Video: Rudy out-jihads McCain
posted at 5:41 pm on January 2, 2008 by Allahpundit
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As expected, Bhutto’s assassination becomes a handy way for him and Maverick to try to push foreign policy back in front of primary voters. She appears here for a few seconds, in fact, a move McCain was either too tasteful or not canny enough to make. Rudy’s problem is that the more Mac gains, the less reason there is to support him: He was the hawk of choice when McCain was left for dead, but now that the latter’s back and enjoying goodwill for his support for the surge, what’s the argument for Rudy on this issue? The reasons to prefer him to McCain are domestic issues — although even there, it’s not an easy argument to make. He’s to McCain’s left on guns and abortion, and while he’s moderately better in paying lip service to border enforcement, McCain’s been paying some lip service there too lately. Any reason to believe Rudy would be some Tancredo-esque stalwart if elected? Fred might, but with any of the others you’re rolling the dice.
I think this is just his way of reminding the electorate that, yes, he’s still in the race and, yes, we still face a very serious threat and, yes, he’s been in the middle of one of those before and performed well. In the aftermath, at least. Still, an enjoyable ad insofar as it’s sure to drive the left into a screaming fit over “fearmongering.”
Update: The comments here should be fun.
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Superior ad to McCain’s in my opinion.
Or conversely, the reality of the times pushes foreign policy back in front of primary voters.
Spirit of 1776 on January 2, 2008 at 5:45 PM
I think that was blue steel at the end of the ad. Or was that La Tigra?
Zetterson on January 2, 2008 at 5:48 PM
I like it. It makes me want to forgive Rudy for all his liberal stances.
csdeven on January 2, 2008 at 5:48 PM
I trust Rudy far more then I trust McCain.
Zetterson on January 2, 2008 at 5:50 PM
I agree, it has a more professional look to it than McCain’s
bnelson44 on January 2, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Go Rudy!
pat on January 2, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Just an observation. The voice-over guy sounds like the voice from Fox News. Great ad though.
Complete7 on January 2, 2008 at 5:53 PM
a religion betrayed? rudy is a dhimmi…come on you know you want to say it!
zane on January 2, 2008 at 5:56 PM
nice ad
trailortrash on January 2, 2008 at 5:56 PM
The Senate McCain leaves is worse than the one he inherited. Not so Rudy. Big difference. Otherwise, pretty similar.
JiangxiDad on January 2, 2008 at 5:57 PM
They’re just fighting over who has the biggest gun…
The Fox News voiceover guy is a nice touch.
Vizzini on January 2, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Same here.
Spirit of 1776 on January 2, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Love the ululating in the background. Here comes CAIR.
Cuffy Meigs on January 2, 2008 at 5:59 PM
I loved it right up to the end. The part where he looks up on the left side of a black screen reminds me of something I can’t quite place (Zoolander was a good guess, Zetterson!) but seemed over the top.
Maybe it just looked like ten thousand local news intros: “Bill Farkins with weather (looks up, grins), Jose Montoya (Grins) Sports!, and Rudy Giuliani, (looks up, somber but resolute stare) Dead Terrorists.”
see-dubya on January 2, 2008 at 6:01 PM
He has pretty much said,” what you see is what you get”, and hasn’t tried to drive too many square pegs into round holes, although they have all done it to some degree. To be fair, Rudy’s bad decisions as mayor didn’t really have much of a direct impact on me, but McCain’s have, so I’m probably biased. That image of him trying to ram through the shamnesty bill without debate or time for study can’t be undone.
a capella on January 2, 2008 at 6:01 PM
The image at twenty seconds in was outstanding. It looked like a sheeted-up klansman goosestepping like an SS Colonel, AK over his shoulder and nitro bottles wired up on his chest. I think that was a green Hezbollah headband. And it dissolved brilliantly into the boy waving his arm.
Worth a thousand words.
see-dubya on January 2, 2008 at 6:05 PM
It’s Hamas, I think.
The imagery’s all well and good. What exactly is Rudy’s solution? You’re the guy who was complaining about style over substance re: media treatment of Fred, no?
Allahpundit on January 2, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Best ad so far. The war on terror is my number 1 issue this time around.
Winebabe on January 2, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Ya think just maybe Rudy wants a little payback?
thejackal on January 2, 2008 at 6:10 PM
Winebabe on January 2, 2008 at 6:07 PM
With you 100%
thejackal on January 2, 2008 at 6:11 PM
Well, everybody says Rudy’s tough on terror and a foreign policy hardass, so he must be, right? At least he’s not lazy.
Sarcasm off: I’m just admiring the ad. Been doing some editing-type stuff myself and I really like how that came together. I went back to look at McCain’s and this one’s much better.
see-dubya on January 2, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Same as in NYC. Start with the little things. Like washing the DEATH TO AMERICA, NUKE THE BIG & LITTLE SATAN graffiti off of the PA Headquarters, stopping Pali squeegee men from decapitating hapless Jewish drivers at stop lights– stuff like that.
JiangxiDad on January 2, 2008 at 6:16 PM
SECOND LOOK AT RUDY.
HE CUT TAXES IN NYC. McCain voted against Tax Cuts.
What more ya want?
Always Right on January 2, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Nice Hamas clip, too.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on January 2, 2008 at 6:18 PM
The difference between Rudy and McCain on the domestic issue is quite a bit bigger than what’s suggested here. Biggest difference is that I’ll just bet you that when it comes time to pick Supreme Court Justices, McCain will give a damn what the New York Times thinks, and he’ll want to pick a good ‘consensus’ choice.
Rudy has convinced me he truly is a Federalist and I’ll take him at his word he’ll nominate strict constructionists, and he’s articulate enough to back them in the brutal process.
McCain’s spent a public life making compromises, and Rudy’s spent a public life making results.
There’s your difference.
Typhoon on January 2, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Rudy took on the NY Times often during his mayoralty. Rudy would LOVE, absolutely LOVE, to fight congress to get his picks. He lives for that. Compromise isn’t in his vocabulary.
That can be the deciding factor in victory for a wartime President. Are we at war?
JiangxiDad on January 2, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Rudy’s solution is that we should be resolute and stand together, without retreating, and face the threats that threaten our will to survive those threats. That we should be determined and be prepared to stare down our enemies without flinching. That America win, not lose, and prevail in the battle that pits our enemies against the determination of our leadership. That we not fail in our epic struggle against the forces that wait for us to retreat from our strongholds, which we will not do because we are strong and will hold strong in spite of the great evil which threatens our mettle. That America stay the course, until there is no one left who can threaten our resolutely steadfast willpower. That we heroically conquer the detestable demons of defeat and cowardice that threaten our willingness to remain upright and hold to our belief that we should never back down from the enemies who threaten our noble vow to never ever give in. That we stand firm as our collective American phallus wins a phallus measuring contest against the enemies who test the strength of our resolve. America, f*** yeah.
Any questions?
Mark Jaquith on January 2, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Hard to argue with that.
Spirit of 1776 on January 2, 2008 at 7:01 PM
One’s willing to make terrorist uncomfortable for important information, while the other isn’t?
amerpundit on January 2, 2008 at 7:08 PM
Good ad. A shame that this is not, at least so far, what this election is almost all about. A lot more lives are at stake than the unborn.
Patriot33 on January 2, 2008 at 7:15 PM
This ad also strikes me as a way to transmute what is essentially his domestic experience into something that looks like foreign policy experience.
The connection between the attack on New York and international jihadism is both indisputable and powerful — so you don’t stop to think about the fact that Giuliani’s actual experience dealing with terrorism basically consists of being the victim of an unanticipated attack. I’m not sure if I’m explaining this very well, but maybe think of it as a twist on guilt by association; in this case, though, it’s experience by association. That may, in fact, be the most important part of the message here. Outside of his problematic position (primary-wise) on the conservative/liberal continuum, the lack of self-evident foreign policy credentials are probably his single biggest vulnerability.
JM Hanes on January 2, 2008 at 7:20 PM
Rudy may not have the Tancredo fervor on immigration, but there is every reason to believe that he would be great for a Tancredo fan like me. Rudy has not been committed to the immigration issue like he has been to pro-choice and equality for gays. Like most people on most issues he was just going along with his envrionment, but now his environment has changed. He has seen how his electoral base feels about amnesty and gun-control. He has no reason not to go along on this issues and get support on his law and order and foreign issues. Plus, Rudy is a law and order kind of guy and what we need to do is to crack down on the criminals hiring the illegals.
On the other hand, McCain has been seriously committed to overrunning our country with aliens. He’s not going to experience any conversion on this issue. For opponents of amnesty, I argue its all Rudy, if the choice is McCain versus Rudy.
thuja on January 2, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Might this explain why Fred! hasn’t gotten the FoxNews love lately? Totally sounds like the Fox News voice trying to keep his voice lower and more serious.
JDinSC on January 2, 2008 at 7:48 PM
The ad comes across, to paraphrase the vice president, as though Rudy is in his last throes.
In a world where the next crisis is a moment away we need…the former mayor of New York? If one believes the apocalyptic premise of the ad, it might make sense to find a president who has foreign policy experience.
dedalus on January 2, 2008 at 8:12 PM
This is the most AWESOME ad ever. This is like more than anyone could ever imagine. This is like right out of a robocop sequel (if you can follow the analogy).
This may even defeat the “Daisy” ad.
That was frickin’ awesome!
Vincenzo on January 2, 2008 at 8:16 PM
That was a really good spot. Powerful. Stronger than McCain’s.
CP on January 2, 2008 at 8:36 PM
By the way, doesn’t the voiceover guy work for Fox News? Sounds like him.
CP on January 2, 2008 at 8:37 PM
YES.
petefrt on January 2, 2008 at 8:40 PM
No way I vote for John. No way.
I appreciate his service to the country, but he is stuck on “his service to the country”.
Note to John**** Gitmo is NOT HANOI HILTON!!!
I like Fred, but I see the repubs kicking him to the curb.
I will say this. The repub party is in a downward spiral and I do not think that the party is able to stop it. I used to register as a repub because there was NO difference between repub and conservative. Now there is.
See ya’.
If this gets Hillary elected, so be it. The candidates the repub party offers up are halfa-hillary anyway. The only difference is, “Hillary would have worn a blue pants suit for this message, I wore green”.
Dancing on a volcano.
So long and thanks for all the fish
Talon on January 2, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Rudy is a committed fiscal conservative. He believes in tax cuts and is experienced in getting them in spite of Democratic majorities (something he will most likely need). Johnny Mac — not so much. Rudy promises to appoint conservative judges and his personality indicates he will fight for them to the bitter end. Johnny Mac — not so much, he’ll compromise to “get things done. Rudy will compromise once everyone agrees with him.
Johnny Mac has betrayed you in the past on taxes, immigration, campaign finance, and will do it again. That being said, he’s one hell of a Senator and I respect the hell out of him.
tommylotto on January 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
That came across like a movie trailer! Seriously, it was a freakin’ movie trailer. Highly effective way of grabbing the idgit vote. Hats off to Rudy on this one.
aero on January 2, 2008 at 10:21 PM
I love the “no foreign policy experience” slam. That fits only one (real) person in the race – Huckster McJesus.
Romney ran a very important global firm and has lots of global experience through consulting firm. He knows so many of the players already and can grab an absolutely amazing team for his administration.
Fred and John have done decent work as Senators, though not coming from major states.
Rudy ran one of the world’s global cities, had a foreign intelligence service, dealt with the leaders of every country, all the global firms… NYC is just kind of a big deal and the Mayor has to be firstly concerned with the success of the NYSE, a just slightly international concern. The competition is HK, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore, the target audience is global. But yeah keep trying the line that he was “just a mayor”. Senator from NY is a much more parochial position than Mayor – Hill has to worry about Buffalo and the rest of the dead and dying towns upstate, while NYC can mostly take care of itself (she’s also guaranteed to sweep NYC and needs to get votes upstate to ensure her election). President is probably more parochial than Mayor of NYC.
I love this add. Rudy’s major policies are to kick ass and chew bubble gum – unfortunately, he’s all out of bubble gum.
libertarianuberalles on January 2, 2008 at 11:12 PM
I’m waiting for the add with ruddy telling the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to take his 10 million dollar check and shove it .
Mojack420 on January 3, 2008 at 12:01 AM
I’m sorry, but I didn’t notice that anyone hit the nail on the head.
Rudy’s great strength is that he took the most essential, most universal conservative principle and made it work in liberal New York: he cut taxes and still brought in more money. I lived in NYC in the mid-90s – he not only made the streets safe, he made them drivable! He spent a ton in public works because the city generated more money with lower taxes.
And then there’s law and order (this is Rudy, not Fred). The cuts in crime from more aggressive policing were also a key to getting business to come back to NYC.
Lower taxes, rule of law – core conservative principles we all agree on.
That said, I’m still pulling for Fred because I have issues with Rudy on the social agenda. But there is no question in my mind that if Fred sputters out, Rudy will serve us well: low taxes, rule of law and primacy of the Constitution (this includes his philosophy in judicial appointments) and kill the terrorists…on their turf, not ours.
pavruch on January 3, 2008 at 12:35 AM
The mayor doesn’t have any operational relationship with the NYSE. The NYSE has its own CEO, and during Rudy’s admin it was Richard Grasso most of the time.
Rudy’s job was primarily to negotiate tax breaks to keep them from moving to New Jersey.
Being mayor of New York is an incredibly difficult job, and someone could make the jump from that job to POTUS. However, Rudy’s credentials would be more impressive if he took the DHS job himself rather than had the crazy idea that Bernie could be confirmed and run the department.
dedalus on January 3, 2008 at 2:06 PM
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