Just yesterday I was thinking about Giuliani and how he basically disgraced himself during the Republican National Convention. While Sarah Palin came across semi-sorta sly in criticizing Barack Obama's record as a community organizer (and I'm only saying this because of the reactions heard from others, since my own reaction is that she was a twit), Giuliani came across like some sort of twisted, Snagglepuss-sarcasmic cretin. Does Giuliani really think he can milk the 9/11 memories any more than he already has? What did he do other than act like any sane person would? It's great he was able to clean up some of New York City's crime and turn Times Square into Disneyland and everything, but what else ya got, Rudy? A shiny new mistress, or what?

But I'd love to see the Giuliana-Palin debates in the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries. Wouldn't anyone? The blood would be all over the floor, with red meat comments to the crowd and Right-wing pundits tearing into one another.

The "God vs Guns" battles for what passes for a Republican soul would make for months of entertaining television.

I can hardly wait!

Old nazis never seem to die, do they? The very last thing the State of NY and this country needs is a washed-up, out-of-breath neo conservative who thinks fear id a great political tool. Nauseating. Just like him.

If Libertarians had an actual chance Giuliani probably would actually switch. Maybe if he ran for Governor as a Libertarian he could raise their profile.

but cannot recognize the overwhelming evidence from the 2008 primaries that he has absolutely no shot of winning the presidency. The guy made Fred Thompson and Sarah Palin look presidential. Though I guess it's possible that the 2012 field of republican hopefuls can be weaker than this year's, what magic does Giuliani hold that he expects people to forget that he did so miserably in such a weak field? If there is a bigger egomaniac in the political world, I don't know who it is.

Perhaps in some other state but there are just too many clips avail of him during the primaries that could be used to embarrass him mightily during the campaign. Lets not forget the big city mayor effectively mocked big city values. And also he figuratively raped the memory of 9/11 for his own (failed) benefit.

Rudy, Newt, Sarah. If that's all they've got, the Republican rubber is never again in my lifetime gonna meet the road.

And while I'm at it...it's time we pried the power of congress out of the semi-cold practically dead hands of doddering old 80 and 90-somethings who hold some of the most influential and progress-adverse positions in our government. Nothing against age, mind you, I'm old myself. But a little fresh air in the mausoleum is only as good as its ability to match or exceed the stench of rotting old policies. Change isn't going to come when the chair of the transportation committee is in his mid 80's. Hybrids? Fuel efficiency? We have people who are still in awe that Henry Ford banished the horse and buggy. Whoa. One step at a time.

You've done such a great job of rehabbing your "image". I bet you can garner 30-33 pct of the vote.

If his social positions are a barrier to his political success, you an probably count on him to change them. It's the Republican way.

...make me hope for a Giuliani-Gingrich ticket in 2012.

As both a lifelong Democrat and a comedy fan, I'm hoping for it on two fronts, in fact.

As a resident of Manhattan for the past 20 years, I remember Rudy and those of us that were around for Giuliani Time won't forget. Lest you all forget -- he was a terribly unpopular, divisive, moralistic failure of a mayor prior to 9/11. Much like GWB he rose to spectacular heights of popularity and steadily slid down the charts as the glow of his projected hero pose dimmed.

Mr. G took credit for the the rewards of his predecessors community organized policing and the redevelopment plans for midtown then squandered his time in office bullying and antagonizing citizens and politicians alike. If it hadn't been for the terrorist attacks on 9/11, despite what he thinks of himself, he would have been remembered as a dull witted vindictive mayor lucky to be in office during one of the most financially successful periods in NY and US history.

You can't survive exculsively on delusion, so I'm sure he's cashed in on every scare tactic he's ever plied and he's now a wealthy man. He is however morally bancrupt and will never hold an elected office in New York.

Why? We remember Rudy - but only when you force us to.

Re: "...make me hope for a Giuliani-Gingrich ticket in 2012."

That would make an interesting ticket, since the Family Values Party would have a President/VP ticket with six marriages between them (so far).

But what about the other possibilities?

A Palin-Gingrich ticket would offer America the very real possiblity of the President/VP having an affair with each other (!)

A Giuliana-Palin ticket would present the possiblity of the Republican nominees each declaring that (s)he was actually the President and the other was the VP (since facts never stood in the way of either one, the actual events at the GOP convention would be irrelevant).

The material provided by any of the combinations above would almost certainly mean that The Daily Show would have to expand their format from one to two hours, just to keep up with the comedy issuing from the factions. It would make anything we have seen in the McCain-Palin fued look tranquil by comparison.

It would, however, put The Onion out of business since there is absolutey no parody they could put out that would match reality (but then the GOP managed that feat long ago, so perhaps I'm premature).

I'm excited!

On paper the Gov of NY has an appreciable amount of power. More than that granted to the Gov of Texas for instance. But the real issue is that the State House in NY doesn't work. It never has. Every year they fail to pass a budget on time. Every year virtually every single bill fails to pass in any recognizable form. The Assembly or lower house is divided against itself as is the State Senate and neither of them work together either. So it's 4 different factions who work to stall everything. Pataki couldn't make it work, neither could Cuomo or Cary or Malcom Wilson or Nelson Rockefeller. None of them could. It's just broken. Even though the lower house has a Dem supermajority they still can't work because they are all beholden to their local interests. The Senate, controlled by the GOP is more like the House of Lords. The US Supreme Court has reversed laws enacted by the NYS legislature, calling them "Stupid". The NYS Legislature is commonly called the most dysfunctional government in America. It's also the most expensive to operate of any of the states.