John Nichols: Swamped in Florida: Another New Yorker's Nightmare

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from The Nation:



BLOG | Posted 01/29/2008 @ 12:45pm
Swamped in Florida: Another New Yorker's Nightmare


Florida is where the national political ambitions of New York mayors go to die.

Rudy Giuliani will learn that lesson tonight if he finishes fourth -- as could happen -- in a Florida Republican presidential primary on which he has gambled his political future.

"We win in Florida, we're going everywhere else," the former New York mayor told crowds in the Sunshine state on the eve of a primary contest that polls say is now between Arizona Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. "Florida is going to lead the way."

In fact, if Florida leads as expected, it will be showing "America's mayor" the exit door from a race he misread by skipping early caucus and primary states to concentrate on Florida.

In fairness to Giuliani, if he loses he will not be the first New York City big shot to be humbled by Florida voters.

Thirsty-six years ago, New York Mayor John Lindsay, a recent convert from the Republican Party, launched his campaign for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination in Florida. He bet that the state where so many New Yorkers had retired would be fertile ground for the Big Apple among the Palm Trees campaign. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=276967