By Christi Parsons
Rudy Giuliani is stepping up his presidential campaign in Illinois today, launching a blitz of telephone banks targeting 20,000 Republican voters and releasing a list of 154 prominent GOP leaders who are jumping on the former New York mayor’s bandwagon.
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson and House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego are among those stumping for Giuliani - who, like both of them, hails from the more moderate wing of the Republican Party.
As political strategists contemplate whether a gun control and abortion rights supporter can attract enough conservative support to win the Republican nomination, Thompson said Friday that he thinks voters should be focusing on other things.
“The nation’s security is the Number One issue in my view,” Thompson said in an interview. “Unless the nation is secure, you can’t offer the American people any other issue . . . None of those issues will matter if the nation’s not secure.”
Other contenders for the White House are focusing the majority of their attention on early primary voters in New Hampshire and Iowa, where an early win, place or show can give strong momentum even to candidates lagging in national polls.
But Giuliani is operating with a more national strategy, based on the idea that he could win the party nomination with the delegates in his home base region of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut by combining them with wins in delegate-rich states like Illinois, California and Florida. The campaign is putting greater effort into the more moderate Republicans states that vote on Feb. 5 than in earlier states where conservative voters are more influential.
Illinois’ GOP primary will be a competitive race, and other Republican candidates are also building their organizations in the state. Giuliani currently trails Republicans John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in fundraising in Illinois.
Also, Romney won the Illinois Republican’s straw poll at the state fair this summer, after campaign organizers mobilized supporters in the Chicago suburbs to travel to Springfield to vote.
In what may be a more telling measure of popularity with local organizations, a poll the same day of 48 GOP county chairmen showed former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson in first place with 22 ballots and Giuliani finishing second with 13.
Giuliani still leads in most national polls, though, which his supporters say helps their argument that Giuliani is their best chance for a general election win.
Cross, a co-chairman of the Giuliani campaign, said he thinks Giuliani’s persona as a leader in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks could overwhelm those points of disagreement. Giuliani’s list of supporters includes some of the more socially conservative members of the Illinois House.
“People want someone who is going to make them feel safe,” Cross said. “People say to me, ‘I don’t agree with him on everything. But I think he’s the one who can beat Hillary Clinton.’”
• 
• 
• 
Comments
Rudy has about ONE "supporter" in Illinois:
http://www.elecsupplies.com/print/ECP-Magazine/All-Aboard/1$2713
Otherwise Illinois is a BLUE STATE and we don't vote for crossdressers, sorry Rudy.
Posted by: John E | September 14, 2007 3:10 PM
Generally speaking, American presidential victors win because the people vote FOR them, not AGAINST their opponent. Rudy may want to rethink his campaign if all he can offer is an opportunity to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House.
Posted by: JB | September 14, 2007 3:49 PM
More bad news for the Republicant Party.
From the AP:
Ex-Veco Corp. CEO Bill Allen admitted in court Friday that he had company employees work several months on a remodeling project at the Girdwood home of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
The former head of the oil field services company made the admission Friday while testifying in the federal corruption trial of a former state lawmaker.
Allen and former Veco vice president Rick Smith in May pleaded guilty to extortion, conspiracy and bribery of legislators.
Under cross-examination by defense attorney James Wendt, representing former state Rep. Pete Kott, Allen acknowledged that the more than $400,000 he admitted spending in the bribery charge was for other legislators - and including for work done at the Girdwood home of Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate.
"I gave Ted some old furniture," Allen said. "I don't think there was a lot of material. There was some labor."
The workers were Veco employees, probably one to four at a time, Allen said. He said the work on the home lasted for "probably a couple of months." Later, he said it might have been as much as six months.
The remodeling work in summer and fall 2000 more than doubled the size of the house, a four-bedroom structure that is Stevens' official residence in Alaska.
Posted by: John E | September 14, 2007 4:05 PM
With the fine job approval ratings of the governor and legislature, plus Durbin's anti-military stance, Illinois may revert to its old voting patterns.
Posted by: whatnow | September 14, 2007 5:40 PM
Rudy prepare for a beat-down! You 911 first responder abandoning, cross-dressing loser.
Rudy sux!
Posted by: Former Brainwashed Republican | September 14, 2007 7:42 PM
John E., speaking of cross dressers, is it tomorrow that you become Janet again?
And I love your link there. The question is, though, are you capable enough of reading and understanding it? No, you say? Thought so.
Posted by: John D | September 14, 2007 8:44 PM
That's it - vote for me to stop her? Oi. Already a loser. Go back to Brooklyn, you putz.
Posted by: RNCBS | September 14, 2007 9:13 PM
John E: Your "evidence" that Rudy Giuliani lacks supporters in Illinois is an article about energy efficiency that doesn't mention Giuliani or any of the other candidates. Somehow that doesn't strike me as convincing.
Posted by: Joshua | September 14, 2007 10:55 PM
Rudy is not fit to lead.
http://www.rudy-urbanlegend.com/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1823139/posts
http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=1623
Posted by: Force of Darkness | September 15, 2007 12:17 AM
Chicago would do well to follow Rudy's
zero tolerance policies in some sections where crime and violence are rampant. New York is a decent city today
because of Rudy's ideas and administrative skills that were applied after everyone -- everyone -- wrote off NYC as uninhabitable.
Posted by: Archer | September 15, 2007 10:44 AM
Joshua, John E. knows that. He was just trying to but his usual ignorant self and put forth a link to me because, well, John E is a sick, deranged, psychotic fool, who has an unnatural obsession with me.
Posted by: John D | September 15, 2007 10:53 AM
I vote only for those candidates that support the 2nd amendment.
Posted by: Joe Blow Citizen | September 15, 2007 11:01 AM
Joe Blow Citizen,
Would that be "A well regulated militia?"
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 15, 2007 12:43 PM
[quote]
And I love your link there.
Posted by: John D | September 14, 2007 8:44 PM
[/quote]
Speaking of links - where's the link that provide PROOF POSITIVE that backs up your allegation that John Edwards pays as much for his suits as Bush does? You've had more than enough time, if you're 1/10 the journalist that you claim to be - to find and post it. But it has yet to appear? Why is that John D, the "Joseph Stalin of Streamwood"? Could it be because no such link exists, you FABRICATED your little "fact" and don't have the spine to admit it?
Stop being a right wingnut dingbat whiner and back up your words for a change.
Posted by: BC | September 15, 2007 1:14 PM
mullah cimoc say Giuliani him make big ashame for all ameriki.
him take him slut to live in government house while still the marry? Am this "conservative value" ameriki?
him business partner kerrick Giuliani almost make the homeland security czar of usa but now the investigate and hearing of the whores and the rich man condo on policeman salary. Am him the clean police? Conservative values ameriki?
him to serving the homosexual and disobey him bible, but still acting the proud. him to wanting man to marry man, man to marry donkey, and woman to marry the woman. so sick and show the destroy of ameriki society.
him Giuliani to obey every command of masters in tel aviv. him like puppet on fish line. am this make the geo. washington and benjamin frankling proud?
now the republican of ameriki having so many the gay homosexual like the kink sex act, corruption and cruel---now just opposite---not the family value, this the filthy corruption and amerika to be suffer maybe the earthquaking so terrible?
for him true info: stop1984now@yahoo.com for him aemriki learn.
Posted by: mullah cimoc | September 15, 2007 1:43 PM
I vote only for those candidates that support the 2nd amendment.
Posted by: Joe Blow Citizen | September 15, 2007 11:01 AM
I guess that rules out Rudy SoHo. That's alright because he'll just abandon our troops out in the desert like he has the brave first responders in NY,NY. Yes I do read links like the one provided by a previous comment.
I would also suggest viewing the movie DUST TO DUST: THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF 9/11.
http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500013415
I don't want a loser who is really not much different from our current shame, (G W Bush) leading the country. Like The Who said, "We won't get fooled again!!!"
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | September 15, 2007 2:44 PM
BC, you are clearly a demented little soul, aren't you?
Again, I provided a link from Men's Vogue that said Edwards imports his suits, drink wine while watching NCAA basketball, etc., etc. Does it specifically say Edwards pays x amount of dollars? No. But anyone with a clue, would understand that a multi-millionaire who imports his suits, regularly pays $400 for a haircut and even $1,200 for the haircut when he flies his hair stylist cross country, is going to be getting his suits at a nifty price.
Clearly, BC, you have no idea what suits cost. So, if you want to keep believing that John Edwards buys his suits at Sears, continue with that thought.
But, more importantly, BC, I would investigate how much a shrink costs because clearly you are not a well person.
Posted by: John D | September 16, 2007 1:57 AM
Clearly, BC, you have no idea what suits cost. So, if you want to keep believing that John Edwards buys his suits at Sears, continue with that thought.
Posted by: John D | September 16, 2007 1:57 AM
Who cares. I've got a few decent suits too, and I'm damn proud of it!!!
Give it a rest John D.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | September 16, 2007 11:04 AM
Logic Imprisoned, it is BC who keeps bringing up Edwards suits post after post after post after post after post. Would you like me to show them to you? I mean nearly every Swamp item has him talking about john Edwards and his suits.
Posted by: John D | September 16, 2007 2:38 PM
Fair enough John D. On to more urgent business. Rudy is a fake. Liar, charlatan etc...
Posted by: Logic Imprisoned | September 17, 2007 12:11 AM
Doug Zook:
No Doug, it's not a "well regulated militia" that is the right preserved in the Second Amendment. The need for a "well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state" - is the PURPOSEof the Second Amendment. The "right of the people to keep and bear arms" is the right protected by it.
That it is a "personal" right rather than a "collective right is shown by the Second Amendments prominent use of the words "the right of the people." Remember also that the Fourth Amendment's guarantee against "unreasonable searches and seizures" is also couched in terms of being "[t]he right of the people . . ." If the Second Amendment isn't a personal right, then it doesn't make much sense to consider the Fourth Amendment as guaranteeing personal rights either.
But, of course, we know that the Fourth Amendment guarantees personal rights. And, in fact, the United States Supreme Court used the "the right of the People" language to conclude that it is a right of all those who legitimately live within the community of people in America.
The historical and legislative records concerning the Second Amendemnt and gun ownership point to the conclusion that the constitutional guarantee is a personal right. Even Lawrence Tribe - THE constitutional scholar - has come over to the view that the Second Amendment guarantees a personal right. The notion that the Second Amendment guaranteed only a "collective" right is a recent fabrication - eyewash as it were - for people incapable of reading the Constitution or who believe that law abiding citizens are responsible enough to possess firearms.
And, BTW, it is not simply a right to possess firearms suitable for hunting. It is the right to possess firearms suitable for use in a militia - that is, suitable for war. If anything, the case of Miller v. United States clearly settled that.
Posted by: John W. | September 17, 2007 4:24 AM
Discuss Rudy at the BEST Rudy Giuliani forum on the net!
Rudy Giuliani Forum
Fred Thompson isn't worthy to tie Rudy's shoe laces...
SEE FOR YOURSELF!
Fred Thompson Forum.
Posted by: Rudy Giuliani | September 17, 2007 4:51 AM