http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:34:25 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/15/191511.php#comment-681128 <i>Anyone happy with George Bush and Ronald Reagan will be happy with Rudy Giuliani.</i> Indeed. And those of us who cringe at the very thought of those two awful presidents are already running the other way, fast. Rudy is a considerably less likable fellow than Reagan or our current Prez. I'm not sure how long it will take the electorate to realize this. If not until after Inauguration Day, we're all in trouble. Because this vindictive, inflexible, nasty human being would have one of the most divisive presidencies of all time. Luckily, Edwards/Obama, Clinton/Obama, or Obama/Mark Warner all have very good chances of deservedly kicking his ass in the general election. Anyone who saw his creepy, nervous performance on Meet the Press Sunday before last knows what the Dems have to do: introduce this vampirish, scary Rudy to the public who remain trained to think of him as Saint 9/11. [If you haven't watched it, you should...it's readily available online, as is Romney's equally awful performance from a week later.] 681128@blogcritics.org Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:34:25 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/15/191511.php#comment-680859 Dave - I was thinking that the top five were McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee, Romney, and Thompson. I'm not sure I'm wrong. If Paul is in the top tier (can we finally stop using that term?) he could have difficulty uniting the party. Romney and Thompson are within the standard Reagan Republican parameters, or at least campaigning that way. McCain and Giuliani have problems with the religious right, but if either of them were winning primaries, I could see the whole party accepting them. I don't know enough about Huckabee. Some fiscal foriegn policy conservatives seem to hate the guy. 680859@blogcritics.org Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:57:59 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/15/191511.php#comment-680639 I think the 'top five' currently includes Ron Paul. Is he capable of uniting the party behind him? Dave 680639@blogcritics.org Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:15:12 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/15/191511.php#comment-680636 Good article, Marcus. I don't think that strict constructionism is a "wink" to the religious right. It's consistent with Giuliani's legal background. In any other race, he'd be called the "law and order" candidate. The idea of Giuliani appointing pro-life judges is ridiculous, but only because the appointments would be more consistent with his platform than his pro-choice position is. I think the right (of all types) will fall in line behind any Republican candidate. Each candidate has weaknesses, sure, but any of the top four or five is good enough to unite the party. 680636@blogcritics.org Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:10:03 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/15/191511.php#comment-680625 Good defense of Giuliani. I have to admit that I find him appealing in some ways. I like that he has a sense of humor, and even though I don't agree with him on everything and have my concerns, i think he'd be worth electing just to send a message to the religious right. Dave 680625@blogcritics.org Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:35:12 EST