At the rate Senator McCain and Governor Romney are picking up alliances with key Republican insiders in early caucus and primary states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Michigan, isn’t it becoming increasingly clear that Mayor Giuliani and Speaker Gingrich are likely to be running populist, outsider candidacies in 2008 that eschew the traditional endorsement game and attempt to win electoral majorities by inspiring citizens at the grassroots level through their policies and vision rather than with political muscle?
Such a populist strategy, in conjunction with entering the fray later than McCain and Romney, may also set up the two best organized GOP candidates to attack each other, as we saw glimpses of in the recent detainee legislation debate, in a way that significantly injures both and paves the way for others to come to the forefront from the rear. This would be a perfect set up for Giuliani and Gingrich, much as how in 2004 Congressman Gephardt and Governor Dean destroyed each other in Iowa and allowed John Kerry to?thus win those?caucuses from behind and establish unbeatable momentum after following that up with a win in his backyard at the New Hampshire primary.
Timing and positioning can be everything. We could be looking at a battle of machines versus messages on the GOP side in 2008.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
It is very disappointing that newspapers (Like USA Today
who helped finance this poll)won’t report this Gallup
poll data. It is a strong comment on how the people consider
Condi as a strong contender:
……..taking into consideration Giuliani’s liberal stances on many social issues, Giuliani is the top acceptable candidate to registered Republicans (according to the latest Gallup poll in June 2006). Only 25% of Republicans say they would find Giuliani an unacceptable ’08 presidential nominee. Sec. Rice got the second best rating, with only 29% of Republicans finding her unacceptable. Also quite surprisingly (to the media, but not to those who are in tune with grassroots conservatives) McCain got a relatively bad rating, with a whopping 41% of Republicans finding him unacceptable for 2008 ……..
September 28th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
The unfortunate reality for Condi supporters like Debbie and Woody is that a draft is not realistic and thus the mainstream media are only going to take seriously those who are looking to run, which does not include Secretary Rice. Condi supporters are lucky she is included in the data at all. Why not include Governor Jeb Bush who is also very popular and has also made no indication that he intends to run in 2008?
September 29th, 2006 at 12:54 am
You are assuming that Rudy and Newt are running.