Other than the likelihood of Michael Bloomberg entering the fray and Hillary Clinton, a strong contender for the Democratic nomination, the third New Yorker in the fray is Rudy Guliani, considered not just the 9/11 crisis manager but so far the leading candidate for the Republican nomination.
Guliani is heading survey polls despite his differing views on abortion, immigration and gay marriage, something which go against the conservative grain of the Republican Party.
The preliminary survey polls are nothing but name identification yet, and surely Guliani is a name most American recall for the way he conducted the rescue and relief operations after the World Trade Tower attack that shocked New Yorkers, America and the World.
Domestic security is certainly going to be an issue for the voter but with the country at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign policy is bound to take precedent over it.
Notwithstanding the early leads indicated in survey polls, Guliani’s views about pro-gay marriage and being pro-abortion will soon become major obstacles that will be hard to overcome in the primaries. Strong conservative views on these vital issues remain the foundation of the Republican Party. Guliani is up against history.
His chaotic personal life has not undergone much scrutiny and as the year advances, the more it gets into public domain, the more damage to his campaign, it will do.
Though Fred Thompson and John McCain, the other strong rival candidates vying for the Republican nomination lag now, the tables could easily turn.
Guliani warning that another 9/11 is feasible does indicate that he is going to use his crisis management record to the hilt.
With New Yorkers dominating the nomination race of both the Republican and Democrat Party, how Hillary Clinton fares at the primaries is going to have a direct bearing on Guliani’s campaign.
The polices of President George Bush are proving to be a liability for any republican candidate and all are trying to distance from the GOP. Guliani has differing views over gun control laws as well as the immigration laws. Other than his views on domestic issues, it will be the line he takes about Americas engagement in Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on terror that will test his ability to manage difficult foreign policy issues in turbulent times.
Comments
Guliani’s insistence on foreign affairs and domestic security issues seems to be overststed. The issues concerning the people of USA seems to be deliberately negated by the republicans,like of gay marriages and rights concerning abortions and reproduction.For these issues are very conspicuous in the Democrats agenda. Although the international affairs especially after 9/11 have taken predominance in affairs of the state,they can not be dealt in isolation. What matters is what people really want and from the start the war against Iraq was detested by the american nationals,nevertheless Bush went ahead with it. i dont think republicans really have a chance this time if they are solely depending upon national security issues like Guliani.