You've brought up a couple points that have been metioned in many of my readings.

1) 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.

You are correct that nothing I have ever read has ever placed the name Podhoretz and another respectful word in the same sentence. There is a need to do something in the Middle East. But completely destroying a country and it's culture in the most absolutely incompetent manner has it's been done doesn't qualify anyone associated with the current fiasco as an expert in anything.

2) My only issue with the Dems is national security.. Today, I trust the dems with security far more then repubs. There's a far greater wealth of experience in military matters in the dem hierarchy right now. And hearing people like Webb, previously Paul Hackett, Wes Clark, etc, I hear intelligent conversation about current events. I here bush, cheney, gulliani, etc., discuss talking points that just don't seem to fit reality.

>>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.
>>
>>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.
>
>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>
>
>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.
>
>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. )
>
>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.
>
>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.
>
>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>
>
>
>
>>
>>>>It's starting to look like Hillary is going to have to make a major gaffe not to win. And she seems pretty good at locking down into gaffe-proof mode. I think she did learn that from the health care reform fiasco.
>>>>
>>>>Of course, there is over a year until the election and a lot can happen. The primaries will be over before we know it but there will still be the general election. One thing we may see is a significant gap between what people tell pollsters and how they actually vote. I bet a lot of people don't want to say they wouldn't vote for a woman or a minority, but in fact they won't.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I like Tina Fey's line in her Liz Lemon confessions that “There is an 80 percent chance I'll tell all my friends I’m voting for Barack Obama, but I will secretly vote for John McCain.” <s>