More rumblings about Bush dumping Cheney for Giuliani

[ringmastery]

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=237002004

US PRESIDENT George Bush is ready to pull off the biggest shock of this year’s election campaign by naming Rudy Giuliani as his running mate at the Republican convention in Manhattan in September.

Giuliani remains the most popular politician in the US and speculation is mounting that Bush will announce the former New York mayor as his vice presidential candidate as the country marks the third anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The Republican party has already carried out canvassing of voters to assess how much support Giuliani has across the country and, according to reports, received high levels of public support.

The public has not forgotten Giuliani’s stoic leadership in the dark days after 9/11, when his words and actions became a beacon for the American people.

Analysts believe Bush, who lags behind Democratic frontrunner Senator John Kerry in opinion polls, would benefit from tapping into Giuliani’s popularity.

Dozens of polls since 2001 have shown Giuliani to be the most popular politician in the US, even though he has not held public office since Michael Bloomberg took over the post of mayor of New York in 2002.

Leading commentator Al Neuharth, the man who created USA Today, said Bush would do what his father did not - namely dump his vice president, currently Dick Cheney.

Neuharth said the ideal time for the announcement would be at the Republican convention in September, commemorating 9/11 at Ground Zero.

Bringing Giuliani on board would be a massive boost for Bush, who is lining up to run as a ‘war President’, concentrating on the war on terror rather than the war in Iraq.

[revcarol]

1. Repug running an unrepentant adulterer

whose paramour lived in the NY mansion while THE CHILDREN were still there?

Ya gotta luv those "family values" people!!

[OKNancy]

3. and isn't he pro-choice too?

How in the world could the Republicans reconcile that?

[rucky]

13. And moved in with a gay couple

And posed for a magazine in drag.


Then again, seems like the Repugs are having trouble reconciling Cheney.

If this is true, they're desperate & scrambling.

[BayCityProgressive]

2. it would backfire on Bush

Conservative Christians wouold dump Bush for sure. I am not sure Gulliani would be all that popular nationally anyhow, once all of his scandals and such were talked about.

[curse10]

4. I almost hope he does it

it would spell disaster for his campaign

[NNN0LHI]

5. Don't count on it.He avoided the draft during Vietnam like Cheney and Bush

I bet Clark would like to ask him about that during a debate. His 15 minutes of fame wearing a surgical mask over his face ain't going to make anyone forget that he is a Chickenhawk at heart.

Don

[mr715]

6. Yeesh

We have a problem with the Patriot Act and we'd consider Rudy as a mayor?

See ya civil liberties

[salin]

7. Wow - now that would defang part of the effectiveness

of the religious right in terms of acting as a single voting block that goes out and votes. Given how many other groups bushetal has alienated - I have to wonder about the wisdom of picking Guiliani which may bring back some in the middle - but would almost certainly return some of the CC voters to nonvoting status. Does he lose more than he gain or visa versa?

[SaddenedDem]

8. THE October surprise delivered in September

Because that would change the dynamics of the race at a very late date. It would mean a summer of DEM campaigning against the Bush/Cheney team and pull the rug out from under the DEM campaign.

60 days to change the entire campaign - too late to have any real impact.

Isn't the DEM convention BEFORE theirs? Isn't the VP candidate announced at the convention? Are the campaign issues set in stone there?

And there you have the republican strategy.

[Protagoras]

9. Won't matter, we are running against BUSH

so unless Rudy gets the top spot he'd just be a momentary blip. This isn't a referrendum on the Cheney Vice Presidency...that of course was also a failure but it isn't what is sinking Bush. Bush is sinking bush and since he can't yet put the Terminator on the ticket there isn't much he can do to stop people from remembering how much they loath him.

[mdguss]

10. Well:

They really, really, risk looking like they're exploiting 9-11 for political gains. They have managed to upset the families of 9-11 victims. (The victims were rightfully upset by them trying to stop the 9-11 commission several times). People of all political stripes died on that day, and the event shouldn't become a political issue.

Picking Guilani at a convention so close to 9-11 in New York would probably backfire. Bush may well have his father's disastourous Republican convention--albeit for different reasons.

I personally think the country is more concerned about the economy than the war on terrorism. Bush's rhetoric about "Improving job picture," seems out of touch.

[SaddenedDem]

11. That's the whole point

It will change the dynamics of a "Bush" race. It will rock the DEM party back on their heels.

[Evil_Dewers]

12. Not gonna do it...

Wouldn't be prudent...at this juncture.

Guiliani dodged chunks on concrete on 9/11 while Bush fled to a cornfield in Nebraska. Believe me, that huge contrast would be brought up by the Dems and Bush would look even less presidential (like that's possible). Plus, the fact that Guiliani couldn't keep his little dick out of his mistress and was banging her in the mayoral mansion after he locked out his wife would piss off the immoral minority who have been deluded into thinking that Bush is on "their side."

"I was just trying to get out of harm's way (on 9/11)"--Gee Dubya Em Dee Bush.

[Tim_in_HK]

14. It looks tempting . . .

And on some levels it would work, but on others it doesn't.

It would be interesting though. From the standpoint of 9/11, it would be a despicable political move, but would probably gain some people in their corner (even if he is only VP, IMO).

On the flip side, though, Guiliani is a pretty socially liberal Republican (at least compared to Bush), not anti-gay, and (I believe) pro-choice (but I could be wrong on the latter). And he was schtooping his mistress whilst married. None of those would play well with the religious right.

But on the other hand, while the Christian conservatives may not like that, but i doubt it would make them either stay home or vote Dem, so it could be a net gain for Bushco.

I would be very nervous if this were to happen.

[mrgorth]

15. Dunno

I thought I just heard on the radio that it's definitely going to be Chainme.

[jumptheshadow]

16. Bring it on!

1) It could mobilize the African American vote. Especially the NYC African American vote. Bush/Giuliani won't take NY.

2) Giuliani's personal life becomes an open book. Did you believe that Clinton's dalliance with an intern was unethical? What about Giuliani's affair with a staff member who had inordinate power over decision-making in NYC?

Just *try* to smear Kerry.

3) It makes a pretty good case for Wesley Clark as VP nominee. If anybody can out-general Giuliani, it's the General himself.

4) Giuliani's open-mindedness toward gays and the fact that he lived with a gay couple takes the wedge issue right off the table.

On edit: Remember the Mafia tarring of Geraldine Ferraro? Well, just *what* did Giuliani's dad do for a living?