I had the opportunity to participate in a blogger conference call with Mayor Giuliani’s campaign manager Mike DuHaime and Communications Director Katie Levinson. It amounted mostly to a ‘temperature-taking’ in the wake of the first GOP debate. And what does the Giuliani team want you to know, today? They are happy with where the polls have ‘settled’ (a great phrase–it tells you the Giuliani’s lead is durable) and the mayor continues to be excited to talk about his conservative economic views, his leadership skills, and his ability to compete in Blue States. First off, the campaign would like you to know that they are not surprised at where the polls have settled–with a Giuliani lead nationally of about 10 points. They recognize that it will be close in the traditional early primary states (IA, NH, SC). Florida’s shift of its primary to January 29 enhances its importance–and you should note that polls show the Mayor with a double-digit lead. The February 5 ‘Super Tuesday’ primaries favor the Mayor, given his strength in NY, NJ, and CA. He will also do well in the 2/12 regional primary when VA, MD, and DC vote. On to questions: Jennifer Rubin (a free-lancer who writes for several publications–including THE WEEKLY STANDARD) asks if there is any concern in the campaign about the forward shift of primaries. DuHaime says that it puts a premium on fundraising and decisions about resource allocation. Campaigns must spend resources where they have a good chance to win delegates, and must properly balance the candidate’s time between fundraising and campaigning. Tim Cameron of South Carolina asks about a reported expenditure by the campaign of about $200 for Starboard Communications (or Starbird?). The Giuliani team doesn’t know anything about it offhand. A New Hampshire blogger asks for comment on the reception to Mayor Giuliani’s debate answer that he would be ‘okay’ with a Supreme Court decision that re-affirmed Roe v. Wade. Is the mayor concerned with a potential loss of support from conservatives? He’s told that the Mayor has made his views clear on abortion (he hates it, etc…), but that voters will look at the candidate as a whole. With Giuliani, they will know about the record of reduced abortions and increased adoptions in NYC, as well as his support for a ban on partial birth abortion and for parental notification. They’ll know that he dramatically reduced welfare rolls in NYC, reduced crime, cut spending, and cut taxes 23 times. He is a straight shooter, whose positions won’t change.
Doug Lambert of Granite Grok asks how they’re addressing the fact that Giuliani was not as impressive at the debate as might have been hoped. The first line of the answer was absolutely standard: ‘We think the Mayor did very well.’ Also, this forum gave a chance for all ten candidates to speak briefly. The Mayor spoke about tax cuts, welfare reform, and leadership. Over time and through the remainder of the debates, all the candidates will get plenty of chances to speak. The Giuliani team is very happy with where they stand, the first caucuses are a long way off, etc. Soren (not Sauron) picked up on one of the questions to the Mayor at the debate and asked whether religious conservatives are good for the GOP, and whether this is a pro-life party. Speaking for himself, DuHaime said that there’s room for diversity of opinion, and the party isn’t so large that it can afford to rule out groups of supporters. He recalled the old maxim that ‘my 80 percent ally is not my 20 percent enemy,’ and said that the party unifies on terrorism and conservative economic principles. Then he hit on an important point that the campaign should probably use more: Giuliani can compete and win in Blue States that traditional GOP candidate could not, most of the field included. He asserted that the mayor would win NJ, CT, and PA, and compete well in CA, NY, IL, WI, OR, WA. He pointed out that every dollar that the Democrats have to spend in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago is one less dollar spent trying to win Red States such as Ohio and Florida. Lastly, I asked for the Mayor’s view on the potential entry of Fred Thompson into the race, and got the answer I would have given. DuHaime said that the ten candidates in the debate provided a diversity that benefited the party, and that an additional candidate such as Thompson would enhance that. He said that the real effect of Thompson as a candidate would not be known until and unless he got in, but that polls show he draws support from all the major candidates, as well as from undecideds.
