A Rudy romp

Dick Morris and Eileen McGann:

UNTIL now, the status of front-runner in the Republican primaries for president was jointly held by Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. McCain is clearly no longer the front-runner. In the last week or so, Giuliani has moved out to a clear lead.

* McCain's latest fund-raising report, for the fourth quarter of 2006, was pathethic: He raised only $1.7 million and has only pocket change - $472,454 - on hand.

* A Fox News poll of Jan. 30-31 shows the former mayor jumping out to a significant lead among Republicans - 34 to 22 percent.

* A Gallup poll taken Jan. 25-28 shows Giuliani is better liked by Republicans than McCain -74 to 21 percent and more trusted to handle a crisis (68-20). Some 60 percent say Giuliani "better understands the problems of the average person," against 33 percent who pick McCain. By 58-34, America's Mayor is seen as the stronger leader.

Conversations with conservative activists also show a remarkable openness to supporting Giuliani - a belief that he can overcome (perhaps finesse) his pro-choice, pro-gun-control, pro-gay-rights and pro-immigration positions. Feelings seem bitterer over McCain's role in Washington battles - his opposition to the Bush tax cuts and his support for "amnesty" for illegal immigrants and for campaign-finance reform.

Giuliani has developed an effective parry to charges that his pro-choice stance would undo eight years of pro-life heavy lifting by the Bush administration. He's saying he'd oppose partial-birth abortion and work to continue to curtail Medicaid funding for abortion. More, he'd appoint judges like Justices Samuel Alito and John Roberts to the Supreme Court.

...

Morris thinks one of the dark horse candidates may move up to challenge Rudy. He thinks McCain and Romney are floundering at this point. Of the dark horse candidates mentioned, the only one that strikes any interest with me is Tommy Thompson, but at this point at don't sense any excitement about his candidacy. Huckabee and Gilmore are probably at best potential VP candidates to balance a ticket with someone from the north east. Morris likes Huckabee to break out. He was probably a better governor of Arkansas than Clinton, but like Hillary, I think an Arkansas connection is not a winner right now.