'Clinton Style Evokes Concern Among Critics'

Anyone see this story that just moved over the Reuters wire? Surprising what passes as news these days:

Clinton Style Evokes Concern Among Critics

By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton vows to cave on terror, chooses confessed criminals as advisers and pretends nationalizing health care isn't socialism.

Add to those views a reputation for being power hungry, and Clinton often evokes the word "scary" from opponents who find this self-aggrandizing image that serves her so well in New York now a cause for concern as she seeks the U.S. presidency.

What's that? This can't be a real story? True, it's not -- but this is:

Giuliani Style Evokes Concern Among Critics

By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican Rudy Giuliani vows to be tough on terror, chooses advisers who want to bomb Iran and doesn't think pretending to drown prisoners is torture.

Add to those views a reputation for being combative, and Giuliani often evokes the word "scary" from opponents who find the tough-guy image that served him so well after the September 11 attacks now a cause for concern as he seeks the U.S. presidency.

Rudy Looking Better Every Day

The FunkyPundit's favorite for the 1996 & 2000 races for president, Steve Forbes, has just endorsed Rudy:

New York City – The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee today announced that Steve Forbes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine, has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President of the United States. Mr. Forbes will serve as a National Campaign Co-Chair and Senior Policy Advisor.

“I am honored to support Rudy Giuliani for President,” Steve Forbes said. “As Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani showed how exercising fiscal discipline – including tax cuts – lowers deficits, spurs economic growth, and increases revenue. It is time the rest of the country benefit from a true fiscal conservative leader who gets real results.”

“Steve and I share an economic vision that embraces supply-side economics, tax relief, and spending restraint,” said Mayor Giuliani. “I look forward to working with Steve and am proud to have him as a member of our team.”

Rudy Giuliani, Diva

From The Smoking Gun:

Giuliani, 62, requires private air transportation to his gigs. But, the contract states, any old plane won't do: "Please note that the private aircraft MUST BE a Gulfstream IV or bigger." Such a jet sells for about $30 million, in case you're wondering. Giuliani's speech contract also requires him to be lodged in a two-bedroom hotel suite, which is to be flanked by rooms occupied by his security team. Rudy's suite must be registered in the name of a representative of the Washington Speakers Bureau, which arranges Giuliani appearances. And Giuliani is very picky about how he is to be photographed at gigs, apparently concerned that "direct, on-camera flash bulbs" result in none-too-flattering images.

Embarrassing.

Why Rudy's Winning

Prior to yesterday's announcement that he is definitely (maybe) going to run for president, Rudy Giuliani was already ahead in most GOP primary polls. Below are the other presumed Republican candidates, their current professions, and their current take.

• Rudy Giuliani -- president, Giuliani Partners -- 34%
• John McCain -- U.S. senator -- 22%
• Newt Gingrich -- author & think-tank chairman -- 15%
• Mitt Romney -- governor -- 3%
• Duncan Hunter -- U.S. congressman -- 2%
• Sam Brownback -- U.S. senator -- 1%
• Mike Huckabee -- governor -- 0%
• Chuck Hagel -- U.S. senator -- 0%

According to the "experts," Rudy has no shot in the GOP primary because he's not a bible-humping whack-job. I think that's missing the cathedral for the cobblestones. While Rudy is left of right on "God, guns and gays," to borrow the popular formulation, he's not flamboyantly so. While sympathetic to gay-rights arguments, for instance, he's hardly the sort of rapid cultural warrior threatening to ensure every American attend at least one gay nuptials. Simply being left alone to live according to their personal moral code -- that's all so-called values voters really want.

Notice on the list above how two of the top three candidates are not currently politicians. The other, McCain, casts himself as a "maverick" who cuts against the political grain.

Mitt Romney serves as an example of the converse. A pro-lifer who turned pro-choice in time for a run for office in Massachusetts only to later tack back toward pro-life in time for a run at national office, Romney won't find much a reception with culturally conservative audiences should they feel they're merely being pandered to. An elected representative is only as good as his word, and Romney's is roughly the current market value for that of your average American politician -- near worthless.

Conservatives seek principled leaders so they know what to expect. But politicians, by their very nature, are unpredictable. Little surprise then who's currently leading.