Let's quickly run through the list of things Giuliani has going for him during this election.
1. 9/11.
Well, that was lengthy.
In an opinion column ("Rudy Finds a New Topic") in the New York Times recently, Gail Collins brings up the fact that Giuliani just may have to realize that he cannot just keep saying "terrorism" and "9/11" throughout the entire election. Whether Giuliani fully realizes this, though, is another question. Collins contends that Giuliani has had to find another issue that republicans can latch on to easily. What is that for Giuliani? "Fiscal. Discipline." By doing this, he is really just bringing up actions in the past that he has done in NYC. All candidates will mention good acts they have done in their careers in government, but Giuliani must really be forcing himself at that podium NOT to say "September 11th." Instead, we find him mentioning taxes -- some taxes not even under his jurisdiction, but if they happened around him while he was in power, well then By George he started them.
Sidenote here that is interesting is that Collins compares Giuliani to his opponent, Mitt Romney. They both have amazing resumes, and they are strikingly similar. "Amazing how the two most opposite human beings in the world can look so identical on paper."
The issue here is Giuliani is big talk when it comes to the economy and government spending, but his plan in NYC will never work for the federal government.
"So what do you prefer, American voter, the guy who has a bold plan for controlling spending that is never going to work, or the one who would not say anything specific if you waterboarded him?
Welcome to campaign 2008."
I find it funny that even years after the tragedy that is September 11th, Rudy is still trying to use it as a political crutch and that one day (soon) it will catch up to him and he just may have to have some real plans for the country.
And now that is campaign is off and running, many things about Giuliani are catching up to him. Like, the fact that his speeches center around two towers falling, for example. Also, the fact that he is a confused version of a Republican is not helping his image with either party. "the prospect seemed a long shot for a Republican who supported abortion rights and restrictions on gun sales."
Let's now run through the list of things he has going against him.
1. He's a Republican.
1b. He's a supporter of Bush.
1c. He's a supporter of Bush's Iraq war policy.
2. His appearance on Saturday Night Live in drag (Rudina? really Rudy?)
3. Weak personal life. (he has been married 3 times and his children don't seem to like him much. If his own kids don't even know if they will vote for him, why would we?)
4. He's Roman Catholic.
With that, I'll leave with a lesson from Family Guy: when you're making a speech, don't talk about the issues or the changes you'll make. Just say words that will bring in the crowd. For instance: terrorism. 9/11. war. threat. In reality, it works for speeches -- but not for elections.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I think you brought up some really interesting points!! I never really thought about how Giuliani's public life could affect his likeability but if his own kids don't care too much for him... it lends evidence that maybe we shouldn't either. I also agree that he is sort of a confused republican right now and scared of the future so he is simply clinging to his success in the past with 9/11. He doesn't seem to be making any big goals except falling back on ONE great thing he's done. I think he's got to stop sitting on the republican/democratic fence if he's going to win this thing. And that doesn't look too likely.
Haha! Love the Family Guy relation there. I wasn't aware that his kids didn't like him, hmm...no wonder. ha. I wrote a blog about him too. In the speech I was covering he actually didn't bring up 9/11 BUT he also didn't bring up anything he plans to do if he is elected. I don't really remember what the speech really was about actually. I think you summed up his whole election campaign, or lack of, quite nicely.
Yeah...the NYC Firefighters Union is suing him because he never helped the union get the equipment they requested after the towers were bombed in 1993...so essentially the people Giuliani should be depending on for positive support had to into the Towers on 9/11 with broken hoses and radios.
The 9/11 podium is being hacked to pieces, but because it's such a heart-string pullable (I created a new word. Suck it, Colbert) podium, it's taking way too long. My biggest fear is that people aren't going to realize how much of a sham Giuliani is until it's too late.
If he wins, we should totally run away to Canada together. To quote Across the Universe, "Learn French or die!"
yes you had my thoughts about Giuliani- you know im a new yorker i admired him but what he did was dispicable he did what bush did after promising us he did not like bush for what he did - the subject of that being the they both exploited the 9/11 attacks. - bastards
Post a Comment