Take Me Out to the Vice Presidential Nomination

I try not to be a myopic New Yorker who sees the world entirely through the lens of New York City, but when I saw Rudy Giuliani and John McCain together at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, it occurred to me that McCain could make a lot worse choices for running mate than our former mayor. Giuliani, is a compelling mixture of positives and negatives and would be a risky pick as vice-president. However, lost in all the obvious negatives is that there is a potentially very large upside to putting Giuliani on the ticket.

Additionally, there is clearly a chemistry between McCain and Giuliani and everything I have seen about McCain suggests that kind of thing is important to him. The two got along very well when they were both seeking their party's nomination, have never really attacked each other and seem to respect and like each other.

At first glance, Giuliani could bring several valuable assets to the ticket. First, as an Italian-American and a Catholic, he would appeal to the millions of white Catholic voters who are essential to Republican success and who do not seem excited by McCain this year. Second, Giuliani is a northerner whose biggest strength has always been among suburban voters. As mayor, he was always most popular among those white suburbanites who either worked in the city or visited it from time to time and viewed him as the tough guy who cleaned up New York. The suburban vote is massive and appears to be a good part of the vote that while disgruntled with the Bush administration is not yet sold on Obama. Additionally, a moderate northern Republican with few ties to the Washington establishment or the Bush White House would help reinforce McCain's somewhat battered image as a party outside and maverick.

While Giuliani is, of course, best known nationally for his actions on September 11th and the days following, he is also able to discuss an array of domestic issues such as crime, education, service delivery and the like with a fluency that continues to elude Senator McCain. This would bring some needed depth to McCain's candidacy.

On domestic issues more broadly, Giuliani is viewed as tough but not fanatical. His record on abortion and gay rights, for example, while a far cry from progressive, are not those of evangelical Christians or other far right conservatives which have been alienating northern Republicans for over a decade. A McCain-Giuliani ticket, focusing on security and moderately conservative social policies, could compete in the Northeast far more than any recent ticket. This is not where the Republican Party is yet, but it could get there.

Choosing Giuliani as a running mate would be a particularly gutsy move by McCain because of the clear downsides as well. Giuliani would, at least at first, push the party's socially conservative base further away. The same record and demographic background that would strengthen the ticket among independents in the north could prove to be anathema to some elements of the party's base in the south and elsewhere.

More troublingly, Giuliani was unimpressive as a national candidate during his own presidential campaign. A year ago, Giuliani was viewed as a front runner for the Republican nomination but of the seven primaries he contested, he didn't even win one. His best state was Florida where he came in a not very close 3rd with 15% of the vote. Giuliani proved himself unable, and at times seemed unwilling, to connect with voters and win their support. Perhaps ironically, running for president actually weakened Giuliani's appeal as a vice-presidential candidate.

A McCain-Giuliani ticket may also simply be too mean for many voters. Americans seem to have had enough with blustery, tough talking leaders and may be looking for something different in 2008. If this is the case, McCain may be better off seeking to soften his image rather than by choosing a gruff and occasionally nasty running mate.

For McCain, the most intriguing aspect to picking Giuliani is that it would help the Republican Party pivot away from what has become an electoral dead end. A McCain-Giuliani ticket could restore the Republican brand name, particularly among independents in the north, who, while not yet sold Obama are certainly unlikely, at this moment, to vote Republican for Congress. Showing these voters that the party has not been captured by the far right social conservatives would put the Republican Party on stronger footing after 2008 as well. This strategy would probably hurt McCain in the South, but it is not clear how much. Southern conservatives still have nowhere else to go and could be swayed by the enormous amount of bluster on security issues which a McCain/Giuliani ticket would produce.

Comments

[VSamuels]

Guilianni problem was best illustrated this morning on MSNBC's Morning Joe, when he had a chance to make some reasonable and sane comments about the platform of the republicans, and build upon a case why they should maintain republican Presidential leadership, he decides it is best to push the characterization of 'Obama' as 'inexperie­nced.' Certainly, there is a wide case to be made for Obama not having Washington time-in-grade, and he himself has admitted so; often and openly rejecting that it is helpful, here Guilanni goes down a road where he and the other desperate republicans can only shout why the American people should choose them: Obama is bad.

Certainly, one can make a case for many of those names bandy about as possible McCain's running mates, but Guilianni sure doesn't make sense in terms of his own failed efforts when the media basically crowned him the frontrunner. And, while it is very convenient to hit Obama over the head with the 'inexperienced' tag, it seem that there is more to it than that, when those like Guilanni fail to cash theirs in and do the expected.

[AdamND]

lol JohnM/RudyG the ticket of cheaters.

[AdV2k1]

HA HA this would guarantee Obama wins. Pick Rudy and anger the right wing base even more I love it

[rextrek]

maybe McCain could nominate Guilliani as his VP on 9/11 at 9:11am..? (insert tongue in cheek)

[Grunty1]

Don't even suggest that pairing
The twin droning of Noun-Verb-9/11 would be maddening.

[anfractuous]

There is very little difference between Giulianni and McCain. If they were chemical elements, they'd be isotopes.

[Faith101]

He is not that conservative. somewhat of a womanizer is my guest. This is a no-go .

[jade7243]

McCain plus anybody equals LOSERS.

Giuliani? He'll camp out in Bermuda and start serious campaigning November 6th.

Mark your calendar: this is the week McCain lost. He demanded an Obama trip and Obama has beaten him soundly about the head and shoulders with it. McCain now cries Uncle!!! Obama offers up a little "surge" of his own.

[GarthR]

Guiliani would solidify the conservative GOP "base"... For Bob Barr. Go for it, John!

[AustinCynic]

Whatever support Giuliani would bring to the ticket would be far outweighed by the legions of Christian Conservatives who loathe Giuliani even more than they do McCain.

Without those voters McCain's not going to win, no matter how many independents go for him.

[IndieFire]

true. Guiliani is too new york northern for me this indie...ev­en though i grew up in DC. He's too brusque...­every stereotype of a hard new yorker. Yuk. Pick guilani you lose the social conservatives instantly and the southern voters. McCain cannot win with those groups.

[mstew99]

good point!

[sociocanuck]

____ as running mate = ____ as likely future Republican nominee for Pres. Regardless of whether they win or lose, this seems to be the trend. Would the Republicans really want to put forward risky candidates twice in a row?

Actually. Yes. I hope so. Let them do it. It could result in up to sixteen years of Democratic executive power; assuming BHO gets his likely two terms.

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

Ghouliani couldn't even outlast Ron Paul in the primary and he's supposed to be the key the a McCain White House? Good grief!, the pundits are really running out of things to write about when they pull something like this...

[CTmom13]

As an Independent from the Northeast, I am not sure why you think Guilliani will help McSame? I think he is a JOKE and most people I speak to, do as well....Bu­t hey maybe he will go for it, then all that DIRT on Guilliani can come out for the rest of the world to know, like us NE's already know

[Godfearing]

Senator McCain's agenda:

http://mccainsource.com/corruption?id=0022

Detailed economic report:

http://mwhodges.home.att.net/

[JohnKC]

OK, I get it. This must be the same type of obscure satire like the New Yorker cover.