Some interesting items from the Washington Post/ABC News Poll:
Giuliani's frontrunner status is fueled by a broad-based perception that he is the party's most electable candidate.
Nearly half of Republicans believe Giuliani is their party's best chance of winning in November 2008; that is three or four times higher than the percentage mentioning other candidates. Democrats and independents also said Giuliani would represent the Republicans' best shot at holding onto the White House.
Yep, if Rudy Giuliani somehow lost his perception of electability, he would be down there with Ron Paul faster than a New York minute. But the electability is there, it's real, and the Republicans have lost the House and Senate. Do they really want to risk losing the presidency as well? If not, go Rudy.
At 16 percent, McCain is at his lowest point of the campaign after a month in which he reported that his campaign was nearly out of money and his campaign manager, chief strategist, finance director and communications director -- among others -- announced their resignations.
It's probably worse than that, but the trend is more important than the number here. And the trend is down.
Thompson, meanwhile, continues to be competitive as an unannounced candidate. His campaign now does not plan to make his presidential bid official until after Labor Day.
Fred Thompson is waiting until the right time. Smart. Why announce when everything's going your way? Hold your fire until you see the whites of the eyes.
And Mitt Romney faces his own challenges: If elected, Romney would become the nation's first Mormon president and that makes some uneasy. Overall, 63 percent of all Americans and 63 percent of Republicans said they would be comfortable with a Mormon as president. But only about a third of each group said they would be "entirely comfortable.
"Do Americans have a bias against Mormons? Should they? I know any American in the 1800's would have been freaked out if you told them that a member of the LDS would be runnning for president in 2008. Perhaps some of that lingers. On paper Romney looks like a near perfect candidate who should be doing better than he is. Perhaps the mormonism explains it, but i'd prefer to think that the perception of electability is more to blame. Romney will not flip Massachusetts or any of the NE states over to the Republicans. He will have to fight just as hard in the other states. Compared to Rudy, he's just not as electable.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 5)
16. Rudy Giuliani when Mayor of NY was responsible for putting the 911/Command Center in 7WTC, where it was destroyed. This against advice of counterterrorism experts. Sadly, the former Mayor is less than swift when it comes to counterterrorism.
ed shaughnessy at 5:39PM on Jul 25th 2007
17. Actually, the Mormon Church takes no stand on "Why" black people are black or chinese are chinese or yada yada. Maybe there are those so called "no it alls" who say that they think that is why and like any rumor... well you know. The Mormon Church embraces every culture, every people, every tongue and nation. There is no racial issues with the church except for those who make it that. I absolutely know this for a fact and am sorry that everyone who "Used" to be a Mormon has to pick some reason to quit. I used to crunch ice and now I have to get two crowns, it's Taco Bell's fault because they sold me the ice in my drink. I really think there are better things to blog about than what Mormon's believe about different races. The Church covers the world, teaches Charity, which is the pure love of Christ and have no aspirations of shunning anyone culture.
John W. at 5:44PM on Jul 25th 2007
18. SHUT UP ABOUT MORMONS. AND PLEASE, SOMEBODY, USE SPELLCHECK. You all sound like uneducated idiots, and it does not give me any faith in the future of this country, politically or otherwise. I personally think that everyone on this blog needs to go back to fifth grade and get some grammar instruction before you try to "rock the vote". Mormons do not believe that black people are cursed. Why must the race card be thrown in to everything? Hooray, you're black, good for you. I'm so sick of every little problem in society being because someone is black. You were not a slave. You were not told to sit at the back of the bus. I'm Jewish and I don't think the Man is putting me down because of it. I don't get special treatment, and I don't think that German people are plotting against me. And yet I don't have my own TV channel...deal with your own insecurities about your race, don't fabricate other peoples'.
SpellingBee at 6:06PM on Jul 25th 2007
19. THE THOUGHT OF RUDOLPH GIU-LIE-ANI as president makes me ill. He is possibly one of the few people on Planet Earth who will make a bigger disaster of our nation than Bush, Cheney and Rice.
KittyKeiks at 6:21PM on Jul 25th 2007
20. Bee nice! Some people may be "uneducated", as you say, in grammar, but there are those who are uneducated in manners and calling people idiots and telling them to shut up doesn't sound too educated to me. Blogs are not for Grammar class. We can write as many run on sentences and I don't think anyone here was running for President so I think it's okay to write and spell as we wish. You "ain't" gonna deter me.
John W. at 6:21PM on Jul 25th 2007
21. Actually John #14, my understanding is the Mormon church did not allow blacks until 1978. This was shared on "60 Minutes" several months ago in a story featuring Romney. Seems like it took them awhile to "embrace every culture" as you say.
Look, I could care less about Romney or anyone else's religion. What I can't stand about Romney is his flip flopping on issues (which I spelled out in entry #5). Candidates of both parties will say anything to get elected. Why on earth would we believe Romney any different?
David S. at 6:55PM on Jul 25th 2007
22. Let me clarify once again. The Mormon church does not have issues with race and you are wrong about the "6o Minutes" program. Black people have ALWAYS been allowed to be members of the church but black men did not begin receiving the priesthood until 1978. I remember when that happened as there were black members in our congragation who were ecstatic about it. There has never been a time in Mormon history when a black person could not be baptized.
I understand the flip/flop thing. They all do it. Find a candidate who has never, ever said one thing in his/her life and then had a change of heart later. There are many issues out there and no one ever sticks with one answer, especially if the nation decides to sway another way. It's how you get in office. I don't care what religion any of the candidates are either, I just think that some opinions are not necessarily worth arguing about. It comes down to who can get the job done and make the majority happy. Can't please everyone.
John W. at 7:17PM on Jul 25th 2007
23. My only concern is if Mitt gets the nomination, two things will likely happen. First, the Evangelical religious right won't vote for him in high numbers (he's Satan); in fact I would bet they put their own spoiler candidate as an independant. Second, because of his predominantly conservative stance, he won't be able to pull enough moderates from the Hillary/Obama ticket (my prediction). Under either of both scenarios, the Democrats take the White House.
Rudy might be able to pull moderates to make it a good race, but he still has to contend with the religious right because of his abortion stance.
I can see it now though. Campaign 2008 will most likely be one hell of a mud slinging bloodbath. Talk about voter apathy.
Ed at 10:44PM on Jul 25th 2007
24. Ed#21 So the real Satan will put their own candidate just because Romney is a Mormon? My wise and intelligent advice is thats not the American spirit.You know Mormon members help elected Presidents before and the current President and no Mormons ever question or make a big thing about their religion.So who seems more in tune with Christ Spirit? Go figure out.
Pen at 2:27AM on Jul 26th 2007
25. Guiliani is the worst person for president on either side of the isle. His whole 9/11 tough image is a lie. What federal experience does he have. He is horrible.
And i'm a democrat but i don't care about Romney's religion. I don't care about anyone's religion. I just don't like him. He has flip-flopped too much just for the sake of being elected to whatever he is running for. He's a fake too.
Patrick at 12:27AM on Jul 26th 2007
26. Rudy Giuliani? Are you FN kidding me. All you have to do is ask the New York Fire Fighters or the New York Police Department the real truth about Rudy..Let's be real. We are talking about a man who had sex with his cousin. I was not aware that incest was a family value that Americans embrace. A man who dresses up like a woman. Not just once at party but many times. A man who has been caught in more lies than Alberto Gonzalez. A man who laughs at Habeas Corpus and believes that freedom is giving up your rights to the government. A man who wants to take away your right to bear arms and protect yourself. So I strongly urge Americans to think twice before endorsing a dishonest fascist, cross dressing incestuous war profiteer.
Romeo at 1:34AM on Jul 26th 2007
27. Pen #23. The reality is that evangelicals do not like Mormons. Ever been to General Conference in SLC? The hate that is spewed out of the mouths by people who profess to be Christains is sickening. And at least one Evangelical has said outright that a vote for Mitt is a vote for Satan.
Ed at 8:52AM on Jul 26th 2007
28. if rudy fails to get the nomination, the democrats will win the presidency. mark my words... he's the most electible, appeals to people on both sides of the fence, and slightly strays from the conservative norm that middle america WILL NOT vote for as a core in 2008.
we need a republican in the white house. rudy is a republican, who believes in lower taxes and smaller government. a vote in the primary for someone else is going to get you president hillary in 2008, and you can take that to the bank.
Sam at 9:20AM on Jul 26th 2007
29. Up to this date Giuliani still not convincing nor make himself very clear which side he stand on important issues.There is no middle of the road here,he either in this side or that side.There is dangerous in the middle and that is you can get squeeze between two forces of both side you will end up doing nothing at all or do just a little bit.People are smart enough to see the reality of this type of approach in other words as long as he gets in there he'll just sit and watch as the clock is still ticking without accomplishign anyhing while the two side throwing punches at each other until the end of their term.
Image at 11:41AM on Jul 26th 2007
30. I don't get why people think Rudy is the most electable. Democrats hate him. He has so much dirty laundry that hasn't even been aired yet. A Rudy nomination is a sure Hillary win as Rudy portrays himself as even more of a war hawk than Bush. Rudy is a fabricated lie.
Vote 4 the Democrats & Save this Country
Vote 4 Hillary!!!
Patrick at 10:30AM on Jul 26th 2007