Giuliani predicts 'formidable' Clinton-Obama Democratic ticket

Giuliani predicts 'formidable' Clinton-Obama Democratic ticket
4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, frontrunner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, is predicting that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will team up to form the Democrats' White House ticket, US media reported Sunday.

"I believe she will be the nominee, and Senator Obama will be the vice presidential nominee," Giuliani said in remarks reported by the Washington Post.

"That's the candidacy we are going to be facing, and that is a very formidable candidacy," he said in an interview conducted late last week.

Clinton, who is vying to make history by becoming America's first woman president, has opened up a sizeable lead over the rest of the Democratic field, including Obama, who aspires to be the first African American president.

Many political observers agree with Giuliani that the former first lady is opening up a sizeable lead for the Democratic nomination.

The ex-mayor's prediction of an eventual Obama vice-presidential nod goes against conventional wisdom, however.

"He's kind of earned it," Giuliani said. "He brings a kind of enthusiasm to the ticket that everyone desires and likes to have."

He called Republicans "underdogs" in the 2008 race for the White House and said the party would have to abandon its "old playbook" if it hopes to win in the election, 13 months away.

That old strategy -- which Giuliani said would lead his party to "sure defeat" -- would "rule out" 15 to 20 states, "concentrate on the base" and hope to win the key swing states of Ohio and Florida.

Giuliani insisted that if he were the nominee, he could put more states in play for Republicans.
"We have to have a candidate that can run in all 50 states," said Giuliani, who also has said he is the Republican contender with the best chances of beating Clinton in a head-to-head match-up.
"We should give ourselves the best chance to win," he said.