Glenn Greenwald has a thought provoking article up on Rudy's chances today. Count me down as skeptical. I think that the train wreck of his family life, his support for gay marriage, and his pro-choice history will far outweigh the 9/11 mystique that he created around himself. But more than that, I think that his association with Bernie Kerik and the questions surrounding his consulting company bring another element into the equation. New Yorkers don't trust Giuliani, and they've had a long history with him. Until 9/11 he was extremely unpopular there, and even today, he trails Hillary by a 20 point margin when placed head-to-head in a NY poll. Hillary's unfavorable rating is among the highest of any politician, by the way. It's really a question of judgment, and the folks that know him best seem to have significant questions about that judgment.
However, I've certainly underestimated the ability of candidates to spin their own weaknesses and project that same weakness upon their opponents. If Bush and Cheney can successfully portray John Kerry as the candidate who has problems with military service, I suppose Rudy could make us believe that he shares bible belt values and possesses a history of competent judgment.
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2 comments:
Like George Pataki, who grabbed the 9/11 limelight to a lesser degree, he has no chance.
I can't see a Republican from the Northeast getting the nomination for a good long while .
Tristero at Hullabaloo agrees with Greenwald, and neither consider your point, which I think is very valid.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_digbysblog_archive.html#117086527816872221
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