Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Rudy Revisited
Now I would not initially have put my $ on Rudy, though I like him alot. I figured that between his personal life controversy (divorces and such) and his support for abortion rights, he would have a difficult time emerging as the Republican nominee. But a funny thing has happened on the way to the primaries. The vote (or the betting) has been divided amongst a number of very credible, well financed characters. And that means Rudy -- the most articulate of the candidates by a large measure -- has been given an opportunity to emerge from the field because the hard line social conservative vote is split pretty evenly by the other guys. Unless the social conservatives decide to put all their weight behind one candidate, Rudy might actually come out of this thing. Wouldn't that be interesting?
5 Comments:
By 
Christopher Chambers, at
Tue May 01, 05:04:00 PM:
The current alcalde of Nueva Yorka, Mr. Bloomberg, also a moderate Republican, feels that Rudy is a snake oil salesman and a legend in his own mind. When you base your campaign on 9-11 and the truth about everything from dead firefighters, to the fiasco with Bush and Kerik, to Amadou Diallo and one's own meglamania floats to the surface, the only thing that makes him attractive to me is that he ISN'T one of the more right wing douchebags, or righty wannabes like Mitt and McClain...
By Dawnfire82, at
Tue May 01, 06:16:00 PM:
And how is that a worse set of credentials than being a junior senator to a state you're not even from, elected only because of your husband's name, and still running for the highest office in the land? Just a thought.
I think Guiliani has the best chance for winning the general election of any candidate so far. Even ignoring his 'hero' factor from 9/11, (which, to his credit, he isn't playing up) moderation on social issues and strength on defense is, in my opinion, the mainstream in this country these days. Plus, as I've mentioned before, he could carry New York. If the states fall in a pattern similar to the last few elections, the Democrats can't win without New York.
By Christopher Chambers, at
Tue May 01, 06:55:00 PM:
Hey Dawnfire82, get out of my face that mess. Your ilk is suffering from a hell of alot of chickens coming home to roost as of late, and all you are reduced to doing is whine "Hillary Hillary Hillary" like little kids? Rudy as the emperor with no clothes--oh it will come back to roost too. And let me give you yet another example: Monica Goodling, who recently resigned in the wake of the US Attorneys Scandal and was the 3rd-ranking official in the US Justice Department. Need immunity from prosecution before she'll talk about Henry Gonzalez. Well, Goodling is a graduate of Regent University Law School, Pat Robertson's law school, a Tier 4 school according to US News and World Report, with her ranking low of low within that class.
How does a 33 year old graduate of one of the lowest-ranking law schools in the country, a person who, doesn't even have experience as a prosecutor, rise to the highest levels of the US Justice? Oh wow, maybe she's a Negro recipient of QUOTAS?! Nope. Um, hard work and spunk, as folks like you claim is the key to all success, even our current President's? Nope
Pat Robertson's school has fed 150 (!) graduates to the Bush Administration. Again, how?
Well, Bush hired one of Regent's deans to be director of the Office of Personnel management and John Ashcroft changed Department of Justice rules to end the practice of having veteran lawyers screen applicants, such as the screening under Hillary's hubby's adminstration and even Dubya's daddy's Republican administration.
This isn't meritocracy - it's mediocrity - and Affirmative Action for the affluent and/or right wing. And Rudy, he's another example of politics as fiction novel, as myth, so wonderfully exemplified by the likes of Roger Ailes, Karl Rove, et al. Trouble is, Rudy's going to have to dance as quickly as Goodling if he's going to explain his liberal views (and lifestyle) to the rank and file, especially he DOESN'T have to run against Hillary...
By Dawnfire82, at
Tue May 01, 10:00:00 PM:
"and all you are reduced to doing is whine "Hillary Hillary Hillary" like little kids? "
I actually didn't say "Hillary" at all, much less repeatedly. Read it again if you don't believe me.
And I'm pretty sure you're the one who started slinging mud on this thread, implying that Guiliani is an unqualified poser. "Snake oil salesman" you said? I was just pointing out that the same criticisms can be made against a Democratic standard bearer as well. And then you went ballistically offensive. Gods forbid that the same standards apply to both parties, hmm?
"And let me give you yet another example... our current President's? Nope... daddy's Republican administration."
Fascinating little rant, but it has exactly shit to do with my post. I thought you were supposed to be a lawyer?
"Trouble is, Rudy's going to have to dance as quickly as Goodling if he's going to explain his liberal views (and lifestyle) to the rank and file, especially he DOESN'T have to run against Hillary..."
This betrays a lack of understanding of the presidential election process. There are primary candidates far to the right of Rudy already and as was pointed out in the OP, that is good for him because it splits the social conservative vote in such as manner that he is likely to receive a plurality.
It won't be determined WHOM he will be running against in the general until after the primaries and, as every 1st year government student can tell you, the extreme-wing partisans who help determine primary elections barely matter in the general election. (assuming a decent turnout) In which case his "liberal views and lifestyle" will be much more mainstream and acceptable. (or even appealing) It won't really matter in this regard who he runs against, though as Democrats go Hillary is less of a push-over on defense and foreign policy than the rest of them.
Forgive me for not breaking it down like this the first time.
As a passing note, it's neat how you managed to sneak a sarcastic racial comment into your post, despite its complete irrelevancy. Again. You know, like I care. I almost didn't notice you did it. Again. Fixated much?
I honestly can't tell if you're a space-case or just fantastically sheltered, but you seem to have this bizarre caricature of an evil, insidious "Right," backed by legions of ignorant, fanatical storm trooper flunkies like myself. ("Your ilk") It's a theme you've persisted in upholding since you stormed onto this blog shooting your metaphorical mouth off like some sort of cocksure fighter. ("Want to step outside?")
Reality check.
There are intelligent, educated people who belong in the political camp opposite your own. Some of them are more intelligent and better educated than you are. Some of them have good ideas that maybe you ought to listen to. Many of them don't hold the beliefs that you assume they do, and most of them don't fit your little stereotype of corrupt party hacks. Weren't you taught that stereotyping people is wrong? Or does that particular rule of civil discourse not apply to you?
By Viking Kaj, at
Sun May 06, 03:41:00 AM:
My daughter knows Guilianni's daughter Caroline from her school in New York, and she is apparently a major piece of work. Lot's of bitterness in that divorce. If the daughter is any indication of what Rudi will have to deal with on the road to the Whitehouse, then he will have his work cut out for him.
