Jan 04 2008
Giuliani’s Opening
I noted below that Iowa and New Hampshire are going to showcase the internal GOP divide for all to see. Iowa was the “anybody but a moderate” vote. And New Hampshire will be the “Only Moderates, Please” vote. Each state will highlight the ends of the conservative spectrum, and knock out a lot of contenders. Fred Thompson, if the polls stay where they are, will have come up short (which is too bad, I like Thompson and was excited when I heard he may jump in). Romney could take his second big loss in a week. And we would find McCain the most centrist viable candidate and Huckabee the candidate farthest right on social issues. But you also see the end points of the immigration topic as well.
John Podhoretz notes it looks like Giuliani is sitting nice and comfortably in between these two end points:
Romney has been injured. Huckabee won, but did not apparently win by a huge margin, and there won’t be many other states where evangelicals make up fully three-fifths of the primary electorate. And John McCain did not, it seems, come in third with a surprising showing, but fourth with a very modest showing. … the Giuliani strategy of betting it all on Florida on January 29 and the big states on February 5 is looking better than it did a week ago.
A little reminder about Giuliani’s national strength. He can hold FL and TX no problem. He can win NY and NJ against Obama – it is not impossible. And he can make CA fight and force Obama to spend precious money and time there. With FL and TX safe and NY, NJ and CA (and many others) in place Rudy can win in 2008.
AJ,
I wouldn’t throw Fred out yet. He’s running a much different style campaign. The more I see of him, the more I like. The MSM is trying to ignore him and give him the ‘lazy’ label. I bought that line at first, but after a little more research I find it not at all accurate. Fred needs a little more exposure and I believe he will gain ground quickly.
I am just being realistic. If he drops to last in NH he runs out of money. There are hundreds of good Americans who would make great Presidents – but very few have the stars align to actually get in the game. My comments about his prospects don’t mean I don’t admire him. I just don’t see him pulling out of the pack in time.
AJ
If you had the time to read all the comment threads on a wide number of conservative to middle blogs his name is being mentioned with thoughtful and reasoned commentary. Many are coming to the conclusion that on balance Fred may be the overall better candidate and even the one more likely to be able to work across the aisle without selling us out in the process.
Go Rudy!
AJ:
I agree with you in some ways, but I am telling you that Huckabee is not a right winger. That is obvious. People voted for him because they liked him, not because they are avid right wingers. BTW, Bush is an evangelical and he is not a right winger either.
Merlin:
Comment threads don’t mean anything. They have nothing to do with how people actually vote.
I mean I have seen Huckabee called a liberal a lot more times than I have seen him called a conservative.