Giuliani tests Del. primary waters
Giuliani tests Del. primary watersFormer New York mayor evaluates a run for GOP presidential nominationBY PATRICK JACKSON, The News Journal Posted Saturday, January 13, 2007
Never mind that Republicans, including state Senate Minority Leader Charles Copeland, say the national GOP has written off the First State because much of upper Delaware is in the Philadelphia media market. Never mind that the state's political demographics are turning bluer by the month.
You come here because Delaware's primary is right on the heels of the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary and a win here can either help build your momentum or put you back on track, as it did for President Bush in 2000.
Giuliani, who has been billed as "America's Mayor" for his leadership following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, was at the Hotel du Pont to receive the 2007 Pete du Pont Individual Freedom Award, given for his support of individual rights on the national and world stage.
Sussex County Councilman Vance Phillips was on hand at the event, which also serves as a major off-year fundraiser for the state GOP. While Phillips was impressed, he was guarded in his estimate of how Giuliani would fare south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.
"He's a rock star," Phillips said. "But if you want to see how he'll play south of the ditch, we'll just have to get him south of the ditch."
But Michele Rollins, whose business interests include Dover Downs and who has been a longtime force in state Republican politics, says Giuliani will find plenty of friends and supporters in Kent and Sussex counties.
"When you look at all the independence-loving people south of the canal, he'll do very well," said Rollins, who is rooting for a Giuliani run. "All you have to do is look at the job he did on 9/11 to know he can do the job for the country."
Despite a compressed primary schedule, Giuliani said he's still evaluating a run.
The threads of a stump speech could be heard in his remarks to the crowd of about 300 in the Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom.
"You've got to decide if you can raise the money and if you have a reasonable chance of winning the nomination and the election," said Giuliani, who noted he's been getting a positive response as he's traveled the country. "I'm not putting a timetable on my decision."
If he decides to run, Giuliani said his experience in the Big Apple, running what he termed the second- or third-most complicated government in the country, would help him lead the nation.
Giuliani, along with U.S. Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, are among the most prominent Republicans mentioned as candidates to succeed President Bush. But observers, including Copeland, R-West Farms, say Giuliani will have challenges to overcome.
For one thing, McCain has proved popular with Delaware Republicans; he placed second to Bush here in 2000 without even stopping to campaign. Plus, Giuliani's views on social policy issues tend to veer toward the left of the GOP spectrum, which poses challenges in downstate Republican strongholds.
However, Copeland said, he's taking the right steps.
"You just have to get out there and meet the people," he said. "I don't know if you need to reinvent yourself -- that's what got [former Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President] Al Gore into trouble in 2000. You just need to state your core values and show why they're the right ideas."
But observers, such as former University of Delaware political science professor Jim Soles, say McCain's popularity, coupled with Giuliani's stances on social issues and lack of foreign policy experience at a time when foreign policy's a crucial issue, may be too much for the New Yorker to overcome.
"I think the GOP establishment would want someone like Romney who has proven he can win in a Democratic state," Soles said. "But McCain's going to be tough to beat. ... I would say [Giuliani's] best asset is his personality. He is a commanding presence."
And former Sussex County GOP Chairman Keller Hopkins said Giuliani's personality and the able job he did on Sept. 11 will be big assets.
"He's a very likable guy," said Hopkins, who helped orchestrate the GOP's strong performance in the 2002 state House elections in Sussex County. "He's also got a steady hand. When you look at the turmoil in the country today, we need that steady hand."
And those moderate policies are the right prescription for the nation, said Wilmington City Councilman Michael Brown, who met with Giuliani at a reception before the speech.
"If he can run as a Republican and bring the people of New York City together behind him," Brown said, "I think he's got the right message for the country."
Contact Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070113/NEWS/701130325
Never mind that Republicans, including state Senate Minority Leader Charles Copeland, say the national GOP has written off the First State because much of upper Delaware is in the Philadelphia media market. Never mind that the state's political demographics are turning bluer by the month.
You come here because Delaware's primary is right on the heels of the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary and a win here can either help build your momentum or put you back on track, as it did for President Bush in 2000.
Giuliani, who has been billed as "America's Mayor" for his leadership following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, was at the Hotel du Pont to receive the 2007 Pete du Pont Individual Freedom Award, given for his support of individual rights on the national and world stage.
Sussex County Councilman Vance Phillips was on hand at the event, which also serves as a major off-year fundraiser for the state GOP. While Phillips was impressed, he was guarded in his estimate of how Giuliani would fare south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.
"He's a rock star," Phillips said. "But if you want to see how he'll play south of the ditch, we'll just have to get him south of the ditch."
But Michele Rollins, whose business interests include Dover Downs and who has been a longtime force in state Republican politics, says Giuliani will find plenty of friends and supporters in Kent and Sussex counties.
"When you look at all the independence-loving people south of the canal, he'll do very well," said Rollins, who is rooting for a Giuliani run. "All you have to do is look at the job he did on 9/11 to know he can do the job for the country."
Despite a compressed primary schedule, Giuliani said he's still evaluating a run.
The threads of a stump speech could be heard in his remarks to the crowd of about 300 in the Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom.
"You've got to decide if you can raise the money and if you have a reasonable chance of winning the nomination and the election," said Giuliani, who noted he's been getting a positive response as he's traveled the country. "I'm not putting a timetable on my decision."
If he decides to run, Giuliani said his experience in the Big Apple, running what he termed the second- or third-most complicated government in the country, would help him lead the nation.
Giuliani, along with U.S. Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, are among the most prominent Republicans mentioned as candidates to succeed President Bush. But observers, including Copeland, R-West Farms, say Giuliani will have challenges to overcome.
For one thing, McCain has proved popular with Delaware Republicans; he placed second to Bush here in 2000 without even stopping to campaign. Plus, Giuliani's views on social policy issues tend to veer toward the left of the GOP spectrum, which poses challenges in downstate Republican strongholds.
However, Copeland said, he's taking the right steps.
"You just have to get out there and meet the people," he said. "I don't know if you need to reinvent yourself -- that's what got [former Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President] Al Gore into trouble in 2000. You just need to state your core values and show why they're the right ideas."
But observers, such as former University of Delaware political science professor Jim Soles, say McCain's popularity, coupled with Giuliani's stances on social issues and lack of foreign policy experience at a time when foreign policy's a crucial issue, may be too much for the New Yorker to overcome.
"I think the GOP establishment would want someone like Romney who has proven he can win in a Democratic state," Soles said. "But McCain's going to be tough to beat. ... I would say [Giuliani's] best asset is his personality. He is a commanding presence."
And former Sussex County GOP Chairman Keller Hopkins said Giuliani's personality and the able job he did on Sept. 11 will be big assets.
"He's a very likable guy," said Hopkins, who helped orchestrate the GOP's strong performance in the 2002 state House elections in Sussex County. "He's also got a steady hand. When you look at the turmoil in the country today, we need that steady hand."
And those moderate policies are the right prescription for the nation, said Wilmington City Councilman Michael Brown, who met with Giuliani at a reception before the speech.
"If he can run as a Republican and bring the people of New York City together behind him," Brown said, "I think he's got the right message for the country."
Contact Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070113/NEWS/701130325
posted by presgore19 at 3:00 AM
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