I don't understand the love affair with Giuliani

[MikeWaters]

Heaven knows he is not a conservative: gay rights, abortion, gun control.

So far all the talk about how conservatives won't embrace McCain or Romney and how this is such a dire thing, why is Giuliani doubling up McCain, with Romney trailing far behind?

[Archaea]

Do you see the Reps ever just abandoning the social issues in favor of economics and foreign affairs?

I wonder if a low tax, pro-growth economy with some lip service to greenness, coupled with a meaningful foreign affairs policy wouldn't be a simple recipe for success.

Thereafter allow all comers with regards to social policy, emphasizing a minimalist approach to government.

[BarbaraGordon]

I'll take a stab:

1. Giuliani benefits from:
~ being outside the DC system
~ having tremendous name recognition
~ being almost a national hero of sorts
~ being willing to stand up to the "religious right" on the expected social platforms
~ not yet being the victim of any smear campaigns.

2. This puts Giuliani ahead of McCain because
~ McCain is seen as very much embedded in the DC system, a part of the old guard (and I mean *old* guard)
~ McCain can't seem to decide whether he wants to side with the religious right or speak his own mind.

3. This puts Giuliani ahead of Romney because
~ Romney has low name recognition, at least for now
~ Romney has aligned himself with the religious right, in spite of past differences on social issues
~ Romney's already seeing smear campaign tactics.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Thereafter allow all comers with regards to social policy, emphasizing a minimalist approach to government.

That's exactly what I think is happening. If Bush represents social conservatism and pandering to religious right, GOPs are tired of it. There's a let's move on attitude out there.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

That's exactly what I think is happening. If Bush represents social conservatism and pandering to religious right, GOPs are tired of it. There's a let's move on attitude out there.

This to me is the winning formula. I'm tired of losing ground to Dems because we backed losing social arguments. Not that I'm in complete disagreement with the arguments but I'd rather win the important economic arguments than lose everything because we're wasting capital on peripheral social arguments. It is my position that most social issues are actually political legerdemains intended to misdirect us while the important issues are bartered elsewhere.

I've come full circle on the gay issue. If it doesn't increase the cost of my insurance or taxes, I don't care. If it does, then I oppose it. If the policy can be implemented in a manner which doesn't interfere with my economics then ignore it.

[Insensitive PAP]

Giuliani, like Romney, has actually gotten things done, that's the appeal. I lived in New York when Giuliani was mayor and had things locked down and got everything running the right way. NYC used to be a total dump and people were afraid to walk across the street. While Giuliani was mayor, it became a clean, tourist friendly, and safe place to visit and live.

On top of that, Giuliani has a very straight forward approach. As you can imagine, a lot of people in NYC hated him for that, espcially since he was a Republican.

He put a ton of cops on the street, and ruled with an iron fist. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing officers. He also passed a law that you couldn't have strip clubs within 500 feet of a school, residence, church, or other adult oriented business, which basically meant that strip clubs in Manhattan had to go away.

He got away with things like that because people realized, at the end of the day, it was a better to have a safe environment and a solid local economy, than have to worry about dying everytime you go to work.

Overall, Rudy is a charismatic, likeable guy, who will come off very reasonable once the election gets rolling.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Insensitive PAP

Giuliani, like Romney, has actually gotten things done, that's the appeal. I lived in New York when Giuliani was mayor and had things locked down and got everything running the right way. NYC used to be a total dump and people were afraid to walk across the street. While Giuliani was mayor, it became a clean, tourist friendly, and safe place to visit and live.

On top of that, Giuliani has a very straight forward approach. As you can imagine, a lot of people in NYC hated him for that, espcially since he was a Republican.

He put a ton of cops on the street, and ruled with an iron fist. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing officers. He also passed a law that you couldn't have strip clubs within 500 feet of a school, residence, church, or other adult oriented business, which basically meant that strip clubs in Manhattan had to go away.

He got away with things like that because people realized, at the end of the day, it was a better to have a safe environment and a solid local economy, than have to worry about dying everytime you go to work.

Overall, Rudy is a charismatic, likeable guy, who will come off very reasonable once the election gets rolling.

I think his kid is hilarious... when he was running for mayor he would be on the podium (he was like 7) mouthing the words and actions of his dad. it was pretty funny

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Heaven knows he is not a conservative: gay rights, abortion, gun control.

So far all the talk about how conservatives won't embrace McCain or Romney and how this is such a dire thing, why is Giuliani doubling up McCain, with Romney trailing far behind?

THE key indicator of a politician's popularity among those who will vote in the primary is the amount of money they can raise. Giuliani hasn't raised much. Romney has raised a ton. I would wager a substantial amount of money that Giuliani is dwarfed by Romney on fundraising when their figures become public. In fact, I imagine even Giuliani himself will be shocked at how far behind Romney he is (as will McCain).

Giuliani can't win the Republican nomination. If he can, the party of Reagan is no more.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Insensitive PAP

Giuliani, like Romney, has actually gotten things done, that's the appeal. I lived in New York when Giuliani was mayor and had things locked down and got everything running the right way. NYC used to be a total dump and people were afraid to walk across the street. While Giuliani was mayor, it became a clean, tourist friendly, and safe place to visit and live.

On top of that, Giuliani has a very straight forward approach. As you can imagine, a lot of people in NYC hated him for that, espcially since he was a Republican.

He put a ton of cops on the street, and ruled with an iron fist. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing officers. He also passed a law that you couldn't have strip clubs within 500 feet of a school, residence, church, or other adult oriented business, which basically meant that strip clubs in Manhattan had to go away.

He got away with things like that because people realized, at the end of the day, it was a better to have a safe environment and a solid local economy, than have to worry about dying everytime you go to work.

Overall, Rudy is a charismatic, likeable guy, who will come off very reasonable once the election gets rolling.

Giuliani was a good DA. He was a TERRIBLE mayor. If not for 9/11, he would have been ridden out of town on a rail. He was hugely unpopular on 9/10 in NYC.

[Insensitive PAP]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

Giuliani was a good DA. He was a TERRIBLE mayor. If not for 9/11, he would have been ridden out of town on a rail. He was hugely unpopular on 9/10 in NYC.

He was mayor for 8 years before 9/11. He ws re-elected, and he could have been mayor for as long as he wanted if not for term limits. People bitched and moaned about him, but when it came down to it, they loved have him as mayor. Bloomberg has ridden Giuliani's coattails to a 2nd term as well. Bloomberg was losing before Rudy endorsed him.