Giuliani ahead in polls; McCain and Romney fading fast

[BlueStater]

Giuliani way out in front of rivals in latest US presidential poll

Sat Mar 3, 3:11 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has taken a wide lead over his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination but many voters remain unaware of his stand on key issues, a new poll showed Saturday.

Giuliani is favored by an impressive 59 percent of Republican voters over his main rival, Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record), who trails with 34 percent support, according to the latest Newsweek poll.

Giuliani has surged ahead since a January 25 Newsweek poll, when he had a narrow lead of four points over McCain that was deemed a statistical tie.

When pitted against another Republican candidate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, 70 percent of Republican voters say they would choose Giuliani compared to 20 percent for Romney.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070303/ts_alt_afp/usvote2008republicans

[Alhena]

1. I don't think Rudy has it sewn up by any means ...

but I still think it's ridiculous to say that he will never get the Republican nomination because of his moderate views. He came in a solid second at the straw poll at the CPAC meeting - these are the hard core conservative political junkies.

Maybe the Republicans are more pragmatic than most gave them credit for- a moderate like Rudy is their only chance to win with the current climate being against them, and they seem to know it.

[thereismore]

3. The bottom right is exposed for what it is: opportunistic haters. The only way to

continue the conservative politics of hate against the poor, the women, the Hispanic, you name it, is to junk the moral values crap and go with the repug that has the best chance to win.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. There isn't anyone "right" enough to suit the CNACpots.

[HappyWeasel]

7. Yeah, that's why they will lose.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. All the more reason to enjoy their whining.

[tblue]

9. The well-oiled machine will choose the winner, and that will be the person who will best supports

the military/security/energy complex and keep the gravy train of war rolling along. The Religious Right will have a major problem with R*dy, plus he's from (horrors!) NYC!!! The party needs either a) a bonafide Neocon or b) a tool who can throw some bait to the far right wing or c) both. I don't think R*dy has enough of their boxes checked. McC*ain blew it when he insulted Rheumy and Darth. My money says it will be J*b.

[gasperc]

2. with conservatives forming less than 35% of the electorate

who really gives a fuck
the independents have abandoned the republicans, Rove's new paradigm is falling apart

[tblue]

4. I like your math.

Damn straight.

[HappyWeasel]

8. Ummm....we just form a quarter...then again...

Conservatives that are afraid of being conservatives are just "libertarian conservatives"
Liberals that are afraid of being conservatives are "centrists".

[HappyWeasel]

5. At least Guiliani would be better the other idiots...

Maybe that "funny person", Possner will be appointed the court. He's a righty, but hes too moderate on abortion and abortion-related topics to get nominated in this environment.

[tblue]

10. No, he's a stinker, too. A megalomaniac. He's as nutty as *.

[AX10]

12. The primaries are still 11 months off.

At this point in 1991, people were asking, "Bill who?"

[Telly Savalas]

16. Moreover, at this point in 2003 Lieberman was ahead in all the polls.

Giuliani is probably one of the GOP's stronger candidates, but it's hard to imagine he'll withstand the scrutiny/attacks from the fundamentalists.

[progressivebydesign]

13. Repubs are seriously fucked up if they'd go for that thing..

Guiliani, they don't know a freakin' thing about him. The world is like American Idol to those morans... they see him on teevee, the media called him "St. Rudy", and that's enough for them! And I LOVE how his marital past will not affect 75% of those polled. I see.. kicking your wife and kids out of the house and moving in the woman you were sleeping with while married, because the wife wouldn't take the kids and leave. Now those are some GREAT family values.

The republican voters deserve something like him for their candidate. Easiest person to beat on Earth. It's a no-brainer.

[amandabeech]

14. When more Republican voters find out just exactly what Rudy did,

I think that more of them will think that it's important.

All Rudy's indiscretions really haven't been brought out by opponents or the media. That won't last.

[TwilightGardener]

15. I think the GOPers know about him

and his sordid personal life, and his liberal-leaning tendencies. They do not care. He has been selected, he will be the new neocon front man, deviously chosen BECAUSE of potential appeal to Indies/Dems, and the GOP will forgive everything about him that they wouldn't forgive in Clinton, or any Democrat, for that matter. They are truly a party of hypocrisy. But he will be packaged, just like Bush, to appeal to the masses who are looking for another tough-guy swaggerin' cowboy type. We just have to Rove him where he's strongest, and not make TOO much of the cross-dressing, cousin-screwing, etc.--people will figure that out in time. You don't want to lose the shock value of that dirt until close to the general, anyway.

I'm guessing his strength would be his 9/11 "heroics". He also goes on and on about the War on Terra, and how "they" attacked us first, so that's why we're over in Iraq. Not sure the general public is still going to buy that come 2008, except for the diehard Freeper types. Actually, I believe he's even more underqualified than Bush--at least Chimpy was governor of a damn big state. The sooner we know our oppo, the sooner we can get started! This is a good thing.

[snowbear]

17. Oh.. they'll eventually care...

What fun we'd have if he did get their nod!

X-ray photo of Rudy Guiliani's closet

[TwilightGardener]

18. You said it sister. He's going to peak too soon anyway--we're

already reaching saturation point, media-wise.

[AX10]

19. This election started too soon in the MSM.

There is a good chance that the respective nominees have not even declared their candidacies yet (wait for the fall).

[TwilightGardener]

20. Yup.

[MasonJar]

21. All three are lying hypocrites, who have sold their souls for votes.

They will reap what they have sown.