Oh-eight (R): Rudy’s good, bad news
Posted: Friday, October 12, 2007 9:07 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
Republicans
In advance of Tuesday’s Republican Jewish Coalition presidential candidate forum, NBC/NJ’s Matthew Berger writes in the latest issue of National Journal that many of the leading White House hopefuls are viewed by Jewish donors as strong on Middle East policy -- but with slight blemishes. The Democratic campaigns are working to overcome associations with advisers who are viewed as sympathetic to the Palestinians or hostile to Israel. They include Edwards’ campaign manger David Bonior and Obama adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski. Clinton also has had to move past her 1999 embrace of Suha Arafat.
On the GOP side, Berger adds, many key Jewish contributors are staying out of the fray. While Giuliani has won accolades for his ties to Israel during and after his term as mayor, many donors feel the race is wide open. “It’s disconcerting,” said Fred Zeidman, a Republican Jewish fundraiser in Houston and chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, who has been raising money for McCain. “None of us are making serious headway in the Jewish community.”
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Also in that issue of National Journal, NBC political analyst Charlie Cook looks at how South Carolina could very well be the pivotal contest for the GOP candidates. “A Giuliani win in South Carolina, a state that has few last names with a ton of vowels and few voters with moderate positions on social issues, would be a huge victory. If Thompson wins South Carolina, it might suggest a consolidation of Southern conservatives and keep this race up for grabs. Coming on the heels of Romney wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, a win by either Giuliani or Thompson would establish that candidate as the alternative to Romney.”
BROWNBACK: The AP looks at how Brownback is trying to revive his campaign beginning with today’s appearance with Biden on their plan for Iraq.
GIULIANI: The AP says that Giuliani will pick up the endorsement of former presidential hopeful and Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson. "’Rudy Giuliani has shown that he is a true leader. He can and will win the nomination and the presidency. He is America's mayor, and during a period of time of great stress for this country he showed tremendous leadership,’ Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor, said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press.”
Giuliani’s stump speech in South Carolina was FILLED with Hillary Clinton hits, even more so than usual.
Just being associated with something called "vulture funds" can't be a good thing. The Times of London reports on Giuliani's ties to Paul Singer, chairman and founder of Elliott Associates. According to the report, British PM Gordon Brown has "condemned" the activities of these so-called "vulture funds" as "nothing short of scandalous."
Here’s some other potential bad news for Rudy -- regarding Bernie Kerik. The New York Daily News: “Federal prosecutors [are] expected to file charges against the former police commissioner that will likely include allegations of bribery, tax fraud and obstruction of justice.” Sources told the News, “The indictment will have direct implications for Giuliani.” More: “The bribery allegations against Kerik stem from a secret meeting at a bar in Tribeca.” A “Giuliani commissioner and a top inspector general during Giuliani's years as mayor will be called as witnesses to describe the secret meeting.”
HUCKABEE: Newsweek.com did a Q&A with Huckabee. And he did something he rarely does -- he makes the case against Giuliani.
Q: What do you make of the conservative mutiny against Giuliani led by some familiar figures?
Huckabee: It’s not just that Giuliani’s positions are significantly different than the core conservative constituency, but he’s been outspoken in the past, saying things that really lit up that community … whether it’s the NRA or the pro-life community. So I think that’s some of it, but I think there is among many people a healthy respect for him. I know my own attitude is I don’t agree with him on several key issues. But I have said and I’ll continue to say that I do respect that at least he’s honest and forthright about his positions and that he hasn’t changed them just to run for president.
PAUL: So what does a $5 million third-quarter fundraising report buy you? A profile in the Washington Post!
ROMNEY: The campaign has struggled getting the same traction in South Carolina as it has in Iowa and New Hampshire. A new gambit? Have Jim DeMint cut a radio ad for him.
Romney is getting more backseat driving advice about doing a speech about his faith.
And if he does, will it mean evangelicals begin to rally around Romney? That's what
Time is reporting in its new issue. The magazine notes the recent new efforts the campaign has made to court evangelicals. "It is too soon to know if most of the nation's 50 million evangelicals will take the cue and give Romney a closer look. But the evangelical voters are one of the few real prizes in the Republican primary campaign -- and one that Romney, who has stumbled a bit of late and trails both Giuliani and Thompson in many polls, could sorely use. All of which means we will be seeing more testimonials, endorsements, and solicitations designed to woo a voting block that has yet to find a hero as the primaries approach."
THOMPSON: The Des Moines Register’s Hansen looks at the Thompson dilemma in Iowa. He quotes one man who wanted to support Fred Thompson, but then couldn’t find his campaign headquarters, then got a Romney direct mail DVD and was impressed. He said he couldn’t help but wonder, “[I]f I was more attracted to the character he was playing on TV." As for Romney, he found him “organized.”
