Waiting For Rudy Giuliani: New York's GOP Holds Onto The Wrong Hopes

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is being stalked to run statewide by Republican leaders because (1) he's a liberal and (2) cult of celebrity is easier than actually cultivating a farm team of candidates.

Long Island's Newsday reported: Rudy the Savior? New York's GOP sure hopes so

State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello says he has already talked to Giuliani about running.

"I'm coming away cautiously optimistic," Mondello said. "The conversations I've had with him, and we've had a few, certainly are promising ... he would energize the party."

Not faulting New York State GOP chairman Mondello's enthusiasm about Rudy Giuliani, especially since the latest polling is only promising, but why not cultivate a longer list of candidates?

A recent Marist College poll found 47 percent of New York voters favored Giuliani compared to 46 percent for incumbent Democratic Governor David Paterson. Paterson has lost 11 points since November. A Siena College poll last week gave Giuliani a 60 percent approval, an improvement over his Presidential bid doldrums.

Not to fault Giuliani, whose leadership and management skills could help Albany's anarchy, but Rudy's endured near two years of sleepy numbers.  He caught a lot of negatives.  The damage is on the tip of our tongues.  There is no need to list the problems but my own issue is fairly simple.

Will Rudy show up?

Whether the absence from the political scene has been health-related, an open speculation that is likely false, or some kind of retreat from what he wisely has identified has New York's own toxic political environment, America's mayor has not been around.

Maybe Giuliani's greatest challenge is just arriving.  He needs to locally barnstorm.  He needs to be, dare I say this, more human ... and accessible?  The cult of celebrity has actually hurt Giuliani, I would guess, since it has accentuated any perceived negatives.  Not showing up for the Florida primaries last year may have been a politically fatal miscue -- though those who advised him then have usually been right.

For now, Mondello needs to scout New York State for a real candidate and someone he can count on.

If Rudy doesn't come out for the bell this time, the unreliable tag might forever stick and close what otherwise has been a laudable life in public service.

I'm not blaming the State GOP, by the way.  Under normal circumstances, I suspect a statewide political operation would get more from a person of Mr. Giuliani's stature.  Of course, former Governor George Pataki often let them down too.  Ironically, Rudy was always fondly embraced as a sort of anti-Pataki.

Finally, Giuliani is a liberal Republican but that's how the New York's Republican establishment believes that they can win ... as a liberal organization.  New York's voters tend to vote more liberal than other places, so it's not slanted logic, but they haven't been winning with liberal candidates either.

They haven't been winning at all.

Maybe Rudy got the memo after all.

Comments

[Doomed]

How ironic is it that one of Rudy Giuliani's greatest supporters, who is Jay Savino, that Jay's father Joseph Savino Sr. was convicted by Rudy Giuliani who he was the the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. It goes to show you what a whore Jay Savino really is.

[Anonymous]

Doomed=Phil Sanchez.

[daniel]

Though many Republican like Giuliani, I think they like him as New York City's mayor. As a Governor, thing would be seriously different and I do not believe the office is suitable for his executive skills and tempermant. The Governor does not have the same executive control that the Mayor of NYC has. He may find it as difficult as it was for Eliot Spitzer.

Also, if you are running to bring a conservative approach with government reform to Albany, you have to bring change to the legislature. That means selecting key Senate & Assembly seats and running with the candidates in these local races.

There something to say about a prospective candidate that won't address his political base without expecting to be paid for it. And when you have a powerful third party in the Conservative Party, you have an uphill fight. We all know George Marlin despises Giuliani and would probably run for Governor on the Conservative line just to spite him.

I think we need a candidate that is more familiar with the State, one that can unite Republicans and Conservatives, on that can address important state issues clearly and in laymans terms and rally alongside local Assembly & Senate candidates throughout the entire State of New York. Someone whose initials could be H.I.L.