Why Giuliani is Still the Frontrunner
Ross Kaminsky
Thu Jun 28, 4:30 PM ET
I am enthusiastic about both Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. I believe one of them will be the Republican nominee.
There is a lot of excitement about Thompson and he is polling exceptionally well for someone who hasn't spent a dime on advertising or even officially entered the race.
I am a big fan of Thompson's recent commentary and speeches in which he emphasizes first principles such as federalism and limited government.
Thompson and Giuliani are likely to have fairly similar positions on economic and foreign policy issues. At this point, leaving aside the down-and-dirty political mudslinging we'll likely see, the real differences between the two are, from a true policy standpoint, social issues (particularly abortion), and, from a political perception standpoint, the question of "who is the real conservative?".
I believe this question is a double-edged sword for conservatives (and for the record, I don't actually consider myself a conservative; I'm far more libertarian.)
The conservative base of the GOP will be very tempted by Fred Thompson, as they should be. He is smart, charismatic (enough to be on TV and in movies at least), folksy, and his career as an actor will lead many to obvious comparisons with Ronald Reagan. And based on the little I know right now about Thompson, it is easy to conceive of him as a very good and effective President were he to win the election.
But that last qualifier is a very big deal.
I am a big fan of Thompson's recent commentary and speeches in which he emphasizes first principles such as federalism and limited government.
Thompson and Giuliani are likely to have fairly similar positions on economic and foreign policy issues. At this point, leaving aside the down-and-dirty political mudslinging we'll likely see, the real differences between the two are, from a true policy standpoint, social issues (particularly abortion), and, from a political perception standpoint, the question of "who is the real conservative?".
I believe this question is a double-edged sword for conservatives (and for the record, I don't actually consider myself a conservative; I'm far more libertarian.)
The conservative base of the GOP will be very tempted by Fred Thompson, as they should be. He is smart, charismatic (enough to be on TV and in movies at least), folksy, and his career as an actor will lead many to obvious comparisons with Ronald Reagan. And based on the little I know right now about Thompson, it is easy to conceive of him as a very good and effective President were he to win the election.
But that last qualifier is a very big deal.
