The American Spectator

p> THE REAL RUDY br> Re: Philip Klein’s Damn Yankee and R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.’s He’s Ready If You Are : /p>

In discussing Rudy Giuliani, Mr. Klein has touched upon one of the intangibles that great leaders are imbued with. Reader Michael Tomlinson, in a recent letter, talked about the need for us as conservatives to regain Reagan’s optimism about the greatest country in the world, and be damn proud of it. This is what movement leaders do, and what second-rate professional political hacks dare not try. Giuliani captures this optimism and does so eloquently; that’s why he is a rarity in politics. By all accounts, he’s a real person, one not controlled by handlers and pollsters, a man with a sharp intellect who actually thinks for himself. More importantly, a politician who actually dares to speak from the heart, take it or leave it.

This is the rarest of all qualities to be found in a politician because it is a complete anathema to what professional pols need for political longevity. I suspect it’s why some conservatives, who are a bit squeamish about his “liberal views” are nonetheless drawn to him, reasons perhaps they can’t quite explain to themselves. Speaking of which, if may segue into some of the Reader’s comments generated by Bob Tyrrell’s article; may I suggest to those conservatives who see abortion and gun rights as the nadir issues which constitute Giuliani’s Achilles Heel, that God forbid, should al-Qaeda manage a major hit on several American cities, with tens of thousands dead and the stock market tanking at Dow 5000 in a week, that neither of those issues will be the topic of conversation that night at the dinner table. Furthermore, neither issue will ever be directly acted upon by Washington, unless a Democrat is elected president in ‘08.

p>Rather, I suspect, a savvy President Giuliani and a do nothing congress, will allow those issues to be relegates to the states, (a direct vote by the people) or, left in the hands of the Supreme Court. If Giuliani is true to his word to appoint judges whose judicial philosophy is consistent with the original intent of the Constitution, then ipso facto, these conservatives should be assuaged. If however, conservatives are hell bent on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or as one Reader suggested, eight years of Madam Hillary rather than “sacrifice one’s principles,” then let’s just call it a day and end the whole grand experiment of America. br> — A. DiPentima /p>

Sorry, I don’t buy those who’re trying to hype Giuliani. Economic issues that score in upscale Manhattan are a yawner in the rest of America. The debate over welfare and regulation was won in the 90s. It’ll win no brownie points in 2008. And if you look at the numbers, in comparison to the rest of the country, NYC remains a Euro-style tax and regulatory state. If he makes the country like the NYC he created and ran, we’ll all suffer.