Rudy Closing In?

Those of you who are regular readers (those 3 or 4 of you), know I'm a fan of Rudy Giuliani. I continue to think he remains the GOP's best hope for holding the White House in 2008.

Apparently, I am not alone in my thinking. Rich Lowry, writing in the National Review Online suggests that Rudy has had staying power despite predictions to the contrary. His article opens on that note:

"Rudy Giuliani’s downfall in the Republican primary fight has been much predicted, but little in evidence. He just got the endorsement of the Christian conservative leader Pat Robertson and has stubbornly stayed atop national polls all year long".

Lowry says that Rudy has shown himself to be a proper heir to Ronald Reagan, calling him "an urban cowboy". Lowry also notes that Rudy has another attribute that I think may be the most important of all; he's likeable, and, as my wife likes to point out, Americans vote for the candidate they'd most like to have a beer with. Lowry said: "At this basic level, Giuliani tugs on Republican heartstrings. There is no substitute in politics for being liked, and Republicans simply like Rudy".

Lowry concluded with this observation:

"Giuliani’s best selling point in the primaries is that — whatever his media coverage says — he’s not something new under the sun. He’s an archetype that Republican voters know and love — the gun-slinging sheriff, just with a different ZIP code".

Meanwhile, Robert Tracinski, of TIADaily.com, writing in RealClearPolitics, pointed to Giuliani's appeal to the religious right and the possible effect he could have on their influence in the GOP:

"I have argued that Giuliani's candidacy is a test of the priorities of the right. And there you have the priority list: Islamic terrorism first, small government second, judges third.
And if this is how Pat Robertson looks at the election, how many other religious voters will do the same?
That's why this endorsement is so significant: it is a precise and thorough validation of the premise behind Giuliani's candidacy.
The potential implications reach far beyond Giuliani's presidential prospects. Up to now, most Republican politicians have based their campaigns on an opposition premise: that to win the support of the Republican "base," it is necessary to conform to the agenda of the religious right. Call it the Mitt Romney Theory. But if Giuliani wins the nomination, and then goes on to win the general election, how many Republican politicians will feel emboldened to adopt Giuliani's position?
What we may be witnessing is a significant political retreat by the religious right".

Finally, I have noted many attacks on Rudy from both right and left. As I have previously noted, critics only criticize candidates that they are worried about. I think they better keep worrying.