differences between FDT and HRC. You lie when you pretend to believe otherwise, rface.

Overall a very weak effort on your part.

[highball]

Trust me my fellow Freepers, as a former NYer who lived during Rudy’s tenure, he only did good things and didn’t waste time on the nonesense.....

Go Rudy Go...

Trust me, my fellow Freepers, if being a New Yorker means anything. Rudy is a lying RINO statist, steeped in cronyism, unfit for any public office.

Or you could not trust either one of us, and do some research into Rudy's history. The facts are on my side.