Rudy: 'Do not listen to polls'
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 5:14 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Matthew Berger
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- Giuliani was mobbed by a couple dozen senior citizens as he disembarked from his campaign bus to go inside Lox Around the Clock bagel shop Tuesday. The New York accents were thick and it was a bit of a homecoming for Giuliani, who originally had rested his Floridian hopes on transplanted Northeasterners, and who he courted heavily on primary day.
The Giuliani sighting was the second of two exciting moments for the crowd. Jon Voight -- who has been traveling with Giuliani for several days and tossed a football with staffers at the previous event -- received a similar rock-star treatment, with the gawkers asking for autographs and photos. Many quickly turned on a dime, however, away from Voight when Giuliani bounced off the bus several minutes later.
After talking to diners at a booth -- and reporters waiting on line for brisket sandwiches at the counter -- Giuliani told the press that Florida voters should ignore the recent polling, which has shown a possible third or fourth place finish in the state.
“I would say to the people of Florida, ‘do not listen to the polls, look what happened in New Hampshire,’” he said, with his wife Judith by his side for the first time today. “In New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton was supposed to lose by seven or eight points, she won.”
Giuliani aides have been wary to forecast a scenario in which they would not head to the Los Angeles debate Wednesday, despite rampant speculation. One senior aide said a second place finish, ahead of McCain, could be spun as a victory for Giuliani, because of McCain’s recent surge and the endorsement from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. It would essentially allow Giuliani to compete on Feb. 5 with McCain to be the anti-Romney.
