Truth Be Told

In 2005, as chairman of the Catholic University College Republicans, some students and faculty agitated against one of my planned speaking engagements. The event was a speech on leadership presented by Newt Gingrich, and the protesters' complained that Newt's sorted personal life violated the school's prohibition against speakers not in communion with church doctrine. Illogical theological absurdities aside (never discuss religion in polite company, I always say), yours truly argued in an NPR radio interview that Newt's personal life did not compromise his stock as a great speaker for the event. After all, it seemed obvious to me that failing to conduct oneself morally and the open advocacy of immorality were easily distinguishable actions.

Now, as then, the libs among us proved overwhelmingly unable to appreciate philosophical nuance. On Thursday the media went and worked itself into an excited frenzy over the revelation that Fmr. Speaker Gingrich has admitted to having an affair during the Clinton Impeachment. Ever capable of defending himself, Newt eloquently explained why the media's charges of hypocrisy continue to ring hallow:

"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not
rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials."

We all fall down, and certain beloved friends and family among us do so with greater frequency and force than others. Nevertheless, there remains a demonstrable difference between failing to do good on the one hand, and attempting to rationalize and even idealize bad behavior on the other. Individuals need something to "shoot for," so societies safeguard moral norms to encourage just and communally as well as personally beneficial behavior. Newt's affairs retain their disgracefulness, but his sin remains his own to reconcile with the women he disrespected and hurt. Who can Fmr. President Clinton apologize to for making "bj's" and numerous "definitions of is" part of the vocabulary of every elementary school student?

Candidate Profile: Rudy Giuliani

Name: Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III

Age: 63

Marital Status: Married (Judith Nathan)
Twice Divorced

Party: GOP

Position: Fmr. Mayor of NYC, Fmr. Federal Prosecutor, Security Consultant and Businessman

Famous for: NYC Mayor during 9/11

Nickname: "Rudy", "America's Mayor"

Would be: First Italian American President
First NYC Mayor to be President
Second Catholic President
First North East President since JFK
First NY President since FDR
-----------------------------------------------

Political Ideology: Right of Center

Fiscally: Conservative

Socially: Moderate

Foreign Policy: Hawk

Campaign Fundraising Prowess: Very High

Current Field Ranking: #1 in GOP Primary
#1 Overall (Beats Hillary, Obama, and all known
contenders solidly in current TIME and NJ Quinnipiac
polling)


Strengths: Rudy has cultivated for himself the perception of strong leadership due to a strong resume as prosecutor and mayor. He is popular with Americans across the political spectrum. Conservatives largely view the former mayor as a tough on crime and terrorism. Liberals and Moderates see a personally affable Republican who has distance from Bush and a socially moderate platform. Giuliani can also command large sums of donation cash as well as loyalty from numerous politicians for which he has campaigned since 2001.

Weaknesses: Rudy may encounter ire over his dicey personal life (having married and divorced a second cousin before cheating on his second wife). The later sorted personal saga had damaged his approval ratings, only to be resurrected by his 9/11 leadership. Social Conservative Republican Primary voters may also take issue with his liberal positions on civil unions and abortion.

Analysis: Rudy is the clear frontrunner, and his Washington CPAC speech today was warmly (if cautiously) received. As Rush Limbaugh skillfully noted, McCain is suffering for insisting on running for president of the US before the contest for president of the GOP is decided. Giuliani has not made that mistake, as illustrated by his willingness to address CPAC and McCain's suspect refusal.

Nevertheless, Rudy has three major strikes against him for national electability. 1) He's an Italian Catholic from the North East 2) Women may find his personal life too much to take 3) If millions of social conservatives sat home in 2000 because of uber-socially conservative George Bush's 20-year old DUI, will these churches actually show up for socially moderate and thrice divorced Rudy?


Stay Tuned....


Republic Square POWER RANKINGS, Week of February 26th

*Once a week we will estimate the chances for each candidate to win their respective party nomination for president. The top five from each party are then ranked accordingly.... sorry Bidens of the world, we only have enough time for those having national prospects.

GOP POWER V:
1. Giuliani- As of now, Giuliani is running the best campaign. Nevertheless, we are still a long way out and the first debate isn't until April. Giuliani should begin talking about his relationship with Reagan-era judicial minds like Alito and Roberts in order to slake the fears of social conservatives.
2. McCain- Shit or get off the pot, my Grandmother used to say. Senator McCain may have simply burned too many Conservative bridges, and his snub to CPAC reminds conservatives of why they think the Arizona Senator cannot be trusted. McCain needs to find an inner energy and start running for the nomination, or face defeat at the hands of a more aggressive challenger.
3. Gingrich- If Newt really wants in, he could make a real go of it, polishing up fond memories of the glory day that magic November 1994. Then, the less-glorious days of 1999 will remind pundits why he won't be on the ticket.
4. Romney- Sink or swim, pal. Romney needs to prove he's something more than a pretty face with a questionable abortion track record FAST.
5. Brownback- A real potential VP... needs to increase exposure, hope for/work towards a Romney collapse to open up potential caches of conservatives disaffected by the big 3 (McCain, Giuliani and Romney)

DEM POWER V:
1. Clinton- It's hard to see Bill Clinton not getting what he wants in the Democratic Party... in this case, it's a house in NY to himself. Clinton has been running a campaign as flat as John McCain, but Hillary has much more room to slouch. The institutional advantages inherent in being a "Clinton" may just be too enormous.
2. Obama- Barrack is the only candidate with a serious shot at the former First Lady. He represents a different, fresh face at a time when Americans seem to desire experimentation with something new.
3. Gore- Fresh off of an Oscar win for his home movie discussing melting ice cubes, the former Vice President could have Nixon-mojo if he decided to run.... but it's unlikely that he would want to risk losing his new-found niche as the Left's premier spokesman on all that is cooky.
4. Edwards- Polls suggest he is leading in Iowa, but the newer and dare I say smoother Obama may have sucked any available air from Edwards sphere. Altitude sickness, John? Drink water.
5. Richardson- If this were the VP power rankings, the order would be inverted (removing Gore, of course). Richardson could help make the American SW blue and attract more Hispanics, but his conservative leanings on many issues sadly exclude him from a serious chance at the top Dem post.