Closer Look: Giuliani, Romney

Hey folks,

In a new continuing series, we will be taking a closer look at the candidates for President in 08. Today we will be looking a little closer into Republicans Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani.

First, we have to say we pretty much KNOW Rudy. The Mayor of America Born and proven leader. A man that NY, and pretty much the entire country looked toward for comfort and strength following 9-11. But there is so much more to the man.

He cleaned up New York. He gave numerous tax cuts, increasing the revenue coming into New York Government. He reformed welfare. Put more people back to work. He proved that he can make and stick with tough choices.

He main weakness? It’s a big one. Abortion. Chris {Mindless} Matthews hammered Giuliani at the first Republican, uh, debate. It did seem he gave a typical political answer. He is for it, but ok if it was abolished, yet ok if it stands, but, the states should have the decision. HUH?

He has finally come out and made his position clear. According to AP -Giuliani defends stance on abortion

HOUSTON - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani forcefully reaffirmed his support for abortion rights on Friday and argued that his divergence from conservatives on the issue should not disqualify him from being the eventual GOP nominee.

"This is a matter of deep and profound judgment," he said in a speech at Houston Baptist University. "It's a matter of morals. It's a matter of your interpretation of how laws should operate, your interpretation of how respect for the rights of others should operate. But in a country like ours ... I believe you have to respect their viewpoint and give them a level of choice. I would grant women the right to make that choice."

The former New York City mayor has struggled in the last week to explain his personal opposition to abortion with his long public record of favoring a woman's right to choose. He has defended his positions — and some say contradictory comments — on late-term abortion, public funding for abortions and the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.

But Giuliani left few questions about his position Friday, telling about 500 students and faculty at the small conservative school that — despite his belief that abortion was "morally wrong" — he believes the decision should ultimately be left to individuals and their decisions should be respected.

Opposition to abortion has been a litmus test for conservatives within the Republican Party, who hold considerable sway in the primaries. Giuliani has drawn criticism from some in the GOP for his abortion rights support. One of his rivals, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has switched from supporting abortion rights to opposing the procedure — a shift that also has drawn complaints.

Is this one fault, {As most Conservatives see it} enough to doom his chances? Maybe. But most see him as the man to beat. As a matter of fact, according to Rasmussen Reports -Election 2008: Clinton Ties Giuliani 45% to 45%, Rudy and Hillary are now tied. A little change from last month when Rudy lead 48% to 47%.

So what about Mitt Romney? We all know his one issued that seems to threaten everything. He is a Mormon. But he may be in a personal and financial advantage. According to the AP -Romney's estimated wealth in millions

WASHINGTON - Republican Mitt Romney is expected to report financial assets between $190 million and $250 million, an amount that would likely make him the wealthiest of the 2008 presidential candidates.

Now I want you to pay attention to this. It continues.

Aides to the former Massachusetts governor said his assets have been held in a blind trust that he and his wife set up when he took office in 2002. The adviser who provided the estimate of his assets cautioned that the number is based on 2005 and 2006 financial activity and could amount to a bigger total once the disclosure report is filed later this year.

{Laughing} Did you catch what they are doing here? "Mitt is just a rich fat cat." he has so much money, and you don’t, that he don’t care about you." "He even hides some of it."

Romney also has a blind trust for his children and grandchildren that is estimated to hold assets between $70 million and $100 million, the adviser said. Those assets do not benefit Romney or his wife and are not required to be reported in federal financial disclosures.

Needless to say, he can finance his entire campaign, if he wanted to. Other than the bias reporting, I do not see how ANYONE having a net worth of ANYTHING matters on how they run the country. But Romney has now given himself another MAJOR problem. OR HAS he?

According to CNN -Romney faults administration for mistakes in Iraq

NEW YORK (CNN) -- As former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tries to distinguish himself from his Republican rivals in the race for president, he's also distancing himself from President Bush.

On the topic of Iraq, Romney gave perhaps his strongest criticism yet of the administration in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes."

"I think the administration made a number of errors," he told interviewer Mike Wallace. But, he said, Bush isn't solely to blame.

Mike Wallace, yes a completely un-bias, fair commentator.

"Well, he's the person where the buck stops," Romney said, "but it goes to the secretary of defense and the planning agencies, the Department of State -- it's the whole administration."

He wouldn't use Wallace's term -- that the administration "screwed up" -- but he said that mistakes were made.

Of course not.

"And we're paying for those mistakes," he added.

Asked what those mistakes were, Romney said, "I don't think we were adequately prepared for what occurred. I don't think we had done enough planning. I don't think we considered the various downsides and risks."

Even the Bush Administration admits mistakes were made. This is not new nor is it an attack when Romney said it.

Then the rest of the interview fell to the bottom of the slime bucket, where it is all about his faith. Asking Romney things like , When was the first time you had sex with your wife? Are you kidding me? But his faith IS his biggest weakness. Get this,

A case in point: Ahead of next week's Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, some in the state have received an eight-page criticism of the Mormon religion from an anonymous sender, questioning whether it's politically dangerous and referring to Mormon texts as hoaxes.

The whispers could get louder, however, and that may move the Romney campaign to address the matter head on.

He HAS been. I wonder who, oh, who, could have EVER thought to attack Mitt based on his faith.

So to wrap up. I like both these guys. But both these guys have this ONE thing, that just may be enough in the long run, to do them in. {Politically}
Peter


Sources;
AP -Giuliani defends stance on abortion
Rasmussen Reports -Election 2008: Clinton Ties Giuliani 45% to 45%
AP -Romney's estimated wealth in millions
CNN -Romney faults administration for mistakes in Iraq