McCain-Giuliani ’08?

June 16, 2008

AEI’s David Frum, a former Bush speechwriter and top aide to Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign, has an item in The New Republic this week about John McCain and the possible impact of his running mate. It’s Frum’s conclusion, though, that’s noteworthy. (via Yglesias)

I have my own personal nomination for vice president for McCain. It’s Rudy Giuliani, precisely because he shares the vision of a practical, reforming, war-winning Republican Party that inspires John McCain, plus the stronger-than-usual grounds for hoping that he might be the rare candidate who can make a difference in an essential state — in this case, New Jersey.

But, my personal preferences aside, I hope, Senator, that you will make your choice with this consideration in mind: This choice may prove to be your most important legacy to your party and your country. Your nominee probably won’t help your candidacy–but he or she may secure your vision or else destroy your reputation. Sports talk about the veepstakes is good, entertaining political fun. But a party in as much trouble as the GOP in 2008 has little time for fun.

Oh, I don’t know, David, if McCain picked Giuliani for the ticket it would enormous fun.

In fact, just to extend the entertaininment factor a bit, I’ll add some fuel to the baseless speculation and note that once the McCain campaign secured the nomination and took over the RNC, the committee hired Victory 2008 directors, many of whom are “veterans of the Giuliani presidential campaign, and before that, veterans of the 2006 RNC field operation run by Mike DuHaime, formerly the Giuliani campaign manager.”

Clear evidence of a Giuliani role in the presidential campaign? Well, no, but a guy can dream.

Keep in mind, there was ample talk of a McCain-Giuliani ticket earlier this year.

When Giuliani traveled to California to officially endorse McCain, MSNBC’s report immediately touched on the notion of Giuliani as McCain’s running mate.

The same day, Stephen Bainbridge wrote:

Listening to Giuliani’s withdrawal and endorsement speech, I couldn’t help wondering whether we just heard Rudy making a bid for the Vice Presidency. The emphasis on their shared beliefs, their similar policy positions especially on the GWOT, and especially the need for a 50-state coalition. That last point sounded like an argument that McCain needs a VEEP who can appeal to Blue State voters; namely, Rudy.

Hugh Hewitt added at the time that no one should be surprised if “McCain selects a Rudy or Joe Lieberman as a running mate as an ‘all-in’ play for the muddled middle of the country.”

I realize that there have been plenty of surprises this year, but I simply cannot imagine the circumstances that would lead McCain to pick Giuliani for the GOP ticket. It’s simply unfathomable. Giuliani ran one of the more embarrassing presidential campaigns in recent memory and lost every contest in which he competed, usually by enormous margins. He invested millions and ended up without a single delegate.

Frum believes Giuliani could help McCain win in New Jersey. Not only do I think that’s false, I’m quite confident Giuliani wouldn’t even move the needle in his home state of New York.

For that matter, the quickest way to enrage the Republican base is to put a serial-adulterer and supporter of abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, and liberal immigration policies on the ticket.

Then again, maybe I’m going about this the wrong way. Allow me to revise my analysis — please don’t put Giuliani on the ticket, Sen. McCain, because he’d be too great an asset. With him, you’d be unbeatable. Dems everywhere are scared of the Giuliani juggernaut and the ease with which he’d help you win a national landslide.

Yeah, that’s what I meant to say.

Two serial adulterers running together. How fun!

  • Please please please please pick Rudy. The horrible campaigning, the awkward stump speech, the associations to criminals and incompetents as far as the eye can see…. It would be awesome.

    I live in New Jersey and, trust me, selecting Rudy 9ui11ani would only drive down McCain’s numbers lower than they already are. We remember how bad he was pre-9/11 and we’re more than sick of his shit post-9/11.

  • Rarely do I disagree with Steve. In fact, other than minor points here and there, I can’t think of a single instance. Until now. It’s true that Giuliani ran an awful campaign by any standard, but we should keep in mind that he was running for the Republican nomination among Republican primary voters. I wonder if there is any polling data about what these voters might think of a Giuliani VP candidacy. That would be interesting to see. The main reason for my concern though is purely anecdotal. Among my friends from NYC, Giuliani remains quite popular. These are all self-avowed liberal, democratic folk. When I express my utter disbelief in conversations, they simply respond that “they were there.” My reply is normally, “O.k., I get that, but that’s not a qualification.” This seems to always fall on deaf ears, and makes me shake my head in disbelief. It’s this, plus the fact that Giuliani may appeal to independents who are pro-choice and would otherwise vote for Obama (particularly if McCain chose a “base-solidifying” conservative) that has me scared. I would much rather see clear ideological distinctions between the tickets than any blurring.

  • Frum believes a lot of things. First and foremost, he actually believes that he has an amazing analytical powers. Unfortunately for him, his “gift” of political “analysis” hasn’t changed much since he left Canada where he was mocked for his 0 fer record of prognostications.

    Even in the Repub reality, McCain does not need Guillani. Seems to me that it’s more like Guillani needs McCain.

  • I agree. Giuliani would kill us. Especially when that video of him being molested by Donald Trump came out. Every single cross-dressing Republican would come out to vote, and we’d be done for.

  • I don’t understand why so many people think Giuliani is popular in NY/NJ? He’s not. He wouldn’t help.

  • OK – Giuliani is a ridiculous choice, just like we discussed this morning that Jindal is a ridiculous choice. Who CAN McCain pick that isn’t ridiculous on some level?

    As inept as Team McCain is proving itself to be, the final choice should be a real hoot.

  • As a liberal, I am forced to admit that I’m quaking in my Birkenstocks at the notion of Giuliani running for VP. I don’t see how we could possibly beat that ticket, so blindingly awesome would be its patriotism. I sure hope that no Republicans read this site, because that pick would vaporize the Democrats’ chances to pick up seats in the House and Senate.

    And I sure would hate to wind up in that briar patch, too.

  • Two serial philanderers, always ready to drop the current wife for a newer model. With McCrazy, you get Alzheimer’s; with Rudy 911, you get rampant cronyism (not to mention all of those cross-dressing pics!). It’s Obama’s dream come true!

  • Rudy Subj-verb-9/11 Giulliani is now irrelevant. Do we need more Limo-gate?
    If it was his choice, he’d rename ground zero to the “Giuliani” memorial.

    Giuliani’s a mercenary anyway-he’s become like the thugs he used to prosecute.

  • You know what would be hilarious? Guiliani taking the oath of office and his cell phone rings, and it’s his wife, and they have this funny talk right there in front of everyone.

  • Among my friends from NYC, Giuliani remains quite popular. These are all self-avowed liberal, democratic folk. When I express my utter disbelief in conversations, they simply respond that “they were there.”

    I live in New Jersey right outside the city, and have tons of liberal Democratic friends in and around the city. No one likes Guiliani. No one.

  • McCain/Giuliani are two peas in a pod. They are both hits on the comedy circuit. They both have extensive ties to lobbyists – particularly associated with defense contractors. They both have corruption in their past. They both converted to Bush Republicans in 2007. They both antagonize Catholics. They both have associates (Kerik and Cindy) who got caught stealing from charitable foundations, and people with drug issues (Cindy and Ravenel).

  • John Farmer said: “Two serial adulterers running together. How fun!”

    Unless you have evidence of John cheating on Cindy, I think he actually doesn’t qualify as a ‘Serial Adulterer’. You have to cheat on two wives to do that.

    Rudy, please join the ticket. Give John the benefit of your Midas Touch, the ability to turn name recognition and endless amounts of money into absolutely NO DELEGATES.

    Could you imagine Obama actually winning every state in the union 😉

  • Can we please send this can of spoiled Canadian bacon back where it came from? Is he even a US citizen? Where does he get off telling us what to do when he comes from a failed far right movement that has been decisively rejected by his fellow citizens up north?

  • If McCain picks Giuliani, Obama should DEFINITELY pick Biden. It would be the most entertaining presidential race in history.

  • I am undeniably paranoid, but I can’t help but feel that Giuliani as VP choice would be a disaster for Republicans UNLESS we experience a terrorist attack on US soil between the conventions and the election and McCain/Giuliani run on a hardline national defense platform. I really don’t want McCain to pick Giuliani just because I don’t want to spend the next 3-4 months fearing that something horrifically evil is in the works.

  • Am I the only one who noticed that you quoted Frum as saying this?

    “This choice may prove to be your most important legacy to your party and your country. Your nominee probably won’t help your candidacy–but he or she may secure your vision or else destroy your reputation.”

    The choice of VEEP will be McCain’s most important legacy? Why? The VEEP may help secure John’s vision? Why? Will John be unable to secure it? Is he deeper into failing health than any of us know? Does John himself not expect to make it past his first term? Or even through his first term? Or maybe not even past the swearing in ceremony? Is that why his VEEP will be so important to McCain’s legacy?

    Does Frum have access to some medical report the rest of us haven’t seen?

    Curiously Cranky,
    The New York Crank

  • @#15 Unless you have evidence of John cheating on Cindy, I think he actually doesn’t qualify as a ‘Serial Adulterer’. You have to cheat on two wives to do that.

    Alex, the question is: Where is Vicki Iseman?

  • #13 TR
    “I live in New Jersey right outside the city, and have tons of liberal Democratic friends in and around the city. No one likes Guiliani. No one.”

    Actually, when I saw you post at #2, I was going to write that it was a good point. Certainly, I will not nor cannot speak with any credibility on Giuliani’s popularity in and around NYC, and I readily defer to your local knowledge. However, I think a McCain-Giuliani ticket is not necessarily a laughing matter (although I am enjoying this thread immensely). I sincerely hope everyone here is correct in that it would be a disaster. I just don’t know that we can take that for granted.

  • I wrote: “Unless you have evidence of John cheating on Cindy, I think he actually doesn’t qualify as a ‘Serial Adulterer’. You have to cheat on two wives to do that.”

    DustPuppyOI said: “Alex, the question is: Where is Vicki Iseman?”

    Oh, yah. Good old Vicki, the scarily close personal friend.

    Really, that ticket needs Mike Huckabee.

  • The thought of Rudy as the VP candidate is delicious. First of all, Rudy
    doesn’t play nicely unless he is No. 1. He would compete with McCain, even if inadvertently, touting his great leadership on 9/11. McCain would not be allowed to have the spotlight on heroism. He is not an attractive man and he can’t deliver New York to McCain.

  • My stars, what does it take to lose one’s credibility in the Republican party? Doesn’t this do the trick: blowing a ton of money on a primary campaign just to earn fewer votes than a Congressional back-bencher, Ron Paul, who was actually arguing against most of the party’s positions?

    Here’s a case for Rudy: his poor showing in the primary only indicates that he is not popular among voters, and he has yet to show his potential among the key non-voter demographic. You know, the people who went back to ignoring the actions of the government by November 1, 2001, when the period of mandatory pretending to care about America ended?

    “Rudy in 2016: It’s All For Bernie!”

  • I’m not saying it won’t happen because John McCain supports many ideas I think are bad, but this would be a terrible mistake. This would have the same problems I see should McCain pick Joe Lieberman. With either Giuliani or Lieberman the VP choices only acts to accentuate support for the Iraq war.

    There is no benefit in this. If someone supports the war, they would already support McCain over Obama so there is no added benefit from Giuliani (or Lieberman). To those who oppose the war, having Giuliani on the ticket makes it even harder to vote for him.

    Most likely McCain will have a supporter of the war on the ticket, but not someone who is primarily known for this. Plus Giuliani will weaken McCain even further with religious voters.

    McCain/Giuliani is a ticket I’d love to see face Obama, but I doubt it will happen.

  • The coot and the ghoul. Both post cancerous.Both looking like they might not make it through the first term. Pretty yucky combo. McBush’s rictus grin and Rude-E’s manic laugh on the same stage. “A severed head in every pot!”, they proclaim, giggling and lofting clasped hands high.

    And from the wings steps out best bud, Ho-Joe, just too amazed and pleased at the beauty of it all. And let’s welcome Lindsey Graham into the unholy circle as well while we’re at it. Come on out of the closet you authoritarian little war monger you.

    Holy sh*t! The clown car is so happy. The road goes on forever and the stupidity never ends.

  • RonChusid@30 had my “concern”. Bible loons truly might stay home without SOME sop thrown to them.

    The only thing better than Rudy forcing the religious right to stay home would be for McCain to continue to woo them thereby alienated the moderates/independents.

    Reagan Mondale will look like a squeaker.

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