I'm going to try not to get personal, here. I'm sure you're aware that Giuliani has been married three times. You may even have heard that
his own son is not supporting the campaign. But let's set aside personal problems.
GOPs should consider going with Giuliani because of his:
Fiscal conservatism: Giuliani took a city with a multi-million dollar deficit and reformed it into a fiscally solvent entity. He lowered taxes and moved citizens off of entitlement programs into employment.
National defense appeal: Because Giuliani led New York into recovery after 9/11, Americans trust Giuliani with the war on terrorism. He pledges to continue to fight terrorism and to win the war in Iraq.
Popularity: Rudy’s
favorability index from Gallup is unmatched. No candidate from either party even comes close.
GOPs might not want to go with Giuliani because of his:
Social liberalism: Giuliani has a history of supporting abortion rights and gun control. He sometimes says that these policies were necessary in New York but would not be appropriate on a federal level. Either way, his history defending socially liberal policies in New York will alienate the religious conservative base of the Republican party.
Fiscal irresponsibility: Although Giuliani likes to cite (as noted above) his history of fiscal conservatism, critics like to point out what happened after he left office. Here’s
an analysis by George Marlin:
...In Rudy's second term, when the economy was booming, he abandoned fiscal restraint and became a big-spending liberal. City budget expenditures jumped 25 percent – twice the inflation rate – and Giuliani left his successor a projected operating deficit of $4.5 billion and New York's citizens with the highest tax burden in any major municipality in America.
Potential for scandal: Giuliani has a former business partner, Kerik, who is fraught with legal problems. There is concern this could cast a shadow over Giuliani. In addition, Giuliani’s firm is tied closely to the federal government and there is concern over possible conflict of interest.
What bothers me, personally:
What really bothers me about Giuliani is his performance in the debates. I want a candidate with a firm notion of himself and his platform. I want him to articulate it clearly and consistently. In the debates, Giuliani seems to backtrack and speak in circles. I'm not sure even he has his platform sorted out quite yet.