Could Bhutto's Death Help Giuliani?

The Washington Post ^ | December 27, 2008 | Chris Cillizza

[Senator Goldwater]

The assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was only minutes old and details remained sketchy when former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign issued a condemnation of terrorism writ large.

"Her death is a reminder that terrorism anywhere -- whether in New York, London, Tel-Aviv or Rawalpindi -- is an enemy of freedom," said Giuliani. " We must redouble our efforts to win the Terrorists' War on Us."

That it was the first statement that arrived in The Fix email inbox is not surprising as his campaign strategy is closely linked to many voters' belief that the world is a dangerous place and that Giuliani is the candidate best equipped to deal with threats to this country.

Bhutto's assassination could well work to Giuliani's benefit because it may enable him to thrust himself back into the daily political conversation after steadily losing ground in the presidential campaign for weeks, while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has come on strong. With his decision to all but skip Iowa and play only at the margins in the New Hampshire primary, Giuliani has watched as the campaign in its final stages has largely passed him by.

But, with the Bhutto's death and the broader implications of the fight against terrorism worldwide likely to dominate the coverage for the next day or two (at a minimum), Giuliani immediately becomes relevant again.

[Senator Goldwater]

Islamic jihadism remains the central issue for the 2008 electorate, and Rudy owns this issue better than most having led New York through the September 11th attacks on our country.

[BenLurkin]

Too many voters will see it as an issue of “girl power” more than anything else.

[counterpunch]

I think this issue has more to do with mid-east unrest and looming regional war, which plays to McCain’s strengths.

[Senator Goldwater]

Here’s the Post’s disclaimer about bad taste:

“And, before the criticism comes, we acknowledge that the assassination of Bhutto is an international tragedy. But, The Fix is a political blog — no apologies for that — and ANY event with this sort of international reach is sure to impact the way in which people think about the candidates and the campaign in this country. So, we write about it — and will continue to do so.”

[alicewonders]

Rudy doesn’t own this issue any more than most of the other GOP candidates do. He did what any competent mayor would have done under the same circumstances. I am tired of Rudy busting his gut to get out there FIRST with a statement to remind everyone that he was mayor during 9/11.

[Alberta's Child]

I don't see how these events could possibly help Giuliani's campaign.

For all her faults, Benazir Bhutto was more masculine than that lisping, effeminate New York City lawyer could ever be.

[Senator Goldwater]

Rudy doesn’t own this issue any more than most of the other GOP candidates do. He did what any competent mayor would have done under the same circumstances.

---

You apparently haven’t been in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Altanta, San Francisco, New Orleans etc etc.

[alicewonders]

I said any “competent” mayor.

[crz]

Absolutely. McCain is already jumping on the issue.

This very well could put him up top for good.
Time to stand back and watch-popcorn?

[cripplecreek]

It doesn’t help anyone no matter how many of them run out and act presidential.

[samm1148]

Christ! The poor woman isn’t even cold in the ground yet and she has become a campaign ploy. Stop it!

[kbennkc]

Bhutto returned to her country to bring democracy when everyone knew the danger . Rooty goes to the hospital for a headache .

[Condor51]

I heard on Fox that she was shot in the neck by a sniper. So Rooty being Rooty, in his next move he'll likely call for a world wide ban on 'sniper rifles' (I hope and pray he does).

In any case Rooty is a One Trick Pony, his 9-11 schtick has worn thin. He's old news and only morons would see Rooty as the sole answer to terrorism. His city was attacked, he didn't stop anything. His 'fighting terrorism experience' is less than zero.

[Savage Beast]

I hope so. I want a fiscal conservative (which is, in fact, liberalism) and a social liberal (which is, also, in fact, liberalism) in the White House.

Liberalism, of course, means free, freedom loving, open minded. It has nothing to do with the Left, which in Orwellian newspeak has dubbed itself "liberal" but is, in fact, the opposite.

[NeoCaveman]

Rudy G’s sentences “noun, verb, and 9/11”

[ElPatriota]

..Could Bhutto's Death Help Giuliani?..

Absolutely!... But only if he dresses up in drags as her! LOL

(Sorry, could not resist)

[iopscusa]

Here’s the DRat talking point: Bhutto returned to her country to bring democracy when everyone knew the danger!
Next up that Freedom Warrior, Condi Rice.

[sono]

John Podhoretz:

The horrifying assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan this morning comes only one week before the Iowa caucuses and 12 days before New Hampshire. It is a sobering and frightening reminder of the challenges and threats and dangers posed to the United States by radical Islam, the nature of the struggle being waged against the effort to extend democratic freedoms in the Muslim world, and the awful possibility of a nuclear Pakistan overrun by Islamofascists. This is what the next president will be compelled by circumstance to spend a plurality of his or her time on. This is what really matters, not the cross Mike Huckabee lit up behind his head in his Christmas ad.

American politics would dearly love to take a holiday from history, just as it did in the 1990s. But our enemies are not going to allow us to do so.

[mylife]

Hillary is on the tube already capitalizing on the Bhutto thing. Benizir was my pal and all that rot. we women..yadayada yada....

[rintense]

You forget that Rudy did not handle anything directly involving Islamic terrorists. He managed NYC and that’s it. He does not own this issue, not one bit.