I really like Bryan Preston's blogging over at Hot Air, but considering he's such a shill for Rudy Giuliani, this attitude is really starting to burn my arse:
My own support for Fred depends on the extent to which he runs on issues instead of persona. Every candidate has to run on both and he’s had plenty to say in his radio commentaries so I’m not too worried, but if we end up seeing too much of the pick-up truck or hearing too much about whittling or whatever and it turns into a “he looks the part” campaign, I’m going to balk.
I can almost understand what Preston's saying, but when taking a look at Giuliani, what does he really have going for him besides the events of Sept. 11? I'd bet what I paid for my most recent pistol that were it not for that horrible day, we'd all be saying, "Rudy who?!" -- either that or taking a longer and harder look at his not-so-stellar-for-individual-rights record in New York City, or all of the above. I mean, speaking of image, that's the beginning and the end of Rudy, as far as him being a Republican that other Republicans would really be proud to vote for is concerned -- at least that segment of the party that still thinks smaller government & lower taxes should be what the Pachyderm Party is all about. At this point I really don't care how Thompson tries to cast himself in the race, because he has arguably shown his conservative bona fides to be stronger than those of every other candidate on the GOP side of the race, with the exception of Ron Paul. Cornbread 'n' taters 'n' pickup-truck imagery or not, if there's still any hope for libertarian conservatism in this country, Thompson will beat Giuliani like a red-headed stepchild. You can be damn sure Fred! will have my vote between those two.
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