Giuliani tries for Hail Mary in Florida

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/17/08 | Sara Kugler - ap

[NormsRevenge]

Giuliani tries for Hail Mary in Florida

He's no Staubach.

[NormsRevenge]

Republican presidential hopeful and former New York City
Mayor Rudy Giuliani points to the sky during a speech to
retirees at the Shell Point Retirement Community Monday
afternoon Jan. 14, 2008, in Fort Myers, Fla.
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

[TommyDale]

Giuliani’s Hail Mary pass flew out of bounds a long time ago.

[dforest]

Rooty needs to get the “Hail” out of the GOP race.

He can take McCain, the Huckster, and Ron Paul with him.

[NormsRevenge]

A Cuban-American supporter of US Republican presidential
candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
waves during a campaign rally at the Three Kings Day
Parade in Miami's Little Havana January 13, 2008.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

[Mogollon]

If Florida allows rats to crossover vote in GOP primaries he may have a chance, if not he’s toast.

[gunservative]

Giuliani’s campaign will be done within 2-3 weeks, easily.

[Tanniker Smith]

I'm already tired of these stories that talk about candidates with no delegates as if they don't have a chance to catch-up. Geez. Whoever wins Florida will instantly become the frontrunner.

Romney has 50-something delegates. That's it. He needs about 25 times that amount.

I'm not backing Rudy, but I'm not counting him out either. I'm not counting anyone out until after Super Tuesday. Rudy's strategy only has a chance of working if there is no clear frontrunner. Well, so far, there's no clear frontrunner. If Thompson wins SC, for example, we're have four different winners.

[Sunnyflorida]

I’m not backing Rudy but I think his support is pretty strong. He will not be done no matter what happens in FL. He will pick up a ton of delegates on SuperTuesday. People confuse rooting and predicting.

Meanwhile there is a rumor that the FL Primary is January 29th. That is WRONG. The primary ENDS January 29th. It started in earnest on MONDAY.

I was told by my poll workers when I voted yesterday that by Tuesday (before the MI results) 30% of the voters in my county had voted.

This is driven by the Tax Initiative. What is amazing is the number of RINOs in FL that sit on City Councils and serve as County Commissions. Scary.

[counterpunch]

Everyone should keep in mind that after McCain, Fred Thompson does the best in head to head match-up polls against both Hillary and Obama.
Fred beats Giuliani, Huckabee, and Romney in the polls against the Democrats.
This should be out there more.

[NormsRevenge]

Rudy is a charmer, don;t count him out .. yet.

How many ads are you seeing down there?

Personally, I hope all the current crop of candidates stay in thru Feb 5th, Super Tuesday and then let the dust settle..

Super Bowl is the 3rd.. the bulk of the states primaries kick off on the 5th..

A brokered convention is not where we want to end up.. but..

[Augustinian monk]

Then McCain will rush three and drop eight into deep zone coverage.

[Sunnyflorida]

I am not seeing many ads at all. The few on TV are Rudy. This is one of the most mid-western and conservative (old school - a lot of retired cheap old bastards from the midwest) and the only guy we see is in person is Rudy. He is drawing crowds. I saw one huge hand painted Ron Paul sign and one Romney yard signs and one Fred bumper sticker. There are pretty stiff regs on when you can put of yard signs and even now that we are in the window I only saw the one Romney, nobody else.

Meanwhile voting is tailing off. I think we are pretty much done voting. Nobody wants to wait until 29th from the way it looks. I think it is too late to campaign.

[Sunnyflorida]

Florida has been voting since Monday. When I voted early yesterday the poll workers told me 30% of the voters had voted already. We have a big tax thing down here on the ballot. It is WAR.

[Sunnyflorida]

Unless Rudy collapses (meaning he looses NY,NJ, and CA) or Romney crushes (wins those) I do not see this getting settled until the convention.

I like Fred but his odds look pretty long to me.

[MomwithHope]

Guiliani and McCain will both be finished soon. Romney’s got the Mojo and I predict he will win South Carolina and Florida.

[Hattie]

Uh, I don’t think even Romney himself thinks he will win SC. He is gone to NV already. McCain will take SC. It’s a hugh military state with lots of old Vets. That alone will win it for him.

[cubreporter]

Never underestimate the power of a Hail Mary no matter where you are.

[Savage Beast]

Giuliani is the best candidate to beat the Democrats. For that reason, I'm for him. I'm a single issue voter: Defeat the Democrats.

But furthermore, Giuliani would be a very good and effective President.

If the Democrats nominate Obama for President, defeating him will be difficult. It will be necessary for the Republicans to nominate a Southerner for Vice President, and either Huckabee or Thompson would do. I DEFINITELY prefer Thompson but will support anyone the Republicans nominate.

Either a Giuliani/Thompson ticket, which I strongly prefer, or a Giuliani/Huckabee ticket, which may be a bit more effective politically, would probably defeat the Democrats.

If the Democrats nominate Hillary for President, it will not be necessary to place a Southerner on the Repub. ticket; the South will vote solidly Republican. In that case, Romney would be the best Repub. Vice Pres. nominee.

In fact, if defeating the Democrats were not a problem, Romney would be my first choice for the Presidential nomination.

A Giuliani/Romney ticket would be good for the U.S.

A Romney/Giuliani ticket would be even better but would be less effective in defeating the Democrats.

[Tanniker Smith]

A Romney/Giuliani ticket would be even better but would be less effective in defeating the Democrats.

I can't possibly see Rudy as a Number Two.
(numerous scatological jokes aside)