Comments on: Oh Rudy, Rudy, Rudy: Giuliani and LaGuardia

By: a guy in pajamas

a guy in pajamas — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:56:23 +0000

LA: The GOP has spent decades building up an electorate for which rabid hostility to abortion and gay rights were not merely prerequisites but the most important issues possible. George W. Bush owes much of his success to that.

Actually, that’s the blue state propaganda, about like the as the red staters calling all Kerry voters commies. Of course, there’s a little truth in both.

By: Assistant Village Idiot

Assistant Village Idiot — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:55:45 +0000

strcpy – don’t take the bait. People who use terms like “rabid” and “anti-gay” aren’t really that attentive to the actual content of their individual words. You have to go more phrase-by-phrase with those guys. They pack those things in as whole objects, like a scop in the oral-formulaic manner.

By: stumbley

stumbley — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:08:23 +0000

Bookworm:

My father lived more than eight years after being treated for and cured of prostate cancer. Ultimately it was a stroke that killed him. Rudy will be fine. Prostate cancer is a very slow-growing version of the disease.

By: Bookworm

Bookworm — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 01:27:52 +0000

I’ve always been impressed by Rudy’s can-do ability, and I do think he’s electable despite the messy divorces. What I wonder is whether his prostate cancer will hinder him. I know he’s been treated and cleared, but how many voters will invest in a candidate with a history of cancer. You’ve gotta like his running mate to take that risk.

By: Jen in NY

Jen in NY — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:19:23 +0000

If Giuliani runs, I will actively campaign for him. I think L.A. makes a good point that it might be very difficult for him to get the Republican nomination, but, frankly, I think he is exactly the kind of politician this country is crying out for. To me, he’s about freedom:

Freedom from government interference in your personal life (the socially liberal aspect)

Freedom from government interference in business (the fiscally conservative aspect which, incidentally, completely turned around the fortunes of NYC.)

Freedom from fear (the hard line against criminals and, I assume, terrorists.)

I like the fact that he has a checkered past, and I hope that prevents him from being too self-righteous, and, of course, I greatly admire the way he handled 9/11. I can imagine that he would have handle Katrina much better than Bush also.

If he can’t get the Republican nomination, I hope he runs as an Independent.

By: Zeno

Zeno — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:55:17 +0000

As a non-American, watching from abroad, I kinda like Giuliani. Actually I hope he becomes the next US president. Not only for what he did in NY and his leadership in 9/11, for several other reasons as well. And the idea of yet another Bush or Clinton in the White House is a bit depressing.

By: Loyal Achates

Loyal Achates — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:03:36 +0000

Has Rudy made any substantial comments on Iraq since the ’04 convention?

But, consider: in two years, barring a dramatic turnaround in the war’s progress, any presidential candidate who supports prolonging it indefinitely might as well eat a live puppy on television for all the chance they have.

Such is my opinion, anyway.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:37:14 +0000

Here’s a semi-trivial thought for you:
I was traveling in Italy when Rudy was elected Mayor of NYC, and he was on front page of every newspaper I saw there. If he were nominated by republicans to run as pres, I think Italy would erupt, and if he won, it would be a bigger party than if Italy won the World Cup.

By: DONALD WEBSTER

DONALD WEBSTER — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 11:30:18 +0000

Leaf stuck to cobweb,
twirling in a breeze at dusk;
darkness–then the wind.

By: Trimegistus

Trimegistus — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:49:06 +0000

For me, the only issue is the war on Islam (let’s not kid ourselves about it). Giuliani looks like the best of the candidates to take a strong, aggressive, no-apologies stance in the ongoing war. Therefore he’ll get my vote.

McCain? I dunno. He talks big, sometimes — but sometimes he seems ready to cut and run.

The Democrats? Completely hopeless in the war. The _best_ of them are motivated by cynical opportunism. Hillary seems to be in that camp. Most seem to actually want our enemies to triumph. A Democrat victory in 2008 would be a disaster for America, Western civilization, and humanity in general. It’ll be _worse_ than the 1970s. Much worse.

I’m coming to see Giuliani not just as the best candidate, but as our last hope.