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Giuliani Officially Looks at 2008 Presidential Bid

2006_11_giulianiprez.jpgIt finally happened: Rudy Giuliani has set up the "Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee, Inc." to consider a 2008 bid for the White House. While his aides say it's "not a declaration, it is not an announcement" - just "legal back-room stuff that you have to do" - it certainly makes things interesting given the possible presence of Hillary Clinton looking for the Democratic nomination. The Daily News' Michael Goodwin writes, "Hil vs. Giuliani: The race we've dreamed of", recalling the 2000 Senate race that Giuliani dropped out of after discovering he had prostate cancer. Ah, remember those days? Remember Rick Lazio?

The next question is whether Giuliani is ready for presidential nomination type scrutiny from other Republicans and the nation. He'll have been out of political office for seven years by 2008 - we wonder if that'll work as an advantage or disadvantage. His guidance during September 11 and fighting crime are his successes, but what else can translate into a national platform? His more liberal stances on gun control (he's for it), gay rights (he supports them) and abortion (he's pro-choice) make him an unusual figure for usually conservative primary voters. Overall, we're skeptical his name will make it to the voting booth come November 2008. What do you think?

The Post makes a good observation: Giuliani filed his exploratory committee with the NY Department of State, vs. the Federal Election Commission, possibly because the NY DOS is much stricter and doesn't allow the "public can't access information about how much he's raised and from whom." Last week, Senator John McCain announced he was launching an exploratory panel. And yesterday Governor Pataki announced he would think about a presidential bid, because he wants to be "part of the national dialogue."

Photograph of Giuliani during one of his midterm campaign trips by Mel Evans/AP

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Comments [rss]

  • I just can't vote for someone who is getting rich by pimping the deaths of 2,819 people.

  • Reality

    I can't decide if it's cute or sad that Pataki things he has any chance whatsoever...

  • starve EX

    [28] : edEx |How are you serving your country?

    You are still a felon keeping drug dealers in business.

    Hey edEx, what about those tunnels that stretch form Mexico to Texas?

    You shouldn't speak in terms of "WE," the only dumb nut on the board is you.

    You have a record nobody cares about your vote or your opinion.

    You are dumb enough to think: "drugs are not trafficed over the border by running illegals. drugs are flown or trucked in by legals, jackass."

    Stupid, assjack, read the papers. Go work along the boarders where no patrols apparent. BIG DUMBY!!!! Smuggling mean concealed, hidden anywhere. Only you think it is done in the obvious way.

  • anonymass

    Perhaps you prefer the term McCarthyism.

  • *Also his brand of fascism won't work that well...*

    fascism... HA HA HA!!! you're funny.

  • Miquel

    "He can't run on a crime ticket."

    He can and will. Watch him.

    "Also his brand of fascism won't work that well following Bush, the backlash has already started."

    I disagree. Americans don't care about Iraq. Never have, just too scared to seem unpatriotic after 9/11.

    They only care about their own country-state-city-neighborhood-block-house (in reverse order from most to least interested). Mostly, they care about poor blacks (thugs) and latinos (immigrants) and they want someone lilly-white to clean up the meanstreets by locking up the thugs and sending all the illegals back.

    That's how Guiliani made his name here in NY and how he will get the nod as McCain's running mate in 08.

  • tommyill

    He would be the second worst President ever.

    But I don't think it will come to that - in the next 2 years he will slip up and show the national audience what a dick he is.

    Also his brand of fascism won't work that well following Bush, the backlash has already started.

  • presidential goofs

    We do not vote for Northerners.

    And, McCain is looked at like a pussi who's kissing so much ass now, it will take forever to get the stink out. He fought a good battle but lost big time.



  • X-new yorker

    Giuliani would have to do a 180 degree on his abortion and gay positions to be considered a candidate by the party leadership. Also, new yorkers , particularly ones with his baggage of infidelity, don't play well outside of the beltway. The corporate media and new york likes him, but what about tennesee? nebraska? utah?

  • #17

    *Supporting drug dealers. That's good. You are one to the reason illegal immigrants and drug dealers are trafficing dope, drugs, and guns across the boarder. You are a part of the market. You are a part of the problem.*

    reading comprehension my friend...

    drugs are not trafficed over the border by running illegals. drugs are flown or trucked in by legals, jackass. 98% of marijuana in the united states is grown in the united states.

    besides, marijuana is at the bottom of US domestic issues.

    also, being stopped by the police or any authority for m-13 possesion is hardly a felony, read some general law and you'll see it's a violation, a ticket! if every person was unable to vote because of a ticket, we'd be as dumb as you.

  • Kick

    Whats just as laughable, is Pataki thinking he has a shot. I hope Iowa laughs him back into retirement.

    As far as Guiliani goes...I don't live in NYC, or even that part of the state but I don't think I'd vote for the ex mayor of a major city, over someone with more experiance in the federal government. YEah, NYC is the great melting pot, its got a bigger population than some cities, it does trade with nations from all over...but I'd rather see someone running who's been in federal government for the same amount of years...and I don't want to vote for someone who's been, what, running a consulting business and making the lecture circuit for the past few years, not governing.

    Pataki as president...oh, man, that ones almost as good as if Tom Reynolds the pedophilia enabler announced he was thinking of running.

  • Darrin

    LOL!!! Rudy talking about principles! Which ones, Rudy? Marrying your cousin, then dumping her when Donna Hanover comes along... and swearing to the Cardinal that you had no idea that you were cousins?

    Dumping her, the mother of your children, on television... on Mother's Day? Carrying on an affair, while you were still married, with a married woman, while screaming in moral indignation about President Clinton's philandering? How about putting favors to donors first when you personally approved the radios that kept firefighters and cops from being able to talk to each other... and lead to the needless deaths of many of those men on 9-11.

    This could go on... but I'll stop at that last one. That alone should have put him behind bars, not onto anyone's list of "heroes".

  • The Pentagon

    The only people that know about 911 are New Yorkers in the city. The rest of the country was not affected.



    uhhh, ok.

  • husker doofus

    I should mention gun nuts hawk on 9/11 because usually they're the kookoo patriotic people with their flags, pins and maybe NASCAR. and guns, of course.

    then you got the retired and active LEO guys, they may or may not be gun nuts.

    don't know bout firemen, don't hang out on firemen boards.

    anyway, there's too many skeletons in Ghouliani's closet and gun grabbin is a big one. that and he's Catholic, no way, no how.

    no way will there be a pope boy in this Country.

  • see Montana

    Irriatated proves the point that most New Yorkers and/or Democrats don't really understand the country's political geography. The Mountain States tend to be the small government crowd. The Bible crowd is in the South. The sooner you guys realize this the sooner you can stop insulting 50% of the population by assuming everyone that votes Republican is a neocon.

    It's not enough to subscribe to the Times. You have to actually read it.

  • Indeed. Some of us remember exactly what Guiliani did to NYC, from banning the burning of candles in bars to the criminalization of the homeless (and shipping them at NYC taxpayer expense to new jersey). He's single-handedly responsible for the final nail in the coffin of worthwhile art and culture in NYC, which was driven in well before the WTC fell down.

    Its ok though, cause now it's a Family Town.

  • husker fu

    that's true, the only people who still care and hawk on 9/11 are mostly ny'ers or gun nuts.

    It's like a badge of honor to say you're a ny'er and you were here during 9/11 but to tell the truth, no one outside NY cares. again, unless you're a gun nut.

  • potHead

    the marijuana laws did not change under giuliani, but he made enforcing them a much higher priority for the police (who certainly have more important things to be doing).

  • mh

    Rudolph can't be serious. What about the liars he had working for his firm. The guy that faked his resume. He went beyond embellishments. Gulliani knew the guy was a croock. Gulliani seems a bit too shady for the job. He should go back to the Democratic party he might have a chance. Democratic sympathize with underdogs.

    The only people that know about 911 are New Yorkers in the city. The rest of the country was not affected. Not enough for him to run on that ticket. He can't run on a crime ticket. He's can't run on organized crime, his specialty. I think he has the mentality that would set the country backwards.

    However, I hope he runs so that we can see some good mud slinging. His wife is at the top of the list for attacks. His son is old enough to put his foot in his mouth some way or other.

    Also, Gulliani talks like Daffy Duck. Not a good image.

  • Irritated

    A New York Italian "Catholic" who married his cousin, got divorced twice and lisps. Might be a bit of a stretch in Wyoming, dontcha think???

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