Via the AP: Giuliani leaves option open for NY governor run
Rudy Giuliani said Sunday he will consider running for governor of New York and isn’t ruling out a second attempt at the U.S. presidency.
One would think that his odds of winning the governorship in New York are far better than they are for the presidency. Indeed, I thought it was a bit odd that he didn’t give the office a try in 2006.
As it stands, should he run he will likely face the incumbent:
Current New York Governor David Paterson said last month he will run in 2010 for a full term in office. He assumed office after his predecessor Eliot Spitzer resigned earlier this year amid a prostitution scandal.
Of course, political junkies hope that Hillary challenges Paterson and then they will finally get that Rudy v. Hillary fight that they have wanted since it looked like the two of them would be squaring off for the Senate back in 2000.
Update: Steven Benen thinks that the Rudy ship has sailed:
Some people run for president, come up short, but nevertheless see their stature rise. For Giuliani, it was the opposite — his fairly ridiculous campaign diminished his reputation and turned him into something of a joke. Indeed, Giuliani entered the 2008 presidential campaign with a 9/11 halo and widespread admiration, and quickly found he had nowhere to go but down. The more Americans saw of Giuliani, the less they liked him.
A not illegitimate point. However, I think that Steve over-estimates the damage that Rudy did to himself, especially in New York, where one would presume he still has some political capital. Still, I would agree that Rudy’s best shot at the governorship would have been, as noted above, 2006. Although perhaps I am underestimating the damage he did to himself, as I never thought he had a legitimate shot at the GOP nomination for president in the first place.
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November 16th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I like Giuliani. That being said, I don’t think he bodes well for the future of GOP presidential hopefuls - he’s too moderate. I applaud him if he wants to try for governor.
Republican chances against the liberal illuminati in 2012 would be slim to nil, I think, if he was the candidate.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am
No one ever seriously considered Giuliani a viable choice for the GOP in terms of President, but he might be able to shake things up in New York a little bit. I still maintain that he would get killed in a Clinton v. Giuliani race statewide.