Rudy Giuliani Watch: California GOP Convention Post Mortem

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gestures during his address at the California Republican Party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007. Giuliani’s remarks touched topics from health care, to crime, to terrorism to Iraq, in a speech laden with references to a possible bid for president.

New West Notes: Republican Delegates Stay Right But Accept Center

An interesting weekend for California Republicans gathered in convention in Sacramento. They gave a tepid reception to moderate Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and a rousing reception to moderate presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. Then turned around and elected a very conservative party leadership.

Former New York Mayor Giuliani turned in an impressive performance in his luncheon keynote address Saturday. There in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency at Capitol Park, Schwarzeneggerâ€™s state capital residence, as it happens, Giuliani received a much more rousing response than did Schwarzenegger Friday night at the conventionâ€™s opening banquet. Giulianiâ€™s roughly 45-minute address was interrupted several times by standing ovations.

Giuliani did not formally declare his candidacy for president, a prevalent rumor beforehand, but made it obvious that he has every intention of running, joking after that perhaps he had actually announced, but would wait for the standard routine of announcing â€œin five places.â€ In fact, he is on a campaign swing though the Golden State that began last night with a fundraiser and private meetings and continues through Tuesday.

Bill Bradley gives a great round-up of the weekend events – so read it all. Flap met Bill for the first time on Saturday and he put in a good word for blogs, and the new media with Patrick Dorinson, the Communications Director of the California GOP.

Bradley was writing for Pajamas Media – heh!

SoCalPundit

Bear Flag League member, Kevin Korenthal at SoCalPundit also has a convention wrap-up.

Allen Hoffenblum talks to a reporter in the CRP Press Room

The Speech:

But while many Republicans in attendance, like veteran consultant-turned-California Target Book publisher Allen Hoffenblum, who called Giulianiâ€™s performance â€œmasterful, the work of the best Republican candidate available, one who can win,â€ not all were enthralled. New West friend Karen Hanretty, the frequent Fox News commentator and former California Republican communications director, acknowledged the 9/11 figureâ€™s appeal to Republicans hungry for some hope at the national level but on her blog was not a huge fan.

Karen Hanretty of Fox News talks to Robert Salladay of the Los Angeles Times and the Political Muscle blog.

Karen Hanretty: America’s Mayor “Wishes” You’d Vote for Him for President

This afternoon, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Sacramento, I watched former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani give a really long, rather rambling speech to about 700 mostly conservative Republicans at the state party’s semi-annual convention…

While the media and generic polling put America’s Mayor as the lead candidate for the Republican Party nomination, I think he has a long way to go before he convinces a majority of conservative voters – because that’s who turns out to vote in primary elections – that he is the man to lead the nation and the party for the next four to eight years.

Yes, he showed extraordinary leadership in the horrifying aftermath of the World Trade Center bombings. But so did President George W. Bush. It was, in fact, Bush’s finest hour – the point at which he was most confident, articulate and reassuring to a nation in need of a leader. However, more than three years later is he one of the most unpopular U.S. Presidents in our nation’s history with little chance of recovering before he boards Air Force One for one last trip to his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Therefore, there must be more to Rudy Giuliani as a candidate for President of the United States than 9/11.

And there is more. A great deal more. The theme of “accountability” comes to mind.

His speech today, however, did not embrace all that he has to offer. It was disconnected and at times uncomfortable. He does not speak of what it means to be a Republican with any sense of natural ease.

Giuliani’s speech writers and coach should read all of Karen’s piece. She is spot-on.

Rudy’s speech was rambling, too long and diid not embrace in detail why he wants to be America’s President. There were glimpses but as more than one delegate told Flap, Rudy did not deliver the knock out blow.

Make no mistake about it, it is early and Giuliani is a natural speaker. His stump speech has to be more on specifics. 9/11 can be a component and invokes pathos but Rudy cannot ride 9/11 to victory. He must address other issues:

Hint: Private vs Universal government financed and run health care (Private vs Hillary/Obama Care).

Hint: Securing the Mexican Border and enforcing employment laws with regards to illegal aliens

Hint: Pledging to fully fund our Armed Services, National Missile Defense and growing the military with an all-volunteer Army.

Hint: Reform and fund Social Security

Hint: The growing threat of “Radical Islam” and Islamofascists

Hint: The immediate threat of a “NUCLEAR” Iran.

The GOP Opposition: