In the late 50s or early 60s, Harry Truman amdmonished Nelson Rockafeller 'you'd could be president if you became a Democrat.' Rocky would have done well to to heed that advice: we wouldn't remember him primarily for expiring in his mistress's apartment in bra and panties
This advice might apply to Guiliani as well. I don't like Rudoph Guiliani as a person. As an article in 'The Nation' recently pointed out 'where Clinton embarassed his family, Rudolph Guiliani seemd to go out of his way to humiliate his'. He is, in a word, a louse.
However, like that other famous, homicidal louse, Edward 'Ted' Kennedy, he is just on the right side of many issues near and dear to my heart. Guiliani would protect a woman's right to choose; he would continue to advance (or at least not get in the way of) gay and lesbian rights; he would be fiscally responsible while not being inhumane. And he would pick his battles wisely: he would not have invaded Iraq.
I would vastly prefer to see Barak Obama or John Edwards in the oval office to Hizzoner; and I would prefer Bill Richardson or Mayor Mike even more. However, after what we've just endured, a Guiliani administration wouldn't be tragic.
Of course the question that begs to be asked (and which seems to have been forgotten) is the state of his health. Seven years ago, Guiliani was diagnosed with prostate cancers, a disease which killed his father. 'Early onset' (prior to 60) prostate cancers tend to be particularly aggressive. Guiliani opted for an experimental 'braciotherapy' (radioactive seeding), in order to avoid the potential comorbidities of impotence and incontinence attendent upon a radical prostatectomy, the current the standard of care. It seems oddly consistant with Hizzoner's egoist/anti-social personality construction that he would hold both his life and his civic responsibilities less dear than the prospect of shooting blanks, much less wearing Depends to Yankee Stadium.
John Kerry, too, was diagnosed with prostate CA prior to 60, and his father, too, had succumbed to the disease. Senetor Kerry elected to have a radical prostatectomy, a definitive procedure. My decision to vote for him was not influenced by any caveats regarding the state of his health. I don't think I can say as much for Guiliani.
