Giulini to consider it, splits NY support

“I will consider it next year,” was former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s response to whether he will run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. The fact that he is thinking about thinking about running proves to be quite an exciting prospect for many New Yorkers as 49% of voters said that they want the former mayor to join the race. However, Rudy seems to be cautious of promising a bid in the next election. While speaking at a business leadership conference in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 2, he said, “Sometimes you warm up and get ready and you don't get in and pitch.”

While Giuliani may be apprehensive about promising a bid in 2008, some of his friends see it as a foregone conclusion. Guy Molinari, a former NYC borough president and friend of Rudy said, “If you watch what he's doing -- he's been traveling across the country, he's been giving speeches in pivotal states, and he seems to have created alliances with individuals who have a strong political say.”

Though the horserace is only beginning, Giuliani does not have to venture far from home to find potential powerhouse rivals for 2008. New York Republican Governor George Pataki has launched ads in Iowa which discuss a possible White House run. In addition to the ads, Pataki announced that he will not seek reelection in the next New York gubernatorial campaign, possibly in preparation for the big show in ’08.

From outside the Republican Party, Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is another potential contender. The fact that there are three prominent New York political figures considering a presidential bid in 2008 is proving to be a handicap for the candidates in their home state. New York voters are split over which of their elected or formerly elected officials should go for the bid. According to the same poll of 707 registered New York voters referenced above, 40% of New Yorkers want Hillary to make a run, 17% want to see Pataki go for it, and 49% are pulling for Giuliani ‘get in and pitch’ during the 2008 horserace.

References:
Associated Press
Staten Island Advance
Angus Reid Consultants (www.angus-reid.com)