>>How do you see Gulianni winning. All the press I've read about him is extremely negative. Like bush only worse. Although I've not understood the worse part. But when you read his style, if you didn't read the heading first, you'd think you were reading an article about bush.
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>>I've read one article explaining why Gulianni's style is winning over those in the Mid-West, but I didn't really understand it.
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>Perry, from a lot of other stuff you've written I would tend to think your reading wouldn't include a lot of sources that would like Guiliani <g>
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>Ok, first I am not sure Guiliani can win. But I am very sure the other GOP candidates can't ( at least not with my vote ) Romney may be an accomplished person and I might vote for the guy who is Gov of Mass but not for the guy who is doing what he thinks you have to do to win the GOP nomination. And there is the Mormon thing, which will hurt him with the evangelicals and later with the secularists. ( sometimes I think the country would be better off with no primaries but just a general election playoff - it does not bring out the best in either party as it gives the loonies too much power ) Everybody else too far to the right on social issues. Thompson doesn't want it bad enough and I don't think will play well in a long race.
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>My only issue with the Dems is national security. I can live with social experimentation - especially when things like health care so obviously need attention. Rudy's national security team includes Podhoretz, Danial Pipes and Martin Kramer and I think that is important in that the next Presidential term is going to have to have a pretty firm handle on exactly where the threats are and to understand they are very real. I think HRC understands that, fortunately, more than her base, but I'm afraid she would be muscled into making appointments that would be a lot more wobbly ( remember Jimmy Carter made Stansfield Turner DCI and Clinton appointed Deutch. )
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>Can Rudy win? i've no idea, but I know if the Dems run a hillary/barack ticket the counterpunch is rudy/condi. Would probably be a good election for the country. If Condi had a husband and two kids it would probably help a lot, but I don't think there is time for that before the election <s> Would be pretty good for the country, though to have a national election that was a little more 'diverse' ( god I hate that word ) than what we're used to.
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>I think the real thing to watch is HRC's negatives. They are extraordinarily high and the question is which way does that move when she gets on the campaign trail nationally. And her nomination will be a great fund-raiser for GOP that might otherwise be less than enthusiastic about non-born-again Rudy.
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>If I were the GOP dirty tricks guy I'd be trolling trailer parks all over America looking for guided-bimbo-missiles to shoot at Bill during the campaign <s>
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You are right about Hillary's negatives and it makes me seriously question whether she can win. My theory is the Repubs already have ammo against her, or at least a battle plan they know they can win with, and just want to make sure she is the nominee first. Republican strategists must be lying awake nights salivating about a campaign against Hillary.