The 2008 General Election is just over 2 years away but already possible contenders on both sides are laying the groundwork. In the GOP it appears as if "Maverick" McCain will be facing a tough matchup against Rudy Guliani. However, when it comes to Rudy there are several tough questions that must be asked, both of him and his supposed supporters, specificially regarding public perceptions that go beyond politics and into normally unmentioned stereotypes.
Rudy in '08. Really? Seriously? I hear the rumors and have noticed an upswing in appearances by the former Mayor of New York at various high brow GOP events, but I still can't seriously believe that this man has any chance to be the next President of the United States.
Where do I begin? How about his name and his heritage, with a little history lesson thrown in. We have had 43 Presidents in our history, of which one man, was identified to be anything but a WASP. That would be JFK who was both Irish and Catholic and was dogged with questions about both factors. Since then, it's been white bread the whole way through. So now you mean to tell me that people in Wyoming, South Dakota and Idaho are going to willingly vote for a man from New York named Rudolph Giuliani? A tried and true Italian from Brooklyn who roots for the Yankees? Uh uh, ain't happening. Our country isn't there yet.
(All of which makes the idea of Hillary being President laughable to me. Not that she isn't qualified, which she is, but if people have a hard time voting for a man of an ethnic heritage making the leap to voting for a woman is beyond comprehension for them. This is more a black mark on our country as whole considering how advanced and sophisticated we try to present our country as being, meanwhile the rest of the world no doubt laughs at our unconscious political prejudices towards gender)
Back to Rudy, did I mentioned he is divorced (like many GOP big wigs) and carried on a very public affair with his girlfriend all at the taxpayer's of NYC expense? How about that while going through his divorce he stayed at the home of his, GASP, gay friends? I wonder what the Christian Right has to say about that? I can't wait to see Rudy spin that while trying to defend the GOP Position against Gay Marriage. Should make for great television.
What about Rudy's vast political experience? Oh, that's right, he has none. He's a former two term Mayor, that's it. And what did he do during his tenure as Mayor? He took on crime for one, dramatically reducing rates in the city, but he did so through means that pre-date the horrors of Guantanamo Bay by a good 10 years.
Sodomized suspects, unarmed immigrants brutally shot 48 times, homeless people swept off the streets with a Martial Law type fervor. Those were the trademarks of his regime.
And let's not forget who he had running his police force, the esteemed Bernard Kerik. Remember him? The former Top Cop of NYC and potential Bush nominee, not to mention Giuliani business partner, now disgraced, accused of accepting kick backs,
setting up love nests at Ground Zero and just being a general scumbag. Great call Rudy.
What else is he famous for, I know I'm forgetting something. Oh yeah, Censorship. Remember when he threatened to pull public funding of a museum because he didn't like some stupid painting of the Virgin Mary covered in feces? Way to focus on the big picture.
(NOTE: I'm not even going to get into his role during 9/11 and the false legend built around him, since other have already covered that)
Quite the record Rudy. Zero experience in federal matters or governing a constituency great than those who lived in the Metropolitan area. Attacks on civil rights and the arts. Misappropriation of tax dollars to provide private transportation for your then mistress, now second wife.
But I guess none of that really matters in the end. As we've learned you don't have to have a ton of experience before becoming President. It's the type of role you can grow into over time. After all, it's worked so well the past 6 years right?