Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Giuliani's Viability
Over at The Fix Chris Cilizza excerpts his long chat on Rudy Giuliani's chances of garnering the GOP nomination. Cilizza is skeptical as to whether or not Rudy is nominatable in the current climate of the Republican Party. I have no doubt that Giuliani would be a powerhouse candidate, though I have always wondered what the appeal was and never bought into the Rudy-as-hero trope that emerged after 9/11. Nonetheless, Giuliani has pizzazz, or whatever it is, that many in the GOP might find appealing, especially if Barack Obama's star continues to rise.
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3 comments:
I think Giuliani in the second chair could be interesting, especially if you get someone like McCain, from a western state. But one has to wonder if that pairing would work.
dcat
I love Rudy. He's no nonsense. He's a lot like Bush (please keep reading!) in the sense that he believes in what he believes is right and is not afraid to piss people off to do what he feels is best for his citizens--the BIG difference is that I think Rudy is very smart, very pragmatic and thinks rationally and not based on religion or outside forces.
I would LOVE to see Rudy take down world terrorism in the same way he took down organized crime in NYC when he was DA.
If Rudy ran, I would for the first time consider working for a campaign.
I jst don't see why we all think Giuliani would necessarily be all that effective as president. I also think his response to 9/11 has been largely overrated. I know, I know, he made New Yorkers see the better angels within, or somesuch claptrap. I just don't get it -- i thought he did what pretty much any reasonably articulate, intelligent, capable leader would have done. Screwing up the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in NYC would have required the sort of tone deafness that few can muster.
I think you might give Rudy too much credit for ending organized crime in NYC. That was part of a larger historical process in which he surely played a part, but it is all part of the self-constructed Rudy narrative -- part saint, part tough as nails action man.
That said, because of the effectiveness he has had in conveying that narrative, he will be a tough out should he choose to run.
I don't necessarily worry about South Carolina. If a candidate has a strong strategy he might even be able to overcome that history, which, while interesting, is not inevitable. Win in New Hampshire and Iowa and pretend that South Carolina does not exist, or hit a few liberalish-enclaves and hope that the climate after this latest election is such that the far right won't hold that much power.
That said, I hope the GOP does veer far to the right. Doing so will help determine their own obsolescence.
dcat
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