Rudy: Florida is a must-win an important win
posted at 10:29 am on January 23, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
He’s third in the latest Rasmussen and fourth, if you can believe that, in the new ARG. Let the ceremonial lowering of expectations begin!
Publicly, at least, Giuliani has shifted his must-win Florida rhetoric to important-win talk. A while back, he had said he must win Florida. Then John McCain came on strong…
“It’s a real important win,’’ Giuliani said of Florida’s primary in an interview with Neil Cavuto for the Fox News Channel airing this afternoon and again this evening. “I don’t think any candidate ever puts himself in a corner and says, must win, have to win, must win. But it’s a really important win.’’
It’s important, all right. Possibly the end of the road for the Republican who once stood as his party’s putative front-runner.
He admitted two days ago that a bad loss would be “crippling.” How bad would it have to be for him to drop out before Super Ultra Mega Tuesday? Is there any scenario? His supporters are going to feel gypped if his year-long campaign amounts to a one-and-out down south; even ol’ Fred gave it more effort than that. But if he can’t beat Huckabee, who’s essentially conceded the state, after having staked his candidacy on a good showing then how does he compete realistically on Tuesday? The answer: He doesn’t. He competes unrealistically, takes his beating from McCain just to save face, then drops out and endorses him a few days later. Any Rudy supporters want to argue otherwise?
Read Karl’s latest post too about that Survey USA poll showing Maverick up by 24 in California’s bay area. Significant? Actually, yeah.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
He was looking so strong last year. What happened?
AbaddonsReign on January 23, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Rudy is working his way up–finish ahead of Ron Paul in Florida, followed by a good 2nd or 3rd place showing in New York…how many states are there again?
Tell the media Florida isn’t a must win. Tell your staff it’s “win or go home”.
dedalus on January 23, 2008 at 10:35 AM
It all depends on the media spin. If the Fredheads are right, and many in the media (esp. Fox) would like to see a Rudy win, they could spin a decent showing by him in Florida as a “comeback kid” kind of scenario. Also, if he’s close to tied with McCain in NY, NJ, and other northeastern states going into Florida, he might be able to snatch back some of those approx. 20% who’ve moved from his column to “undecided” since the McCain surge left them in doubt as to whether or not he could even compete. I understand that the party line around here is that Rudy is doomed (and was from the beginning), but you never can tell with these things.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Ah… a little something to be happy about after Fred’s implosion.
See ya later, you philandering, gun-grabbing, sanctuary city, cronyist, authoritarian one trick pony RINO. You are done.
Rudy’s campaign was- for lack of a better word- stupid (and yes, past tense is appropriate, because his campaign is dead). Mind-numbingly, gobstoppingly stupid. With a side order of lazy and lacking fire in the belly.
Given the unpredictability of this race, at least the prediction that RINO Rudy would fizzle as voters shunned him for his social liberalism came true.
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 10:41 AM
As a die-hard rudy supporter, I think tomorrow night’s debate is crucial. Its Rudy’s last chance to make an impact, his final shot to re-state the case for himself vs McCain and Mitt. He needs to reenergize all the folks who six months ago put him ahead in the polls but now have largely abandoned him.
Rudy cant simply repeat the old tired lines from George Will — he cant just go thru the motions with the same old stuff that he had trotted out before in prior debates.
He needs a truly BREAKOUT performance that clearly sets him above the other contenders, or he is toast. His numbers across the nation are in freefall, and he needs to hit an eight run homer in the bottom of the ninth tomorrow night.
And if he pulls out after Fla and endorses McCain, I for one will give him a giant Bronx Cheer and go vote for Mitt.
Always Right on January 23, 2008 at 10:42 AM
ruDy is just putting up a good face because he’s going to keep most of that campaign money he raised. He’s got it in the Carribean for use when he moves to Florida permanently and he won’t have to pay taxes on it.
I’m just glad it’s not going to be ruDy. . . not that he’d win if he were the nom, but I’m glad I don’t have to put up with it much longer.
ThackerAgency on January 23, 2008 at 10:43 AM
I read last year where Ron Paul forces were specifically targetting very liberal areas of CA to see if they could pick up some districts there. (in CA districts are “winner take all”)
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Wouldn’t it be something……..
…..if after a years-long attempt by disingenous parties to make this a subway series where the American public was expected to choose which left-of-center New Yorker would lead the nation……
…..the American public reacts by rejecting both Clinton and Giuliani for being, well, essentially what they are. Typical New Yorkers with no sense about where real Americans stand on the issues. There is life and civilization west of the Hudson- a fact that both Clinton and Giuliani have ignored for different reasons. Clinton dismisses real Americans as inconsequential because they don’t come bearing large checks. Giuliani ignores real Americans because they don’t have his narrow NYC view of the world.
IMO, it has cost them both politically because they don’t respect that part of America which isn’t part of their parochial existence where anything outside of Manhattan isn’t worthy of their time or effort. Clinton has a better chance at recovery but the arrogance of both makes them unfit for the office to which they aspire.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Slightly off topic…does anyone think kind of thing will surface in Florida or NY during the primaries, or do you think it’ll wait until the general if Mitt wins?
Oy vey!
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Romnmey-Rudy 2008.
Beating Hillary-Edwards.
And preventing McVain-Suckup.
profitsbeard on January 23, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Somehow added and extra “m” to that [Romney] when preview didn’t work.
profitsbeard on January 23, 2008 at 10:47 AM
That’s quite a bit to ask of a debate that will, in all probably, be watched by few and will have the same dull-as-dishwater questions that are less points of debate than an invitation for the candidates to rehash the part of their stump speech that fits the issue.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Thanks for the Protein Wisdom link, AP!
Karl on January 23, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Wrong demographics. You really expect Southern or Western conservatives to vote for a ticket made exclusively of Northeasterners in states that consistently go to Democrat candidates?
Romney-Thompson is a much more representative ticket (as an example) that could work in a national election.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Such a good thing Fred dropped out first. Giuliani was doing so much better.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 10:51 AM
I will say this: You “conservative” Rudy haters are really something special. Gun grabber. Cross dresser. You guys are so full of bile about this man it is mind boggling.
If you are REAL conservatives as opposed to hayseeds who just hate New Yorkers why aren’t you as full of hate for the REAL RINO in this race, John McCain?? The guy who has stuck his thumb in conservatives’ faces ON PURPOSE for years?? As opposed to Rudy, who has a conservative fiscal plan, is tough on jihad, and has Ted Olson to help him appoint conservative judges?
Oh, and for the record, Hillary Clinton IS NOT,, repeat NOT, a New Yorker. Never has been, never will be. Try Illinois and Arkansas instead. She is a carpetbagger who has ZERO roots in NY.
But you Rudy haters… you guys just tickle me no end.
Always Right on January 23, 2008 at 10:52 AM
What a debacle. How much money has Rudy spent? And for what, a 3rd (or even 4th) place finish in FL? That’s barely higher than any of us finished without spending a dime. You can’t run a campaign like this and expect to be taken seriously.
A year of campaigning, $20, $30 or $40 million, scores of high-profile advisors and consultants, huge name-recognition – yet with all these advantages Rudy is a fantastic flop. If he comes in with less than 20%, or even (gulp) much less, then this will go down as one of the worst run, most expensive campaign disasters in presidential history. It’ll make a fascinating book one day.
Vote Sauron 08 on January 23, 2008 at 10:54 AM
I’m pretty sure that’s most of it, although there are plenty of survivalist types who are afraid that Giuliani is going to try to take their precious guns away.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 10:55 AM
If by “crucial” you mean “inconsequential”, you’d be right.
Just as a strong debate performance by teh Fred before the SC primaries wasn’t enough to save his campaign, a strong performance by Rudy won’t have much impact in reviving his campaign either.
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 10:56 AM
By all accounts, Fred surged in SC after that somewhat overrated debate performance, although it’s hard to catch up when you’re 15-20 points behind. Rudy’s 3 points behind McCain in 2nd place in Florida. Right now, anything could happen.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Who goes first? Huck or Rudy? And will they drop before or after Super-Duper Tuesday?
brak on January 23, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Excellent analysis, Karl
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Railing against McCain is like hating cancer- there’s not much disagreement that it’s bad. However, he’s been pretty honest and consistant in his wrongness.
Rudy is trying to convince us that he’s a conservative though he’s never acted like one, and as mayor was just as aggressive in fighting conservative causes as McCain has been in the Senate- perhaps even more so.
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Huck will go after Super Tuesday. He is pulling back his efforts in FL to save money for Feb 5th.
IMHO, Rudy is finished if he doesn’t win FL
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Agree with Romney-Rudy, but they will go against Hillary-Richardson.
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:02 AM
What makes you think the two are mutually exclusive. I’m not a fan of either Giuliani or McCain for vastly different reasons.
And, for the record, it isn’t the fact that Rudy is from NYC that makes him unfit for office. It is the fact that he has the typical “America sucks except for Manhattan” attitude that the city is infested with. It’s not the candidate it is the arrogant attitude that a life without 24/7 Starbucks is a life unworthy of respect that I object to. Rudy essentially ignored primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Wyoming, and South Carolina because it isn’t filled with New Yorkers the way Southern Florida is. Rudy deserves a comeuppance for his disrespect of real Americans- those who live in the real parts of the country not a smug city that thinks it better than the rest of us.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Whaddya mean thinks?
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Would not winning in any state save face?
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:06 AM
I live in San Diego and I received an e-mail recently saying that Romney had won the SoCal GOP (not one group, just the individual counties of SD, Orange, and Riverside) straw polls. Go Mitt!
davenp35 on January 23, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Out today: California Republican Primary: Field Poll: McCain 22, Romney 18, Giuliani 11, Huckabee 11, Thompson 9, Paul 7
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ca/california_republican_primary-258.html
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:09 AM
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:03 AM
well said High Hopes.
It isn’t about ‘hayseeds hating New Yorkers’. It’s about the attitude that you have that the only reason people could possibly dislike ruDy is the people would HAVE TO BE ‘Hayseeds that hate New Yorkers’.
I KNEW it wouldn’t be ruDy’s fault because he’s a New Yorker and New Yorkers are always right. It has to be someone else’s fault that ruDy has run the dumbest presidential campaign in history. . . and yet none of his supporters can admit that the campaign was ridiculous.
It’s the ‘hayseeds’ that are stupid, not ruDy. . . RIGHT?! And only if the ‘hayseeds’ vote for ruDy will that mean that they aren’t stupid . . . RIGHT?!
It’s not the religion, it’s not the place, it’s the attitude that ‘hayseeds’ hate. If ruDy were from Arkansas and ran a campaign like this, ruDy would be declared the ‘hayseed’.
I guess I fit the description of a ‘hayseed that hates New Yorkers’. . . but how does that explain how well me and my retired New York City cop neighbor get along?
ThackerAgency on January 23, 2008 at 11:12 AM
I should say, at least we have a decent football team.
zing!
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:12 AM
for the Big S
hey, does anyone think Rudy’s cross dressing or gay roomates will come up in Florida or will it wait for the general?
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 11:13 AM
There may be some survivalist types who are off the deep end, but gun rights are indeedprecious. How are you going to protect yourself from the encroachment of the government, (and potentially other enemies, domestic and foreign), without them?
JiangxiDad on January 23, 2008 at 11:13 AM
neither
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Saying you want Mitt is like saying you want Hillary or Obama for Pres. Mitt is a loser in national election and everyone who knows anything about state polling for the Electoral Colleges knows that.
Y’all better pray for Rudy win in FL.
georgealbert on January 23, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Well if living crammed into a small space with inadequate infrastructure, overpaying for everything, and having a communist as mayor is your idea of utopia, NYC is a cool place. To me, it seems little better than living in the Soviet Union with better toilet paper.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:16 AM
shut put that in sarcasm quotes as it was a response to Big S’s post upthread linking to a pathetic Romney smear
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 11:16 AM
BigS, is there a football stadium in NY somewhere? :)
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Many of you are are cutting off your nose here. McCain and Hucklebee are so much worse options than Guiliani. Rudy should at least be your 2nd choice after Romney.
With so many Evangelicals constantly echoing the “mormon is a cult” meme whenever Romney is mentioned, I’m not sure he can win in the general, let alone beat out McCain for the nomination. Rudy might be our best shot.
The fact that the NY Times put a hit piece out on Rudy yesterday tells you all you need to know. If they don’t want him nominated, he’s my guy (unless you are one of those convoluted “they are against him in order to help him win with Republicans and this will help the Dems…” :)
gash on January 23, 2008 at 11:18 AM
The cross-dressing is easily explained-it was done as a gag (at at press gala) and for charity. The gay roommates thing is not something I see the Democrats going after Giuliani over. The baptism of Holocaust perpetrators and survivors by Mormons most definitely is something that they’d hit Romney with, though. It’s kind of a sore spot with Jews (some experience in that area here) and plays into the right-wing religious nutjob theme they like to use.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Umm, I think that’s only the MSM saying this. Listen carefully.
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Not really.
1) McCain is right on the WOT and that is what counts
2) a href=”http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html”>McCain can win the general election (the others can’t)
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:21 AM
ok well I suggest we try to lay off both Giulani and Romney smears and hope one of them beats McCain in Florida or it won’t matter anyway.
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Not really.
1) McCain is right on the WOT and that is what counts
2) McCain can win the general election (the others can’t)
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Either I’m missing something or this comment doesn’t even make sense. State polling for the Electoral College (it isn’t a plural)? Electors are determined by the outcome of the national election, what polling is involved?
The way the parties select delegates for the political conventions and the electors is another matter but I’m just commenting on what was posted.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Probably true. If McCain wins FL it is all but over.
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Having a small apartment isn’t that much of a problem when the whole city is just a subway ride away. As for the infrastructure, it may be old and creaky, but it does the job. I’ve lived in a few big cities in my life, and none other does quite as good a job at providing the necessary infrastructure for everyday life as NYC does.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:24 AM
The FACT is that ruDy was leading in Iowa last year and ended up losing to Ron Paul. The FACT is that ruDy was close to first in New Hampshire with his Red Sox conversion and lost dramatically there. The reason that he is losing is because HE DOESN’T COMPETE AGAINST THE OTHER CANDIDATES. He doesn’t think he should.
ruDy wouldn’t have ‘come from behind’ like Huck did, ruDy was in the lead. . . all he had to do was show up and he would have won. But New Yorkers are too stupid to realize that you have to show up to win.
ruDy’s campaign was stupid. By contrast, McCain’s campaign was brilliant. It isn’t the New York times (who know him enough to write stuff about him now that will come out in the general election anyway), it isn’t ‘hayseeds’, it is the former front runner New York hayseed himself ruDy that is to blame for his failure.
If he ever started talking about the rest of the country rather than New York, he might have gotten more interest from someone like me. But his campaign showed me that he only cared that people were impressed that he was from New York. Most people down here think that wanting to live and STAY in New York is a sign of mental illness.
The reason for the primaries the way they are is so that the future presidents can get an understanding of the problems facing America IN AMERICA. ruDy is mailing it in from Florida so how could he possibly understand the needs of Americans if he refuses to talk to and meet them?
ThackerAgency on January 23, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Spare me. The media loves Rudy. He was their default candidate until he became irrelevant, and now that he is they’re still treating him like a front-runner… a “front-runner” polling at 10% nationally who hasn’t managed better than a distant 4th place in any of the primaries so far.
The media
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 11:27 AM
big frackin deal, Rudy was +11 December 16th
I’m gonna wait to see what happens in Florida when only Republicans vote.
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 11:29 AM
It’s not just the MSM, I’m hearing it from people I know who are evangelicals. They are getting this talking point from somewhere, and are repeating it incessantly
gash on January 23, 2008 at 11:30 AM
NY Times hates Rudy as does the rest of the MSM. The guy they love is McCain. But the guy they want to get the nomination is Mitt because they are 100% sure he cannot win a national election.
georgealbert on January 23, 2008 at 11:31 AM
McCain can ONLY win when the real conservative vote is split among the other candidates.
Pit McCain against any SINGLE GOP candidate and he will lose.
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Rudy’s gun grabbing is likely the big killer for him in Florida. We LOVE our guns here.
bj1126 on January 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM
What does that have to do with the General Election?
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM
george, actually the MSM would like Huckabee to win. They think he might be easy to beat, but I dont think so.
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Agreed, WOT is #1 and Rudy is right there with McCain. Plus, he’s even better on Israel. Anyone who kicks out Arafat is the man in my book.
McCain was last in the polls a couple months ago, the polls are fluid, shouldn’t be your reason to say someone can’t win in the general, IMO.
But Rudy was all for both Bush tax cuts and doesn’t buy Al Gore’s global warming garbage.
McCain is really not much different from Joe Lieberman.
gash on January 23, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Mormonism is a cult, as defined by the Bible, because of the LDS doctrine that has been added to Scripture. That being said, I support Romney over McCain because I find a practicing “cultist” preferable to a man who abridges my Constitutional rights and wants to grant amnesty to drug dealers who entered this nation illegally.
Rudy is decidely unfit for office because he doesn’t respect the values of (the vast majority of) Americans that live outside one of the five boroughs. Of the candidates who are still in the race, he’d be my distant #2 behind Romney with McCain in the #3 slot.
I simply don’t trust Rudy to look out for the well-being of real Americans. His views on gun control are exactly what you would expect from the mayor of crime-ridden hell hole like NYC but that doesn’t mean those views are relevant to ranchers in the Plains States. He bunked with a gay after his (what 3rd?) divorce. Hanging out with homosexuals may be a cool thing to do in NYC but having multiple marriages of his own and calling for legalization of gay marriage doesn’t convince me he “gets” the concerns of social conservatives. In short, Giuliani is too much of a snotty New Yorker to ever be the right choice for real Americans.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:35 AM
I’m pretty sure, too. No candidate should have to answer for their religion if they’re otherwise qualified and haven’t embraced it as public policy, but the Dems and the media will hammer away at him for it. The only reason why I linked Rosenbaum’s little article above is that I think that it might foreshadow attacks on Mitt should he win the nomination. Some people use the “baggage” excuse in their arguments against Rudy, but Mitt’s baggage is, however unfairly, far “worse”.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Oh, believe me, I’m more so. I’d feel less apprehension if Rudy were the front-runner.
I would still feel apprehension, though.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 11:36 AM
I think Huckabee’s strong point is that he represents the great PC backlash – unashamed of being Christian, unashamed of being for the War on Terror, etc.
This backlash crosses demographic and party lines.
faraway on January 23, 2008 at 11:37 AM
What does that have to do with the General Election?
bnelson44 on January 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM
national polls are based on perceptions and also media bias, Rudy was ahead in most of them up until mid december, McCain scored a couple of wins so now he’s getting pushed by media
what can I say, people are sheep
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 11:39 AM
You sound just like my brother who lives somewhere near Times Square. He’s the typical snotty New Yorker who sneers at anything which doesn’t originate or occur in Manhattan. It gets quite annoying but he is clearly happy with the lifestyle.
highhopes on January 23, 2008 at 11:39 AM
ThackerAgency – I agree, Rudy has not run a smart campaign thus far. Also, I see you have a great deal of animosity towards NY, as an Eagles season ticket holder and a die-hard Philly sports fan, I’m right there with you. But that has little to do with whether Rudy should get your vote. As conservatives, Rudy is ideal on foreign and economic policy. Given the state of our nation and the fact that he will appoint conservative judges, this is what is most important.
gash on January 23, 2008 at 11:41 AM
It’s much less of a crime-ridden hell hole since Giuliani was in charge. In fact, NY is far safer than most cities in the USA. I think part of the reason why many gun enthusiasts are anti-Giuliani is not that they think that he’ll take their guns away, but that they do not want to recognize a situation in which gun control actually worked towards bringing down crime.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:42 AM
I’m actually from a small town, and spent the first twenty something years of my life there. I’ve been in both worlds, and believe me, there’s plenty of sneering in the other direction too. Just look at Texas-they can’t get enough of themselves down there (even though their football teams suck). The only reason why New York seems more snooty is that it’s the media center of the country and is on TV all the time, giving the obnoxious types more airplay.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Thacker-
You paint all NY’ers with a broad brush. Remember, there arent’ too many native born NY’ers anymore, and the few Repubs/Conservatives keep a very low profile, dreaming of “redder” pastures. So if “y’all” (did I say it right?) are gonna drop a bomb or anything on us, can you give me a heads up? Apprec. it.
JiangxiDad on January 23, 2008 at 11:48 AM
nope
tommylotto on January 23, 2008 at 11:50 AM
And those two things, in that order, are my bottom line. That’s why he’s my top choice, followed by Mint (Mitt is Mint to me, just like Huckabee is Chuckabee). I think of the two Rudy would fare better in November, but given his underwhelming performance of late I admit to being bewildered. I guess the social con hate for him runs deeper than I realised, though a lot of the blame goes on him and his campaign as well.
docob on January 23, 2008 at 11:53 AM
We’re fine with recognizing it, as long as it doesn’t become a standard. Gun control did not work in DC. It has not worked in Chicago. It has not worked in Milwaukee. It has not worked in London. In most large cities, it has not worked.
The is the crux of it. If Rudy can look at the United States as a whole different ball game than New York, a lot of us will feel better about him. So far, however, New York is all he can think about, and all he can use for comparison. Hence, our apprehension.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Someone should get a poll going asking who the NY Times would want to win the Republican Primary.
Really, that should be the first disqualifier for any nominee.
gash on January 23, 2008 at 12:01 PM
That’s the old “who would the terrorists prefer” question.
Always think it’s ridiculous that lib rags endorse Rep. candidates in primaries. You’re right–kiss of death.
NY Times and Rudy aren’t old friends. They’d go for McCain.
(Remember, Rudy wasn’t a particlarly great friend of the lib powers that be here in NY when he was Mayor. )
JiangxiDad on January 23, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Bloomberg a communist? Given his success at Salomon Brothers and the starting his own business he’s also an effective capitalist.
We have a lot more places to shop and goods to buy than the Soviet Union had, probably more than a lot of places.
dedalus on January 23, 2008 at 12:06 PM
In his campaign, that’s the logic he has used: what works in NYC might not work elsewhere. He’s come out in support of that D.C. circuit decision (I can’t remember the name) that overturned the D.C. handgun ban. What action, if any, could he take that would help gun enthusiasts to trust him more?
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Telling us how he would run the country without starting his answer with “When I was the mayor of New York”…
Seriously. Go back through his debate answers. It makes me laugh.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Oh, and I’m aware that Rudy has come out and said that he believes in the second amendment, and that gun regulations should be “largely” left to the state.
Well, it’s just a little hard to believe that.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:15 PM
I understand that some people take issue with it, but there are really two kinds of questions that get answered in debates: those that are specifically about one’s past record, and those that deal with how one would deal with future issues. The former requires a NYC answer from Rudy, while the latter gives him real-world examples to back up what his plans are. If you don’t like hearing about NYC, just don’t pay attention to that part of the answers; there’s always substance there too for you to evaluate. If anything, I’m comforted when he brings up NYC, since I know it’s not just him pandering or checking boxes, and that he’ll actually try to follow through with those plans.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Looks like Rudy will get his comeuppance. I don’t think Rudy’s strategic miscalculation was based on disrespect. I don’t know what it was based on, but a weak showing in Florida will produce lots of Rudy campaigners pointing fingers through the press. I think he should have fought like heck in NH and MI, but he pays people to make those decisions.
We don’t think NYC is better than the rest of the country. We often want to escape it, just as many Americans want to escape to NYC.
dedalus on January 23, 2008 at 12:17 PM
The reason that gun enthusiasts are justifyably distrustful of Rudy is his (and your) false conclusion that it was gun control that brought down crime. Well, that and his attempt to bankrupt gun manufacturers with frivolous lawsuits.
Regular old law enforcement and a better economy brought down crime during Rudy’s term, not the gun ban that long preceeded him but continuted with his fervent support.
Rudy forever tained himself, and there is no recovering from it.
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Rudy forever tainted himself…
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 12:20 PM
I’m thoroughly pissed off. There are quite a few of us Republican native New Yorkers hanging in the shadows, and we all thought Rudy was going to win and represent us. Many of us even headed up to New Hampshire for him, enduring long bus rides, and for what? He just threw the state away and gave up. What a joke.
Its Tommy on January 23, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Okay, I’m sorry, but did you really just type that? Did I really just read that?
No offense intended here, but that has got to be one of the top five things you don’t say about a candidate to make others vote for him. That one made me laugh out loud.
Fred Thompson I can listen to all of what he says without worry. Same goes for Duncan Hunter. Same almost always goes for Mitt. “Don’t listen to what my candidate is saying” is what the Hucksterites tell people. Well, when he’s not lying through his teeth.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:21 PM
And why isn’t my post from a little bit ago showing up?
Ah, links.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Why they Hate Mitt Romney
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/why_they_hate_mitt_romney.html
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 12:23 PM
The only way I’d trust him more on this issue would be for him to buy a gun of his own, and use it- on himself. That’s the only way I could be certain that he wouldn’t try and screw gun owners yet again.
Hollowpoint on January 23, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Big S, please see my post from 12:15 that just showed up to see a few reasons why he makes us just a bit edgy…
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:27 PM
You’ve entirely missed my point. What I meant was that you should listen to what he says, rather than tuning out because he mentions his record in his answers. If you like the rest of the answer, take the voluntary invocation of NYC as strong evidence that he’ll pursue similar policies in Washington.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Rudy has to drop out and support the Mac. His campaign has been worse than Fred’s.
The reason the candidates hate Romney is because he has wielded his millions spinning half truths about them and injecting poison into the campaign. This from a man who has changed his mind on more issues over the past decade than that other well known flip-flopper from Massachusetts. At least with the other candidates you know what they really think. It should be obvious why the Dems are supporting Romney’s campaign.
Pax americana on January 23, 2008 at 12:31 PM
…and you’ve missed MY point. I don’t care if the answer sounds like a good idea or not. I want him to demonstrate to me the basic knowledge that running an entire nation is different than a city. If he can’t demonstrate his ability to put his paradigm as mayor behind him because of the massive scale difference of being the POTUS, I don’t want him in there.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Not so much in the case of NYC. The population of 8,000,000 plus is larger than the majority of states, and larger than many countries (Switzerland, for example.) It’s one of the top 5 economies in the USA, and the third or fourth largest government. The Mayor is in charge of about 40,000 police officers, which is about the manpower that your average three-star army general has under his control. There are few jobs that are anything like running a country, and Mayor of NYC is one of them. Rudy’s justified in using it as an example.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Language like this has no value. Bloomberg is not very conservative; he was a lifelong democrat before running for mayor. But to even use the word communist in relation to a billionaire is plainly useless.
Grow up. Traffic and parking are reason enough to avoid NY without invoking Marx.
The Race Card on January 23, 2008 at 12:48 PM
bwahahaaha you’re kidding I hope
after SC and Nevada there were huge headlines for McCain win, tiny print for Mitt’s
If you have evidence of MSM pushing Romney as front runner etc let’s see it.
windansea on January 23, 2008 at 12:51 PM
But not as his blueprint. I guess we must agree to disagree.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 12:56 PM
FYI here’s Rudy’s pander to Floridians. Goofy music.
Big S on January 23, 2008 at 1:05 PM
I hate New Yorkers too but I’m still voting for Rudy. I hope he stomps some butt tomorrow.
I want the guy Mookie and Osama DON’T want. That’s either Rudy or St John. If I have to, I’ll hold my nose and vote for McCain. I just don’t think Romney’s got the mean streak I want. Oh…I’m glad I didn’t have to mention Huckabee. Get the f–k goin’, Huck.
LtE126 on January 23, 2008 at 1:22 PM
So much disinformation spread by the Rudy haters Hollowpointless, Thacker Guy, lowhopes, etc. I simply do not have time to correct the nonsense. If history is prelude, as voters leave Rudy they are going to fellow moderate hawk McCain. Rudy’s demise assures McCain’s nomination.
Get beyond your regional prejudices, inferiority complexes, and I’m gonna say it — ethnic bias, and ask yourself — what is preferable, a hawk that’s fiscally conservative and a competent executive or a hawk that votes for tax increases and compromises with the likes of Kennedy and Feingold.
Mitt, god bless him, may win the nomination if Rudy stays in to syphon votes away from McCain, but will not win in November. Once Rudy is gone, its a cake walk for McCain.
tommylotto on January 23, 2008 at 1:30 PM
By all means. Your time is money. Spend it elsewhere.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2008 at 1:36 PM
And the Yankees/their fans. Don’t forget those :-D.
BKennedy on January 23, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Must win for Rudy. He has got to win for a bounce for super tuesday. Of course I am not sure it really matters in the big picture. All the Republican party is doing now is deciding who will take the beating in November. The only chance to defeat the dems in 08 will take the entire Republican party, and it is obvious the party is fractured, perhaps even broken. To many “R’s” staying at home to defeat the energized dems.
chief on January 23, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »