red states rule
08-08-2007, 05:12 AM
Rudy is the only one who can make sure Hillary does not become President
Rudy Giuliani: Only I can beat Hillary Clinton
By Toby Harnden, in Stanhope, Iowa
Last Updated: 1:43am BST 08/08/2007
Lambasting Democrats for having "embraced defeat" in Iraq, Rudy Giuliani is declaring himself the only Republican who will keep America on the offensive against Islamism and stop Hillary Clinton capturing the White House in 2008.
The former New York mayor, still lauded in the American heartlands for his performance after the September 11 attacks, told The Daily Telegraph that he believed Mrs Clinton would choose Barack Obama as her running mate.
"I think it's going to be a Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama ticket," he said during a campaign stop at Sparky's One Stop, a petrol station in the village of Stanhope (population 488), on a sweltering day in rural Iowa.
"They will run together because Barack Obama has had such a good showing and it's going to be very hard for her to deny him a place on the ticket."
But although many Democrats view a "dream ticket" of the aspiring first woman president and the first black vice-presidential candidate as unbeatable, Mr Giuliani predicted that he could see them off.
Mr Giuliani leads the field of Republican contenders for the presidential nomination despite his moderate positions on abortion and gay marriage.
Although Democrats enjoy a huge lead as a party over Republicans in national opinion polls, Mrs Clinton is only about five percentage points ahead of the former mayor when voters are asked who they would prefer as president.
Republican voters dread the prospect of another Clinton presidency and Mr Giuliani often brings up her name.
Inside Sparky’s Polly Hayes pushed forward her daughter of 18, declaring: "Here’s a new voter – I’m trying to get her to be a conservative instead of a tree hugger.”
Mr Giuliani laughed. "Even Hillary wouldn’t admit she’s a liberal," he said, referring to a recent comment by Mrs Clinton in which the Democratic frontrunner disavowed the label and said she was a "modern progressive".
Democrats would lose in 2008, Mr Giuliani told a crowd of about 60, because they wanted to capitulate to America's enemies.
"The leading Democrats are preaching defeat in Iraq," he said. "In fact they've embraced defeat. About a month ago, they decided we've got to pull out of Iraq. When have you ever heard in the history of war of giving the enemy a timetable of retreat?"
Although he railed against Democratic plans for the kind of "socialised medicine" found in the NHS and "big, big government" and high taxes, his persistent theme was that he had proved that he would confront terrorism.
Mr Giuliani told The Daily Telegraph that his centrism on social issues made him competitive with Democrats across the country while for Republicans winning the war on terror trumped everything.
"If you want to defeat Hillary Clinton, I would be the best person to do that because I can make this campaign nationwide.
"We can build it to have a chance of winning in New York and in New England and in California and Oregon - these are states where Republicans haven't even had a campaign for a long time."
Locals said Mr Giuliani was the first candidate to stop on Stanhope – quite a feat in a state in which the early caucuses are the first White House test and is therefore subjected to saturation campaigning.
Giuliani aides bought ice cream for children and Mrs Hayes said she was impressed that the man himself had stumped up for his large soda.
"A lot of them don't care about the little people - they walk out the door without paying," she said.
Her husband Roger, 45, said Mr Giuliani was right that social issues were not paramount.
"Abortion, when it comes up I'm like, where's the remote? Morally, ethically, yes I'm a Catholic but politically it doesn't matter to me.
"I want to know about defence, roads and what to do in Iraq."
But could Mr Giuliani win? Stanhope's deputy sheriff, Paul Whitmore, was doubtful. "President Hillary Clinton? That's a scary thought. I believe it's a rightful war in Iraq but it's hurt Republicans. It's going to be darn tough for us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/07/wuspols107.xml
Rudy Giuliani: Only I can beat Hillary Clinton
By Toby Harnden, in Stanhope, Iowa
Last Updated: 1:43am BST 08/08/2007
Lambasting Democrats for having "embraced defeat" in Iraq, Rudy Giuliani is declaring himself the only Republican who will keep America on the offensive against Islamism and stop Hillary Clinton capturing the White House in 2008.
The former New York mayor, still lauded in the American heartlands for his performance after the September 11 attacks, told The Daily Telegraph that he believed Mrs Clinton would choose Barack Obama as her running mate.
"I think it's going to be a Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama ticket," he said during a campaign stop at Sparky's One Stop, a petrol station in the village of Stanhope (population 488), on a sweltering day in rural Iowa.
"They will run together because Barack Obama has had such a good showing and it's going to be very hard for her to deny him a place on the ticket."
But although many Democrats view a "dream ticket" of the aspiring first woman president and the first black vice-presidential candidate as unbeatable, Mr Giuliani predicted that he could see them off.
Mr Giuliani leads the field of Republican contenders for the presidential nomination despite his moderate positions on abortion and gay marriage.
Although Democrats enjoy a huge lead as a party over Republicans in national opinion polls, Mrs Clinton is only about five percentage points ahead of the former mayor when voters are asked who they would prefer as president.
Republican voters dread the prospect of another Clinton presidency and Mr Giuliani often brings up her name.
Inside Sparky’s Polly Hayes pushed forward her daughter of 18, declaring: "Here’s a new voter – I’m trying to get her to be a conservative instead of a tree hugger.”
Mr Giuliani laughed. "Even Hillary wouldn’t admit she’s a liberal," he said, referring to a recent comment by Mrs Clinton in which the Democratic frontrunner disavowed the label and said she was a "modern progressive".
Democrats would lose in 2008, Mr Giuliani told a crowd of about 60, because they wanted to capitulate to America's enemies.
"The leading Democrats are preaching defeat in Iraq," he said. "In fact they've embraced defeat. About a month ago, they decided we've got to pull out of Iraq. When have you ever heard in the history of war of giving the enemy a timetable of retreat?"
Although he railed against Democratic plans for the kind of "socialised medicine" found in the NHS and "big, big government" and high taxes, his persistent theme was that he had proved that he would confront terrorism.
Mr Giuliani told The Daily Telegraph that his centrism on social issues made him competitive with Democrats across the country while for Republicans winning the war on terror trumped everything.
"If you want to defeat Hillary Clinton, I would be the best person to do that because I can make this campaign nationwide.
"We can build it to have a chance of winning in New York and in New England and in California and Oregon - these are states where Republicans haven't even had a campaign for a long time."
Locals said Mr Giuliani was the first candidate to stop on Stanhope – quite a feat in a state in which the early caucuses are the first White House test and is therefore subjected to saturation campaigning.
Giuliani aides bought ice cream for children and Mrs Hayes said she was impressed that the man himself had stumped up for his large soda.
"A lot of them don't care about the little people - they walk out the door without paying," she said.
Her husband Roger, 45, said Mr Giuliani was right that social issues were not paramount.
"Abortion, when it comes up I'm like, where's the remote? Morally, ethically, yes I'm a Catholic but politically it doesn't matter to me.
"I want to know about defence, roads and what to do in Iraq."
But could Mr Giuliani win? Stanhope's deputy sheriff, Paul Whitmore, was doubtful. "President Hillary Clinton? That's a scary thought. I believe it's a rightful war in Iraq but it's hurt Republicans. It's going to be darn tough for us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/07/wuspols107.xml