Panic on the Right as America’s Mayor takes lead in polls

[Doondoo]

Conventional wisdom that Rudy Giuliani is too socially liberal and combustible to win the next Republican presidential nomination is taking a battering.

A slew of polls show the former Mayor of New York opening a lead of up to 20 per cent over his declared rivals among likely Republican primary voters.

The phenomenon of a thrice-married supporter of abortion, gay rights and gun control creating such enthusiasm in a party dominated by Christian conservatives is a cause of puzzlement, bordering on panic, among Washington’s pundits.

Some insist that it cannot last and that Mr Giuliani’s popularity will evaporate once voters are reminded of the positions he has taken and his tarnished record as an arrogant mayor with dubious connections in New York City.

Others are trying to find a reverse gear for their opinions because no Republican candidate in modern history has been so far ahead at this stage in the contest and then failed to win the nomination.



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1449743.ece

[Me.]

1. So Let Me See If I Have This Right

They are not even going to respect the choice of candidate from those on their side of the aisle?

[nevergiveup]

2. Rudy has got the

nomination nailed and they will all fall in line.....just my opinion.

[armodem08]

3. That or we witness the breakup of the Republicans

into a pro-business party and a conservative christian party. That would ensure a Dem win in 2008, with substantial third party defections.

[Kahuna]

5. 100%. They will back Rudy for no other reason than the havoc..

he would wreck on Hillary in the northeast.

[Me.]

6. Well.....

No love for Rudy here in the northeast, where we actually have experienced his "leadership" In fact if you ask NYS republicans, they don't think he'll see this through to the end if the going gets rough. They think he'll 'cut & run' like he did the last time he was up against Hillary. They say, he used his prostate cancer as an excuse, would have all the help in the world to run, plus the sympathy vote and he ran like a bunny.

[AX10]

7. Partly true.

Rudy stalls at 40% in New York against any Democrat.
What we need is for McCain to bring the swiftboaters against Rudy. That will hurt him severely.

[Kahuna]

8. Well, I live in the Northeast too. And while there may be no love lost

for Rudy, there's also no love lost for Hillary.

[yellowcanine]

13. Maybe Jerry Falwell will - he is a Republican whore, after all.

Pat Robertson also. But I think many of the rank and file evangelicals would stay home or even vote for Obama rather than the serial fornicator that is Giuliani.

[AX10]

15. What about Dobson?

[AX10]

4. 90% of the GOP will fall into line to vote for the nominee.

Only a few will stay home in protest if their right wing kook doesn't get the nomination.
The fundies will vote for "gay-rights Rudy" because he's a Republican who talks tough against Arabs and other "less than desirables".

"Although both he and his wife, Patricia, describe themselves as religious conservatives who are in “a different place” to Mr Giuliani on social issues, being “America’s Mayor” on September 11, 2001, trumps everything.

Mary Gail Swenson, 63, could scarcely take her hands off him as she posed for pictures with Mr Giuliani and whispered in his ear. What did she say? “I wanted to thank him for being so strong in the face of fear. When 9/11 happened he made us feel safer."

See, these conservatives don't care about his social views. They love that he is a tough talking chickenhawk Republican.

Many DUer's are foolish to think that Rudy is not formidable.

[Kahuna]

9. Another thing in Rudy vs. HIllary, as far as the wingnut fundies go..

they will figure that Rudy and Hillary cancel each other out as far as "values" go, so they may as well make the trip out to vote for their own scumbag.

[truthisfreedom]

10. I love how they're choking on this one.

It's just excellent.

[RC]

14. Excellent or

excrement? What this country needs right now is a strong leader from the real center.
Not some mad ave type telling us what we are suppose to hear. Rudy is to the left of Hillary, but he is still too far right of the real center.

The bu$h administration has the political landscape stretched all out of shape.

[zbdent]

11. There ain't enough lipstick in the world for

Pig Rudy ...

[Kahuna]

12. There shouldn't have been enough lipstick for bush either but....

:shrug:

[Skittles]

16. OR, even repukes are sick of lack of leadership and will take anything

YES