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Friday, July 20, 2007
Speaking for Giuliani: What Steve Forbes said about the South, Iraq, and Fred Thompson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the last few weeks, the Rudy Giuliani campaign in Georgia has become particularly forceful, likely in anticipation of the Fred Thompson entry into the Republican race for the White House.
Earlier this week, Giuliani operatives fleshed out much of their state network. Next week, we expect for them to name state Sen. Ronnie Chance of Tyrone as the campaign’s state co-chairman, sharing the helm with House Speaker Glenn Richardson.
(Mitt Romney’s team has also made some announcements, and we’ll get to those in a bit.)
On Thursday, publisher and two-time presidential candidate Steve Forbes just happened to dial up, to explain why his boy Rudy could compete in Georgia and other points in the Deep South.
“We’re in a situation where his strengths are going to be very appealing to the south and the rest of the country - in two basic areas. The most critical one is national security. He demonstrated on 9/11 that he can deal forcefully with an unprecedented crisis,” Forbes said.
When pitching Giuliani as the man who can handle Iraq, Forbes’ criticisms of the Bush Administration were implied, but strong: “[Giulini] would not be content — he’s said this — with broad goals of what we want to achieve there, but more specifics. How do we know we’re succeeding? What are we doing neighborhood by neighborhood? He isn’t afraid to get at the nitty-gritty details.”
Click here for Forbes’ exact words.
As for Thompson’s entry, Forbes predicted that an initial “halo effect” would be followed by close and unflattering scrutiny. “For instance, he’s very close to the plaintiff’s bar, which is not popular with the base,” Forbes said. Extended comments can be heard here.
Finally, Forbes argued that, with the way the 2008 primary calendar has shaped, Giuliani will have an advantage. On Feb. 5, Republicans in California, Florida, New York and New Jersey will be joining voters in Georgia at the ballot box.
Said Forbes: “Eight years ago, he wouldn’t have had a successful national candidacy, maybe eight years from now he wouldn’t. But at this particular time, I think the man and the moment are met.”
A quick, unyielding note from the Whitehead side
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first communication from the Jim Whitehead campaign in 48 hours arrived in the e-mail queue overnight.
Perhaps it was written in response to today’s Associated Press story that essentially declared Athens physician Paul Broun the winner in the 10th District congressional race.
Wrote Whitehead strategist John Stone: “Just fyi we are still in the running on this race. This race is NOT over. The tragedy is that regardless who wins in the end it will be the decision of 6.9 pct of [registered] voters.”
Also just finished a talk with Tim Bryant, the host of a daily political talk show on WGAU-AM (1340) in Athens, who makes this excellent, ironic point:
Screwing with U.S. Rep. John Barrow, a Democrat, became official GOP policy some years back. And in a fit of re-districting (in 2006?) Republicans lopped Athens — Barrow’s home — out of the 12th District and put it in Charlie Norwood’s 10th District.
Barrow moved to Savannah. Broun got his foothold. And Athens became a community that needed to vent. And Whitehead, as state senator, voted for it all.
