'He's Not Being Talked About Among the Republican Contenders, and His Ego Can't Take That'

Is America ready for another Rudy Giuliani presidential run? Even some of his supporters don't think so.

Confident that he'd have a chance to win, Rudy Giuliani is rounding up his top political advisers for a possible 2012 presidential run, sources tell Page Six.

Sources say the tough-talking former mayor "thinks the Republican race will be populated with far-right candidates like Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, and there's opportunity for a moderate candidate with a background in national security."

Giuliani has even scheduled a trip to New Hampshire for next month to meet with constituents in the state that failed him in January 2008, when he placed fourth in the Republican presidential primary.

The problem is that even Rudy loyalists think it's a bad idea. "They think this is crazy," a source said. "They realize how long the odds are, but they are standing by."

Some insiders say it's a way for Giuliani to stay relevant. "He's not doing all these morning talk shows because he enjoys the conversation, it is because he wants to stay in the game," one said.

"He has previously said he would not run again, but he wants us to think he will," a different source said. "He's not being talked about among the Republican contenders, and his ego can't take that."

He'd never fare well in the GOP primaries and if he wants to stay relevant, he can always run against Kirsten Gillibrand in 2012. In fact he probably would have beaten her in 2010 and likely would have had a decent shot against the unctuous Chuckie Schumer. Otherwise, he can always enjoy life in the public sector. His only shot at getting into the White House will possibly be as a cabinet member in the future.

Update: Now Giuliani is denying he's running.

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Giuliani Not Running for Office in 2010

This news comes as a surprise considering he's a virtual lock for the GOP nod if he runs for either Governor of New York or for Kirsten Gillibrand's Senate seat.

So long, Rudy.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to announce Tuesday he is not running for U.S. Senate or anything else in 2010, effectively ending his storied - and often stormy - electoral career, The Daily News has learned.

The announcement, at which he'll also endorse Republican Rick Lazio for governor, marks the end of a year-long political dance by Giuliani, who mulled bids for governor and then Senate before backing away from both.

He had reason to weigh each run: surveys showed him a clear favorite to win primaries for either office, and as recently as last week a poll showed Giuliani crushing freshman Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand by 10 points.

But the former mayor has decided to stay in the private sector, where he will continue his work as a security consultant, a sometimes TV commentator and, increasingly, a celebrity draw on the GOP fund-raising circuit.

"Next year should be an interesting cycle for Republicans, and he sees it as an opportunity to engage in targeted races across the country," said a person familiar with Giuliani's plans.

Giuliani's decision to endorse Lazio - whom Giuliani famously big-footed when he chose to run for Senate in 2000, only to see Lazio replace him on the ballot after dropping out to battle prostate cancer - is the start of his push to help other GOPers, insiders said.

Hard to believe considering his national profile, but Giuliani hasn't held office since the end of 2001. While considered to be a moderate his standing in the party is still strong despite a poor showing in the 2008 presidential primaries. He certainly could help candidates nationwide in close races and will surely do plenty of stumping.

He would have been the heavy favorite to oust Gillibrand but trailed likely Democrat nominee Andrew Cuomo in the gubernatorial contest. Oddly enough, it doesn't appear the GOP will even offer token resistance to the odious Chuckie "Bitch" Schumer next year, a sure sign strong challengers are rather rare in New York. My hunch is Lazio stands little chance against Cuomo but the tide has turned sharply against Democrats nationwide, so take nothing for granted.

Giuliani Crushing Gillibrand; Might There Be a Dem Challenger?

First the news from Rasmussen, which is all bad for Kirsten Gillibrand.

Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand may have a serious problem on her hands if Rudy Giuliani gets in next year’s race for the U.S. Senate in New York State.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state finds Giuliani, the former Republican mayor of New York City, leading Gillibrand by 13 points – 53% to 40%. Four percent (4%) like some other candidate, and just two percent (2%) are undecided.

News reports that Giuliani has ruled out a run for governor next year and is interested In the Senate race could turn Gillibrand’s bid to fill out the rest of Hillary Clinton’s term from a close struggle to an uphill climb.

Is it any wonder the formerly staunchly pro-Second Amendment Gillibrand is now pathetically pandering to the anti-gun zealots?

Meanwhile, entirely out of left field comes news Gillibrand could potentially face a primary challenge from Harold Ford.

Harold Ford?

Indeed.

Democratic sources say that former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford Jr. -- who relocated to New York City after his unsuccessful Senate bid in 2006 -- has been talking about the possibility of running against vulnerable rookie New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Ford, who was mentioned as a possible appointee to replace Hillary Clinton in late 2007, has reportedly told associates that he's skeptical about the idea. But he may have commissioned a poll to test his popularity, according to a Tuesday night post on DemocraticUnderground.com.

Considering the DU is the extreme lunatic fringe, take that with a boulder of salt.

Considering the fortunes of Democrats and the precipitous decline of Barack Obama, I'd really love to see someone step up and challenge the odious Charles Schumer as well next year, but New York certainly doesn't have a very deep GOP bench.

Giuliani Not Running for NY Governor in 2010; Update: Will Run for Senate?

Likely a wise move since for some strange reason he trails Andrew "Evil Eyes" Cuomo pretty consistently in polls and a loss would permanently ends any future White House aspirations.

Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has decided not to run for governor of New York next year after months of mulling a candidacy, according to people who have been told of the decision.

His decision is a blow to many Republican leaders, who had viewed Mr. Giuliani as the strongest potential candidate in a year in which voter anger and anti-Albany sentiment appear to be swelling.

Contenders from both parties have been waiting for months to hear what the former mayor would decide.

It was not clear what prompted the decision, but the prospect of potentially facing Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who is quietly planning his own run for governor, may not have appealed to Mr. Giuliani, who suffered a bruising defeat in the 2008 Republican presidential primary. While many political analysts believe Mr. Giuliani would have comfortably beaten Gov. David A. Paterson, he would likely have faced an uphill battle against Mr. Cuomo, one of the most popular politicians in the state.

Still, there are two Senates seats at stake next year, with Kirsten Gillibrand's the obvious easier target.

It remains unclear if the former mayor is considering any other political race in 2010. Some have urged him to take on the newly-installed Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, who has never run statewide and is still introducing herself to voters in parts of the state.

I wouldn't mind seeing his take on Chuckie Schumer, but unfortunately it appears the GOP won't even offer token opposition. Schumer's wife was a high-ranking appointee while Giuliani was Mayor of NYC, so perhaps the two have a deeper relationship than it known publicly. Nothing would make us happier than to see the unctuous Schumer booted out of Washington.

Update: This item says he's running for Gillibrand's seat.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has decided not to run for governor next year - but will run for U.S. Senate instead, sources told the Daily News.

A source familiar with Giuliani's thinking said the failed presidential candidate has been telling people he plans to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton's term.

If elected, the source said, he could use that as a stepping stone to run for President in 2012 - rather than run for re-election to the Senate.

A Giuliani spokeswoman downplayed the reports. "Rudy has a history of making up his own mind and has no problem speaking it," she said. "When Mayor Giuliani makes a decision about serving in public office, he will inform New Yorkers on his own."

'We Should Waterboard Them a Little More'

Needless to say, Barack Obama and Eric Holder's decision to bring the 9/11 monsters to New York for trial isn't exactly going over well locally. Seems they have the folks in this very blue state seeing red.

Outraged New Yorkers said yesterday that admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other terrorists deserve to be put to death -- and some even volunteered for the job.

"Kill them without a trial. Just a bullet in the head and say goodbye. Why waste taxpayer money?" said Thomas Pland, 70, a truck driver from Astoria, Queens.

"If they want me to do it," he added, "I will."

Mike Keane, owner of O'Hara's Restaurant & Pub a block from Ground Zero, said: "They should have taken care of them in Guantanamo Bay. Hang them there. It would have been quicker and easier."

But first, he added, "we should waterboard them a little more."

Families of 9/11 victims slammed the White House for affording the mass murderers the same legal rights as Americans, instead of prosecuting them as foreign enemies in military tribunals.

"I'm a hundred thousand percent against this move. They're war criminals!" said retired firefighter Joe Holland, whose son, Joseph III, a commodities trader, died in the World Trade Center's north tower.

"This is crazy. This is insane. They're going to make a mockery of the whole court system 10 blocks away from the World Trade Center. They're going to scream for holy war in America."

Peter Gadiel, head of 9/11 Families for a Secure America, fumed, "I never thought we could have gotten a worse president than George Bush. But we got one.

"The president wants a circus? He should hold the trial in Lafayette Park at the White House. That makes as much sense," added Gadiel, whose son, James, a Cantor Fitzgerald employee, died on 9/11.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles was piloting one of the hijacked jets, called the upcoming trials in the city a "travesty."

"This is going to make us look like fools in the Muslim world," she said.
...
"I will believe until the day I die that Sept. 11 was an act of war and not just another criminal act," former Mayor Rudy Giuliani said. "This confirms my worst expectations for the Obama administration, that they would be in denial with regard to the danger of Islamic terrorism."

Rep. Peter King (R-LI) said, "This is as bad of a decision as any president has ever made."

The president, who conveniently left the country before this idiocy was announced, apparently doesn't realize we're in a war. Of course the only war he's interested in fighting is his petty feud with Fox News.

More opinion here and here.

Perhaps President Obama knew how insulting and unpopular his decision to welcome terrorists to America would be. News of the decision came from Attorney General Eric Holder on a Friday (the day folks in Washington always dump their "bad" news) while the president himself was in Japan -- 14 time zones from Ground Zero and the families who still mourn lost loved ones.

As a man who promised transparency and integrity during his campaign, President Obama should have personally announced his decision. That was the least he could have done for the families of the 9/11 victims, New Yorkers and all Americans who will never forget the day al Qaeda attacked our nation.

He's not man enough, frankly.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Palin Visits Yankee Stadium

Today would have been a great time to visit Yankee Stadium. Not only did the Bronx Bombers stage an eighth-inning rally to beat the Tampa Bay Rays, but you would have had the opportunity to see Sarah Palin.

Needless to say she was a popular attraction.

'I'm Gonna Punch Your Lights Out'

I had no idea Keith Olbermann was in the Hamptons.

Rudy and Judi Giuliani were accosted today in the Hamptons by an angry man who threatened to "punch out" the former mayor, witnesses told The Post.

Patrons sitting outside The Golden Pear bakery in downtown Bridgehampton around 2 p.m. said a "slim, well-dressed man in his fifties" came charging out of nowhere and began screaming at the happy couple as they left a nearby art fair.

"I'm gonna punch your lights out," the wacko repeatedly yelled at Giuliani, witnesses said. Rudy and Judi appeared startled and then agitated by the man's aggressive behavior.

At one point the man started jabbing the former mayor in the chest, said Mark Borghi, owner of an art gallery on Bridgehampton's Main Street.

"Alright, do it then!" Borghi heard the Brooklyn native Giuliani yell to his tormentor.

The whole altercation was over in a matter of seconds when the couple managed to give the ranting man, who kept screaming at them from the sidewalk, the slip.

Judi was heard on her cell phone ordering their driver to come pick them up and call the police.

"I want him in jail," she said several times, according to witnesses.

Paterson in Freefall, Craters at 26%

Things aren't looking to good for New York's accidental Governor.

Freefall! Governor Paterson’s Approval Rating Plummets 20 Percentage Points…Lands at 26%: New Yorkers are sending a strong message to Governor David Paterson, “Shape Up!” Just 26% of registered voters report the governor is doing either an excellent or good job in office. That’s a drop of 20 percentage points since the Marist Poll last asked this question at the end of January. In fact, Governor Paterson’s approval rating is the lowest approval rating a New York State governor has received in the Marist Poll’s nearly thirty year history of statewide surveys. Has the governor lost favor within his own party? Here’s the party breakdown. Among registered Democrats in New York State, 30% think Paterson is doing an above average job while 65% disagree. Across the aisle, Republicans also overwhelmingly disapprove of Paterson’s performance. Just 26% of members of New York’s GOP approve of the job Paterson is doing as governor while 72% think he is doing a fair or poor job. Only 20% of non-enrolled voters agree that Paterson is doing well in the position. Opinions across the state are consistently low.

Paterson was at 57% in October 2008. Remarkably, he's now ranks lower than Eliot Spitzer did in the fateful last week of his administration.

Paterson would lose big to Rudy Giuliani in a general election a 16-point swing since January.

Meanwhile, Paterson may be fortunate to be the Democrat nominee.

Party’s Over for Paterson? Cuomo’s Our Man, Say NYS Democrats…More Than Three-Quarters of Republicans Root for Rudy: If next year’s Democratic primary for governor were held today, Governor David Paterson would not be his party’s nominee. In fact, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo receives more than double the support of New York State Democrats than does Paterson. 62% of Democrats in New York State say they would support Cuomo while just 26% would back Paterson. Across the aisle, there’s little question about whom Republicans would want on the ballot. 78% of New York’s GOP says Rudy Giuliani is the best man for the job. Just 17% of Republicans think Rick Lazio is the candidate to turn the state around.

Memo to Republicans: Start tying Paterson's failed policies to Barack Obama. At some point people will begin realizing they have a lot in common, and I'm not talking about their complexion.

Fade to Black: Paterson Getting Trounced in Polls

Oh wait, am I allowed to use the word black in a headline when discussing a black man? Or is that racist? Just don't need man of peace Al Sharpton and the NAACP boycotting this blog. Anyway, more bad news for the Accidental Governor.

A second poll yesterday showed Gov. Paterson - under attack for proposed budget cuts and a botched Senate selection process - with record-low approval ratings, and losing badly in a matchup against Rudy Giuliani.

The Siena College poll painted an even gloomier picture for the governor than did a Quinnipiac University survey last week.

The latest poll found Paterson, a Democrat, losing to Giuliani, 51 percent to 36 percent. It was a sharp turnaround from a Jan. 26 poll that found the governor narrowly ahead of the Republican ex-mayor, 44-42 percent, and a December survey that had Paterson leading, 51-38 percent.

Paterson also fared poorly in a hypothetical Democratic primary matchup against state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, losing 53-27 percent.

Cuomo would beat Giuliani, 51-38 percent, in a general-election matchup, the poll found.

A month ago, Paterson led Cuomo, 35-33 percent, and in December, 49-26 percent.

The new poll found that Paterson's personal approval rating has plummeted badly, with 47 percent of voters holding an unfavorable view of the governor. Forty percent gave a favorable rating.

A month ago, Paterson was viewed favorably by 54 percent, compared to just 30 percent who rated him unfavorably.

Frankly, New York is a lost cause if they prefer Cuomo over Rudy Giuliani, a man with much more favorable experience.

Cuomo Crushing Clueless Paterson

Maybe those secret pay raises weren't such a good idea. Well, it's much more than that, as the bumbling New York Governor David Paterson is finding out. The accidental governor, in office less than a year, is facing a possible wipeout next year if he winds up being challenged in the Democratic primary by Attorney General Andrew 'Evil Eyes' Cuomo.

Gov. Paterson was on the ropes yesterday after a stunning new poll showed Attorney General Andrew Cuomo clobbering him by 32 points in a primary matchup.

Cuomo - who sources say is eyeing a run for governor - defeats fellow Democrat Paterson by 55-23 percent, the Quinnipiac University survey found.

Those numbers were widely viewed as surprisingly low for the governor, whose popularity has nose-dived in the wake of the calamity surrounding his pick for US Senate to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton - and the drubbing onetime front-runner Caroline Kennedy took from people close to Paterson after she withdrew from consideration.

And his administration and campaign staff have been derided as rudderless - while he has little but bad budget news to deliver in coming months.

Cuomo has been mum on his intentions and has said he is focussed on his re-election for attorney general.

"The appropriate thing for Andrew Cuomo to be doing is to run for re-election," said Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf, who added that Paterson's poll numbers suggest down-ballot Democratic seats - such as the state Senate majority, the state comptroller and new members of Congress - could be at risk.

"The Democrats very well at this point may ask the governor not to run," Sheinkopf said. "The governor's got to save himself."

As I surmised the other day, one wonders whether he'll even bother running again.

The GOP probably shouldn't see any silver lining here as Cuomo also defeats Rudy Giulianin in a potential matchup.

Against potential GOP challenger Rudy Giuliani, Paterson - who governs a state with a strong majority of Democrat-registered voters - runs even at 43 percent, the survey shows.

But Cuomo thumps Giuliani by 51-37 percent, the poll shows.

Naturally, Paterson lashed out at the media, as if they made him hand out secret pay hikes.

At a press conference yesterday, Paterson said he still plans to run in 2010, and blamed the media for the poor poll results.

"I will run," he said. "I'm not focused on the 2010 campaign and I should be focused on the budget."

He insisted that the "kind of treatment" he's getting in the press is contributing to his low rating, adding, "20 percent of voters in the hypothetical primary race were undecided."

It never fails to amaze how Democrats, who largely get favorable press compared to Republicans, always whine about media treatment. They should take a cue from the George W. Bushes of the world and take it like a man.

It's not just the media hammering Paterson.

GOV. Paterson was being described as a dead man walking yesterday by even some of his closest advisers, who said the devastatingly low ratings in a new Quinnipiac University poll - reflecting a broad sense of an administration in meltdown - are too great to overcome.

"It looks like it'll be Gov. Cuomo," sighed a longtime Paterson loyalist

Words like "unprecedented" and "unbelievable" were being used to describe Paterson's collapse in popularity - but many on the inside said they weren't all that surprised.

Those who've known Paterson well for decades say he's always been unfocused, self-centered, often lazy - and, at times, clownish and immature. More often than not, these traits have resulted in his having a disorganized and dysfunctional staff as a senator, Senate minority leader and now as governor.

Paterson, who spent 20 years as a part-time legislator, was also long known for his delight in extra-office activities including late-night partying, the excesses of which account for the bouts of dizziness and exhaustion that have dogged him for so long.

"He's a lifestyle politician: He loves the trappings, the planes, the Mansion, the bodyguards, the travel, the national TV time - not the work," said a Democratic activist who has known him well.

As I said the other day, he sounds like a perfect fit for the Obama administration.

Makes you wonder if he even plans on running again next year by being so reckless. Perhaps he just intends to live large and reward his own people before moving on, probably to a position in the Obama administration.

Giuliani to Run for NY Governor in 2010?

I have no doubt Rudy Giuliani would make a fine governor of New York State and would probably oust David Paterson in 2010, but my preference would be to see him take out the unctuous Charles Schumer from the Senate instead.

Rudy Giuliani said Sunday he will consider running for governor of New York and isn't ruling out a second attempt at the U.S. presidency.

A one-time presidential front-runner and former mayor of New York City, Giuliani dropped out of the race for Republican nominee in January after losing the primary in Florida, where he had poured the bulk of his campaign resources.

"No one knows whether you'll do something again until you come to the point of: 'Is it possible to do it again? Would you have a chance of winning?'" he said of a second White House bid following a speech in Dubai. "I mean those are just things you can't evaluate right now."

He said Sunday he is not sure whether a different strategy would have won him the nomination. The financial crisis gave Democrats a natural advantage in this month's elections, he said.

"If you had told me a year ago we would have a major economic crisis, I would've told you it would be very hard for any Republican ... to win," he said in during a question-and-answer session with CNN International anchor Hala Gorani at the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum.

Logic dictates the GOP will rebound to some extent in 2010 and will have a shot at gaining some House and Senate seats. And it would be a nice scalp if they could take out the loathsome Schumer. Giuliani could definitely be the one to do that. Although I wonder how close a relationship he has with Schumer, if any, considering he appointed Schumer's wife to a top administrative post in New York.

NY GOP to Giuliani: Please Save Us

The Republican Party is New York State is in such dire straits, they pretty much deserve being cast out in the wilderness. Under the ineffectual leadership of former Governor George Pataki and in the years since he left, they saw majorities in both houses disappear and now they've lost control entirely.

Now they're reaching out to Rudy Giuliani to run the party.

FORMER Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate, is being urged to take over the state GOP after a disastrous election that cost Republicans control of the Senate, insiders told The Post.

At the same time, current state GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello, the Nassau County leader widely criticized as ineffective and out-of-touch, is being encouraged to step aside, and is expected to do so by the end of the year, the insiders said.

Giuliani has been told that he has just a few weeks to fill a leadership void that could result in the party splintering into Long Island and upstate factions.

"I know Rudy is being urged to get in and take control of the party," said former state GOP Chairman William Powers, whose tenure during the 1990s saw the election of Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki, and the re-election of US Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.

"The party needs strong leadership, that's for sure," continued Powers, a Giuliani ally.

Former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, the Republican candidate for governor in 2006 and a possible candidate to head the GOP, said, "A lot of people are talking, saying we definitely need a change."

Bitter Senate GOP leaders use words like "embarrassing," "incompetent," and "nonexistent" to describe Mondello's leadership.

"It's time for him to go," said one of the state's best-known Republicans.

Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel refused to comment.

Frankly, I'd rather see Giuliani run against the odious Charles Schumer in 2010. If the Republicans want to make any inroads nationally during the next midterm elections, taking out Schumer would be a major step forward.

Rarefied Air

Czech President Klaus to pay working visit to United States


Czech President Vaclav Klaus leaves on Monday for a working visit to the United States during which he will be presented with two decorations for freedom promotion and meet some local politicians and businessmen, according to his web page.

He will visit the cities of Portland, Seattle and Phoenix during the visit from which he will return to Prague on October 4.

In Portland, Oregon, Klaus will attend the presentation of his book Blue, not Green Planet, in which he criticises the alleged provoking of panic over global warming that will be issued in a second edition in the United States.

In Seattle, Klaus will be presented with Columbia Award that has been bestowed on him by the Washington Policy Centre (WPC).

Its winners include former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, current president's brother Jeb Bush and former New York mayor Rudolf Giuliani.

In Seattle, Klaus will also meet managers of Microsoft company.

On Thursday, Klaus will be presented with Barry Goldwater Award for Liberty in Phoenix.

Its winners include Reagan, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and economist Milton Friedman.

The award, called after former Republican senator Barry Goldwater, is awarded by Goldwater Institute for an exceptional contribution to the development of human freedom.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Klaus has visited the United States many times since he became Czech president for the first time in 2003, but has never been there on an official state visit.

Three years ago President Bush, however, received him in the White House.

Last year Klaus welcomed Bush in Prague where Bush promoted the U.S. plans for the stationing of elements of the anti-missile shield in Central Europe.

And the words community organizer are nowhere to be found in his curriculum vitae.

Via ČeskéNoviny

Waaah! CNN's Schneider Whines Over Giuliani Speech

Poor CNN relic Bill Schneider. He's upset Rudy Giuliani had the temerity to pick on poor little Barack Obama.

This speech is about mockery – and I wonder whether that’s appealing to voters. I really think this tone is going to turn a lot of voters off – it’s ugly, it’s bitter, it’s nasty. There is a bullying tone to this speech, and to Romney’s speech, and I just don’t think it works.

Even less appealing: “When they gave up on Iraq, they gave up on America”? Now that’s insulting.

No, Bill, it's the truth.

I knew watching Giuliani these media relics would whine like little bitches. They're so predictable.

More whining here on how mean Giuliani and Mike Huckabee were.

'Obama: A Mile High and an Inch Deep'

Nice to see the Republicans are prepared to answer back during the Democrat Convention. Of course, it will all be drowned out in a sea of sycophantic coverage of The Messiah, but hopefully they'll manage to distract the Democrats enough.

There are a couple of dozen people in Denver trying to crash the party.

Not just any people, but Republican people, set up in a two story building about a mile and half from the Pepsi Center.

So who invited them?

“We invited ourselves,” says Danny Diaz, the communications director for the Republican National Committee.

“We want to provide an opportunity to contrast,” says Diaz, “because ultimately that is what it comes down to.”

Inside their Denver headquarters is a room filled with TV monitors, and busy staffers working their e-mail and the Internet. There is a press conference room set up where the likes of Carly Fiorina, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Giuliani will all hold court. They even have their own satellite truck to help facilitate getting their message out.

Their first feat: The release of a new Democratic Convention slogan. The office is filled with posters that say, “Obama: a Mile High and an Inch Deep. Not Ready to Lead ’08.”

McCain's Cabinet Possibilities

Well, since the GOP is resigned to having John McCain as the standard bearer come November, it's never too early to begin speculating what his cabinet would look like.

We've already heard the rumblings about Tim Pawlenty as VP, and I have to admit that's not a bad selection. From a possibly winnable blue state, young, relatively conservative and apparently no baggage, though I'm sure the Democrats will rifle through his writings from as far back as third grade to find some dirt.

Maybe they'll pin the Minneapolis bridge collapse on him.

So now I see this item on possible members of a McCain cabinet, and like a few of the possibilities.

Of course, the names floated are white men, which is sure to anger certain people who've never had anything to be happy about, apparently.

At this early stage, the names and faces that would flesh out a McCain White House remain pure speculation. After all, McCain insists he hasn't started seriously thinking about a running mate yet. And there's still a general election to win against a yet-to-be-determined Democratic opponent. But political experts and analysts already are contemplating what a McCain Cabinet might look like.

Some common guesses include well-known McCain allies and even past rivals in key positions:

• Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., in a prominent job, possibly even secretary of state.

• Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., as attorney general.

• Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as homeland security secretary.

• Former Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas as treasury secretary.

• Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as health and human services secretary.

For his part, McCain last week said he'd be looking for Cabinet members who "just share my conservative philosophy and views: less government, less regulation, lower taxes." But he also volunteered that conservationism would be a priority, saying he would hope "to preserve the great natural treasures of the West and our state and do whatever we can to protect our environment."

"I return to kind of the Teddy Roosevelt outlook toward things," McCain said.

Lieberman as secretary of state is intriguing. It's safe to say he'd be more a friend of Israel than his predecessor, which is comforting.

Fred Thompson as AG and Rudy Giuliani as DHS are certainly choices I could live with as well.

As for Huckabee, he may have a chance if he gives up on his impossible bid for the nomination.

Read the rest.

One thing I have a major problem with, however, is the idea of closing down Guantanamo Bay. That's opening up a huge can of worms a President McCain can live without. Still needing to bring conservatives back into the fold, such an idea will not go over well in the least.

Silky P Quits Race, AP Sends Love Note

The smarmy snake-oil salesman finally got the message, and the Associated Press sends him off with a gushing love note.

Man, talk about a journalistic tongue-bath.

DENVER - Democrat John Edwards is exiting the presidential race Wednesday, ending a scrappy underdog bid in which he steered his rivals toward progressive ideals while grappling with family hardship that roused voters' sympathies, The Associated Press has learned.

Nedra, baby, get off your knees.

Edwards burst out of the starting gate with a flurry of progressive policy ideas — he was the first to offer a plan for universal health care, the first to call on Congress to pull funding for the war, and he led the charge that lobbyists have too much power in Washington and need to be reigned in.

The ideas were all bold and new for Edwards personally as well, making him a different candidate than the moderate Southerner who ran in 2004 while still in his first Senate term. But the themes were eventually adopted by other Democratic presidential candidates — and even a Republican, Mitt Romney, echoed the call for an end to special interest politics in Washington.

Contrast this slobbering with the account of Rudy Giuliani departing the GOP race.

What media bias?

More on Edwards at Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, and Gateway Pundit, who has a fond farewell video to Silky.

HD videos of Rudy, John, and Fred talking Islamic terrorism

Watching the videos on Pajamas Media where they interviewed Rudy, Fred, and John on terrorism. One question posed to Rudy was how to deal with the State Department. He said the first thing is to make it clear to the state department that their role is to make the United States more popular. Yup that's the role alright Rudy. Not to enforce the presidents foreign policy objectives but to make us popular. How about this. We just fire the state department and hire a PR firm.
Fred shows a good understanding of the threat and how to deal with. You negotiate from a position of strength.
Each of the videos are about 20 minutes in length and they are a test of HD video on the web, but worth checking out.
I watched the first few minutes of McCain and wasn't really learning anything. So if you have a favorite among that crowd go check it out.
One tip. The videos will open in full screen, at least they did for me. To resize the screen press ALT + TAB

Giuliani Defends Patriot Act, Dogged by Paul Kooks

Details at The Swamp.

Attempts to cut back on government surveillance and "aggressive questioning" of suspected terrorists are irresponsible and undercut the country's war on terrorism, Republican Rudy Giuliani said this weekend.

"Talking about cutting back on the Patriot Act, talking about cutting back on electronic surveillance, talking about cutting back on aggressive questioning -- not torture, but aggressive questioning -- wanting to remove our soldiers from Iraq in a way that would require them to give the enemy a time table of their retreat," Giuliani said. "I don't know that I've ever seen anything more irresponsible than that."

The remarks came late in a Saturday of campaigning in the state of New Hampshire, the first of a two-day tour through the early primary state. Shortly after that address, Giuliani headed out for the Holiday Stroll in downtown Nashua, where supporters of GOP candidate Ron Paul accompanied him for most of his visit.

As Giuliani walked down Main Street shaking hands and wandering in and out of shops, the Paul supporters encircled his entourage and waved their candidate's signs as they walked.

These people are a true nuisance who have a deep pride in their astounding ignorance. I see they're still busy stuffing online polls. Just pathetic.

Giuliani also pointed out the ignorance of Democrats.

As he made his way around the state on Saturday, Giuliani's rhetoric on the point of terrorism grew stronger. In the morning, at a stop in Laconia, Giuliani complained that Democrats' failure to use the phrase "Islamic terrorist" exposed a failure to fully comprehend the threat.

By the end of the day, he was telling an audience in Nashua that the mere use of the phrase was a powerful weapon against "tyrants, bullies and terrorists."

"They won't even say the word 'Islamic terrorist,'" Giuliani said of the Democratic candidates. "Tell me who you're going to insult when you say 'Islamic terrorist.' You're going to insult Islamic terrorists.

"You're also going to say to them, 'We understand who you are, and we're going to stand up to you . . . We're not going to beg you to negotiate with us. That's the beginning of making yourself safe against tyrants, bullies and terrorists. Standing up to them."

Some people object to use of the phrase "Islamic terrorism," arguing that it emphasizes the terrorists' religion instead of their cruelty and violence as the reason for objection.

Some people are really naive.

Meanwhile, Giuliani and an actual GOP contender, Mitt Romney, took off the gloves Saturday.

Rudy Giuliani attacked Republican rival Mitt Romney as weak on crime Saturday as both tried to rally support for the state's first-in-the-nation presidential primary on Jan. 8.

Giuliani was among those who questioned the former Massachusetts governor about his appointment of a judge who released a convicted killer. The ex-con was arrested Monday in a double-murder case.

Romney has called on the jurist he appointed last year, Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman, to resign, saying she showed an "inexplicable lack of good judgment" in freeing Daniel Tavares Jr., who is now accused of slaying a newlywed couple in Washington State.

More from The Politico.

Rasmussen: Rudy 46, Pantsuit 42

She looks thrilled.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) enjoying a modest four-point lead of 46% to 42% over Senator Hillary Clinton (D). That’s the second time in the last three Rasmussen Reports election polls that Giuliani has held the advantage over Clinton.

The survey also found Clinton with a very slight edge over former Senator Fred Thompson (R), 46% to 44%. Both Republicans are doing better against Clinton than they did in the previous Rasmussen Reports survey.

Senator Clinton trailed Giuliani by a couple points in the previous Rasmussen Reports election poll of this race. However, she enjoyed modest leads, similar to the current results in our October 9 election poll (see history).

So in six weeks, she's gone from a six-point edge over Giuliani to a four-point deficit. At the same time, she had a 15-point edge over Thompson that has now disappeared.

A very welcome trend.

H/T: Hot Air.