For All Those GOP Primary Voters Who Take Their Cues From the Sulzbergers
The New York Times has, inevitably, endorsed John McCain for the Republican primaries. It's mostly an opportunity to kick Rudy Giuliani in the teeth:
The real Mr. Giuliani, whom many New Yorkers came to know and mistrust, is a narrow, obsessively secretive, vindictive man who saw no need to limit police power. Racial polarization was as much a legacy of his tenure as the rebirth of Times Square.
Mr. Giuliani's arrogance and bad judgment are breathtaking. When he claims fiscal prudence, we remember how he ran through surpluses without a thought to the inevitable downturn and bequeathed huge deficits to his successor. He fired Police Commissioner William Bratton, the architect of the drop in crime, because he couldn't share the limelight. He later gave the job to Bernard Kerik, who has now been indicted on fraud and corruption charges.
The Rudolph Giuliani of 2008 first shamelessly turned the horror of 9/11 into a lucrative business, with a secret client list, then exploited his city's and the country's nightmare to promote his presidential campaign.
Dave Weigel on Rudy here.
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any chance to kick Giuliani in the teeth is a chance well taken.
Couldn't watch much of the debate, but from the portion I did see, Rudy looked pretty friggin' bad.
I guess his strategy was: "Take an extended vacation in Florida during the winter, fund it by claiming to run for president, and did I mention I'm from New York?"
The NYT is correct about Giuliani. And here's a list of all the ways McCain is better than Giuliani:
1.
To be fair to Rudy, Bratton's firing wasn't just because he eclipsed Guiliani with the press.
The fact that his successful community policing strategy didn't project enough scorn and menace to the public had a lot to do with it, too.
Dave,
you forgot to fill in your list
1. McCain was the only one of the front runners not to pander to the corn lobby during the youtube debate (I think it was that one)
2. McCain has an actual understanding of what torture is and has pledged to eliminate the enhanced interogation techniques used by the CIA.
3. McCain actually believes in cutting government spending
There are many reasons not to like McCain, but he's no where near as bad as Giuliani.
I understand how you wrote this book on McCain and don't like him, but Giuliani is worse and deserves to be kicked in the teeth.
I understand how you wrote this book on McCain and don't like him, but Giuliani is worse and deserves to be kicked in the teeth.
I actually kind of like McCain, and would vote for him over Rudy in a heartbeat. I mean, if I was a Republican primary voter.
McCain's a crazy, idiotic warmonger, but he's old and hated by both parties, which kinda makes me like him more, plus the several reasons I listed above.
I still think Guliani has a shot at Florida. He needs to double his campaign rhetoric. Instead of just 911 he needs to add Castro. He'll rock the Cuban expatriate vote and we can invade Cuba for them as a delayed response to Castro's involvement in the 911 bombings - after he wins election as president.
I actually kind of like McCain, and would vote for him over Rudy in a heartbeat.
You have a strange way of showing it. The impression I've gotten is that you think he's fucking dangerous. I guess you could still sort of like him, but vote for him? Join the GOP, Matt! Make it happen!
Totally off topic but - I saw a clip of Heath Ledger in the upcoming Dark Knight movie. In a few shots he looks almost exactly like Brandon Lee did in The Crow - in which he died while filming. Just found the resemblance a bit eerie, that's all :/
"Mr. Giuliani's arrogance and bad judgment are breathtaking."
Well that would make him a perfect New York Times editorial writer
Gilbert Martin, you beat me to the "takes one to know one" joke.
I should have worded my post better.
I consider them both so undesirable as President, that there is nothing I can say in favor of one over the other.
3. McCain actually believes in cutting government spending
Just curious - what has he actually done as a Senator to try to cut government spending? Did he vote against the Medicare expansion? Has he been behind Social Security reform? What's his record on transparency and earmark reform?
RC Dean: he says he's going to cut spending, and he says it in a warm, soothing old-man voice. What else do you want? Proof?
Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe.
They've got a point here.
Yeah, a lot of these guys are really bad, but there are many levels of bad...
To some extent, Guiliani's recklessness caused the horror of 9/11.
To some extent, Guiliani's recklessness caused the horror of 9/11.
I thought it was HFCS that caused 9/11.
Just curious - what has he actually done as a Senator to try to cut government spending? Did he vote against the Medicare expansion? Has he been behind Social Security reform? What's his record on transparency and earmark reform?
Don't know, but he and Senator Coburn have been fighting the war against earmarks, which is atleast one step ahead of everyone else.
From Lewrockwell.com (Burton S. Blumert), November 5, 2001 article, I Hate Rudy: "Rudy Giuliani doesn't represent the spirit of New York City. Sanctified by the media, the only thing Giuliani represents is the government itself."
Lamar,
Speaking as a Cosmotarian, please never link to LewRockwell again. That man and his site makes me stab my computer screen.
A somewhat schizoid moment, seeing Reason quote the New York Times with approval.
I agree with Rush Limbaugh's statement about Huckabee and McCain ... if either one gain the nomination, it will destroy the Republican party. Actually, it will be a final nail in the coffin. As Peggy Noonan said today, the true death began 7 years ago with Bush and company. However, I think Limbaugh missed Guiliani in this equation... he should have lumped the Mayor in with the other two. It looks as if there is now no hope for the Republican party - they are wedded to big government for at least another generation - even if Romney gets the nod.
Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe.
They've got a point here.
No, they really don't. McCain would govern from an even smaller, angrier fringe composed exclusively of John McCain. In addition to being incapable of understanding the Constitution he has spent his entire adult life swearing to uphold, he's batshit nuts.
Not to say that I don't agree with him on a few issues, but when I disagree with him, it's because he's so far off the rails as to be actively dangerous.
oooh. Ghouliani is sooooo kosmo...
*swoons*
I don't understand how they can endorse someone who thinks Czechoslovakia still exists.
I don't understand how they can endorse someone who thinks Czechoslovakia still exists.
It doesn't? But it's right here in my atlas, along with Rhodesia! Maybe I need some updated reference materials. Perhaps a continually updating source of information accessible from anywhere would be the ticket.
Pardon my cynicism, but the last presidential candidate that talked up fiscal responsibility and limited government was the guy we got now.
L.I.T. -
Lamar gave you fair warning. No foul.
'No, they really don't. McCain would govern from an even smaller, angrier fringe composed exclusively of John McCain. In addition to being incapable of understanding the Constitution he has spent his entire adult life swearing to uphold, he's batshit nuts.
Not to say that I don't agree with him on a few issues, but when I disagree with him, it's because he's so far off the rails as to be actively dangerous.'
Precisely, T.
You have a strange way of showing it. The impression I've gotten is that you think he's fucking dangerous.
Something tells me Mr Welch is the sort that relishes danger (in a completely nonsexual way).
"Speaking as a Cosmotarian, please never link to LewRockwell again."
But cosmotarians are too polite. It takes a grumpy, old-man son of a beetch who hates everything and everybody to really get down and dirty. Can't you just hear Blumert yelling at his television set when the stimulus was reported?
Anyhow, I have to partially object to the term cosmotarian. It sounds like something a homotarian would drink, a slutarian would read or a commietarian would send into space. How about eliteitarian? Paleo-neoliberal?
Some jerk in my office just said, "holier-than-thou-itarian". See what I have to put up with?
Anyhow, I have to partially object to the term cosmotarian.
Take it up with the word's creator.
Oh, wait.
Maybe it ain't so bad now that I moved out of NYC. Cosmotarian it is. Of course, now that I live in the south, I can proudly call myself a necktarian.
urbantarian?
Neoclassical liberal?
Reasonarian?
Rastafarian?
Computarian?
Librarian?
Monstafarian?
muoarian?
I must say I liked joe's idea of calling bigoted libertarians "libertaryans".
Liber alles?
Doesn't cosmotarian have a bit of a negative implication, like metrosexual? metrotarian? Eric Dondero is a Ruditarian.
OK, enough with that. Is anybody surprised that the Times went with McCain? He's the big media darling.
Well, it's about time UD posted my claim to fame.
How about Hayekian liberal?
I've seen people call themselves that.
How about Hayekian liberal?
I've seen people call themselves that.
I'll stick to calling myself a "drunken asshole". Besides, if I don't do it, I'm sure my wife will.
Seriously, trying to attach a label to a basket of policy positions which probably differs in at least one or two significant points from that of every other person who uses the label is an exercise in futility. I know what I believe in, and trying to attach a label to make it easier for someone else to pigeonhole my thinking doesn't strike me as a good use of my time.
Jack Kemp called my wife last night to endorse John McCain. Which immediately led me to ask what ever happened to Jack Kemp? I'd have voted for him, and he'd look pretty danged good in this year's crop of GOP candidates.
Is it just me or did Giuliani just become a more viable candidate among conservatives in a GOP contest?
Hayekian liberal is code for "Jew"
"Guiliani's recklessness caused the horror of 9/11" is code for "the jews did it"
Joshua,
That should be "Jooo", plural "Jooos" or "Joooz". I hear they have a problem with another presidential candidate, not McCain.
No no, "neoconservative" is a code word for "Jew."
Totally. That's all that word could possibly mean. Anyone who tells you different is probably stockpiling gas cannisters.
That should be "Jooo", plural "Jooos" or "Joooz". I hear they have a problem with another presidential candidate, not McCain.
Huh?
i think you are conflating my comment about the New York Times endorsement...conservatives hate the new york times and therefor its endorsement of McCain is a boon to Giuliani with my running "everything" is code for "jew" joke.
The two are not related.
No no, "neoconservative" is a code word for "Jew."
Totally. That's all that word could possibly mean. Anyone who tells you different is probably stockpiling gas cannisters.
See even joe gets it.
Seen on the myspace Ron Paul group about reason magazine:
Posted: Jan 23, 2008 4:32 PM
There is an article that says; "Fred Thompson was the true libertarian in the race" and there a people posting comments saying " Giuliani is the most libertarian". Please, for the love of God, if you have a subscription to reason magazine, cancel it!
Libertaryist
Voluntaryist used to be the old word for libertarian anarchism. I think it was Tucker that coined that word, not sure. So why not "libertaryist" as a label for those who base their libertarianism on liberty, as opposed to dynamism, neo-liberalism, grab-bag-ism, etc.?
"""To some extent, Guiliani's recklessness caused the horror of 9/11."""
I'm a New Yorker that thinks Rudy is big time scum, but please explain that.
There is an article that says; "Fred Thompson was the true libertarian in the race" and there a people posting comments saying " Giuliani is the most libertarian". Please, for the love of God, if you have a subscription to reason magazine, cancel it!
Denarooooo!!!
(or how ever you spell it)
I'm a New Yorker that thinks Rudy is big time scum, but please explain that.
I thought i did?
"Guiliani's recklessness caused the horror of 9/11" is code for "the jews did it"
Truthers don't progress but they do evolve.
We jews sure have a lot of code words. I'm not showing any of you the secret handshake though.
In other, related news, the Ku Klux Klan has endorsed Ron Paul for President, in a move widely seen as a kick in the teeth to David Duke.