2004 Presidential Election and Beyond: The Giuliani Years (GAME THREAD)

[badgate]

OOC: Just a note for NHI that I changed the Alaska field organizers in my GOTV post and the Alaska schedule in Biden's campaign schedule post.

[DKrol]

Rudy Giuliani Press Conference From the Capitol



As you all know, I'm sure, President Bush appointed me to replace Dick Cheney early last week. This requires the approval of both Houses of Congress. I've spent all of the day today meeting with Senate Leaders as well as the Chairmen and Ranking Members of a few major committees. I have appointments tomorrow with their House counterparts. I feel confident, following these meetings, that I will be confirmed as our nation's 47th Vice President. Now I'll take a few questions.

Reporter: Have you heard Congressman Markey's comments from the House Floor? Do you care to respond?

I have heard Congressman Markey's statement. I think it's outrageous, uncalled for, partisan, and that the Congressman should act with the dignity that comes with that office. If he calls a President who leads his nation into war a war-criminal I have a  question for him - why isn't Bill Clinton sitting in the Hague? Congressman Markey is attacking President Bush's party affiliation under the guise of a humanitarian activist. No one called Bill Clinton a war-criminal for sending U.S. troops into Kosovo, Macedonia, and Somalia. Why does the Congressman feel the need to attack President Bush for sending troops into Iraq after he got the express approval of Congress? It is very upsetting that the Congressman would say these things.

Reporter: Senator Biden has attacked your minimum wage bill for being weak. How do you answer that charge?

It wouldn't be a campaign if I wasn't being attacked for being too moderate. [laughs] I presented a draft that I worked on with Senators Kay Hutchinson, George Allen, George Voinovich, Mike DeWine, and Norm Coleman, as well as Speaker Hastert. We all agreed that it was a good draft that could pass both Houses. It's just that - a draft. I wanted to present something that could be a starting ground for discussions, debates, and bi-partisan compromise. I'm open to amendments from both Democrats and Republicans, Senators and Congressmen. I can see that Senator Biden isn't open to our plan of compromise, agreement, and discussion and I think that's one of the major differences between our campaigns. I'm running on a campaign about uniting Americans of both parties and all ideologies, while he's running on a campaign about pushing America as far left as possible.

No more questions, thank you.

[DKrol]

Giuliani Endorsements


Former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating - Spends March 17th-20th barnstorming for Vice President Giuliani in Nevada


Former California Senator John F. Seymour - Spends March 17th-20th barnstorming for Vice President Giuliani in California


Former Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke - Spends March 17th-20th barnstorming for Vice President Giuliani in New York


Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - Spends March 17th-20th barnstorming for Vice President Giuliani in North Carolina


Minority Leader of the California Assembly Kevin McCarthy - Spends March 17th-20th barnstorming for Vice President Giuliani in California


House Majority Leader Tom DeLay: - Spends March 17th-20th lobbying for Vice President Giuliani's confirmation

[NHI]

Excerpt of State Polls:

New Hampshire:

Rudy Giuliani: 47%

Joe Biden: 44%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Rudy Giuliani: 49%

John Edwards: 42%

Gary Johnson: 5%

Ohio:

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 2%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

John Edwards: 47%

Gary Johnson: 2%

Florida:

Rudy Giuliani: 49%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 1.5%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

John Edwards: 46%

Gary Johnson: 1.5%

National Polling:

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 45%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

John Edwards: 44%

Gary Johnson: 4%

National Polling: Two-Way Race

Rudy Giuliani: 50%

Joe Biden: 47%

Rudy Giuliani: 50%

John Edwards: 46%

[NHI]

Rudy Giuliani: 258

Democrat: 213

Tossup: 67

Lean Giuliani: 86
Solid Giuliani: 190

Lean Democrat: 88
Solid Democrat: 125

[badgate]

Statement from Biden Campaign

If Mayor Rudy Giuliani "can see" that, as he falsely alleges, Senator Biden is not open to debate and compromise, the Mayor is surely blind. Once Mayor Giuliani opens his eyes to the hearts and minds of the American people, he will see that Senator Biden has an extensive history of bipartisan compromise, and has worked with every single Republican senator that Mayor Giuliani tasked with writing minimum wage legislation for him. It's a dark day for the Republican party when their presumptive nominee is banking on winning through a platform built on false premises, and headwinds of deception to the American people.

That is why Senator Biden is in this race. Americans need a leader they can trust, who has shown not through empty words but concrete action that he can unite people of all ideologies and political party label around causes of importance to the American people. Senator Biden is in this race so that Americans will have the opportunity to vote for somebody with integrity in November.

[DKrol]

Statement from the Giuliani Campaign

We try to stay above petty politics but there are some things that we feel need to be made evident to voters. Senator Biden recently attacked Vice President Giuliani for lying, saying that only Senator Biden had "integrity" between the two. Senator Biden is known for lacking integrity. He plagiarized a speech during his 1988 Presidential campaign from the British Labour Party Leader. He also failed a course in college for plagiarizing from a Fordham Law Review article, as well as lied to New Hampshire residents about his grades in Law School. Does the Senator think that the American people should glaze over these discrepancies? Vice President Giuliani feels that is is wrong, dishonest, and undemocratic to claim to be the candidate of "integrity" while hiding from his past.

[badgate]

Excerpt from Alaska town halls

QUESTION: There are small villages here in Alaska, villages that don't have adequate access to a hospital. We can't build roads because of strict federal laws about nature preserves and the like. What will you do as President?

BIDEN: Excellent question, first of all. I have supported Senator Lisa Murkowski in her efforts to find exceptions from the department of the Interior. It would be unconscionable of me to be campaigning proposing universal healthcare coverage while denying people a road to get to the hospital. I would ask the Department of Integrity to do their level best to understand with as much finality as possible what effects the road would have. I will ask Congress to give townships like this a tax credit in order to pay for an airlift helicopter to transport residents to the hospital, in the mean time. I support finding a solution to this issue, one that will have finality for the people of Alaska.

QUESTION: Many Alaskans support offshore oil drilling here. What do you think?

BIDEN: It's no question that oil companies need to show that they can respond with speed and efficiency to any sort of mistake or accident or dare I say disaster. Disasters do happen, and we know from years of shipping oil that disasters are prone to happen with oil. My administration will indeed set rules to ensure that if offshore drilling is allowed in Alaska, oil companies such as Shell and ExxonMobil will always be prepared to respond to any issue. Energy independence is a worthy goal for America, one that we should start working for immediately, but it will take time. One resource cannot be our major dependency. We have to be smart about this, look for new innovation in batteries and wind energy, natural gas, and yes in appropriate cases, oil. As President I will work toward energy independence in tandem with preserving the integrity of the lands and oceans we call home.

[badgate]

(Senator Biden is walking to campaign plane)

REPORTER: (shouted question) Senator Biden did you hear what Rudy Giulaini said about you today?

BIDEN: (laughs) I did. (keeps walking to the plane)

REPORTER: (shouted question) Well what do you think?

BIDEN: (stops) Heh. What'd I think? I thought it was pretty funny coming from a guy whose boss invited the Taliban to the White House and shook their hand. (gets on plane)

[DKrol]

(Vice President Giuliani and Second Lady Giuliani are walking from the Capitol into a Secret Service car)

(Shouting at the Vice President) Reporter: Senator Biden accused you and President Bush of working with the Taliban! How do you respond?

(Stops walking to talk to the reporter) Rudy Giuliani: It's a flat out lie. I faced the real threat of the Taliban and state-funded terrorism. I helped our nation rebuild after September 11th. I was pushing for a war against the Taliban, and terrorism, from Day One. President Bush has been right there too. To say anything else is an insult to the Americans who gave their lives both on 9/11 and over the course of the war on Terror.

[badgate]

(Vice President Giuliani and Second Lady Giuliani are walking from the Capitol into a Secret Service car)

(Shouting at the Vice President) Reporter: Senator Biden accused you and President Bush of working with the Taliban! How do you respond?

(Stops walking to talk to the reporter) Rudy Giuliani: It's a flat out lie. I faced the real threat of the Taliban and state-funded terrorism. I helped our nation rebuild after September 11th. I was pushing for a war against the Taliban, and terrorism, from Day One. President Bush has been right there too. To say anything else is an insult to the Americans who gave their lives both on 9/11 and over the course of the war on Terror.

OOC: http://www.businessinsider.com/reagan-freedom-fighters-taliban-foreign-policy-2013-2

[DKrol]

(Vice President Giuliani and Second Lady Giuliani are walking from the Capitol into a Secret Service car)

(Shouting at the Vice President) Reporter: Senator Biden accused you and President Bush of working with the Taliban! How do you respond?

(Stops walking to talk to the reporter) Rudy Giuliani: It's a flat out lie. I faced the real threat of the Taliban and state-funded terrorism. I helped our nation rebuild after September 11th. I was pushing for a war against the Taliban, and terrorism, from Day One. President Bush has been right there too. To say anything else is an insult to the Americans who gave their lives both on 9/11 and over the course of the war on Terror.

OOC: http://www.businessinsider.com/reagan-freedom-fighters-taliban-foreign-policy-2013-2

OOC: I interpreted that to mean his boss in the present tense. And Giuliani's boss in the present tense is George Bush.

[badgate]

(Vice President Giuliani and Second Lady Giuliani are walking from the Capitol into a Secret Service car)

(Shouting at the Vice President) Reporter: Senator Biden accused you and President Bush of working with the Taliban! How do you respond?

(Stops walking to talk to the reporter) Rudy Giuliani: It's a flat out lie. I faced the real threat of the Taliban and state-funded terrorism. I helped our nation rebuild after September 11th. I was pushing for a war against the Taliban, and terrorism, from Day One. President Bush has been right there too. To say anything else is an insult to the Americans who gave their lives both on 9/11 and over the course of the war on Terror.

OOC: http://www.businessinsider.com/reagan-freedom-fighters-taliban-foreign-policy-2013-2

OOC: I interpreted that to mean his boss in the present tense. And Giuliani's boss in the present tense is George Bush.

OOC: okay?

[DKrol]

Giuliani TV Ad, Running in the following states:

Integrity

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Giuliani TV and Radio Ad, Running in the following states:

Who Is Rudy Giuliani?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[MadmanMotley]

Gary Johnson Campaign Ads:

AD 1: POWERGRAB
Radio and Mail ad in the following states:

Giuliani and the Establishment will do anything to win the presidency, even going so far as to make him vice-president. Instead of letting the people decide who will be president. Is this the kind of behavior we want in the White House? This ruthless power grab is just the beginning, and loses the trust of the American people.

AD 2: Anti-Conservative
Radio and Mail ad in the following states:

Mayor Giuliani has said himself he is not a conservative. Instead he supports increased government control, more gun control, more federal spending. He is no different than the Democrats in the race. Right now there is a choice, Gary Johnson, or big government. Let's bring a candidate that will bring fiscal responsibility and civil liberties to the White House. This November, vote Gary Johnson.

[NHI]

JOHNSON COMING ON STRONG

Playing up potential conservative dissatisfaction Gary Johnson is making a strong play in his third party bid for President. The plan of the Johnson Campaign looks to be wooing conservative votes from Giuliani, still it is difficult to see him winning the general election at this point. Some Republicans see him as a potential spoiler, delivering the election for either John Biden or John Edwards. Still, if he is able to tap into voter dissatisfaction with both political parties, Johnson may be able to catch lightning in a bottle and fortunately for him it is still early in the process. Polling puts Johnson with roughly 4 to 5 percent of the vote.

Daily Tracking Poll

Rudy Giuliani: 47%

John Edwards: 44%

Gary Johnson: 5%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Potential Johnson States

Strongest States for Potential Johnson Win

[DKrol]

JOHNSON COMING ON STRONG

Playing up potential conservative dissatisfaction Gary Johnson is making a strong play in his third party bid for President. The plan of the Johnson Campaign looks to be wooing conservative votes from Giuliani, still it is difficult to see him winning the general election at this point. Some Republicans see him as a potential spoiler, delivering the election for either John Biden or John Edwards. Still, if he is able to tap into voter dissatisfaction with both political parties, Johnson may be able to catch lightning in a bottle and fortunately for him it is still early in the process. Polling puts Johnson with roughly 4 to 5 percent of the vote.

Daily Tracking Poll

Rudy Giuliani: 47%

John Edwards: 44%

Gary Johnson: 5%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Potential Johnson States

Strongest States for Potential Johnson Win

OOC: He runs 2 ads for an entire round and suddenly he's got a shot to win 23 states while only polling at 4-5%?

[MadmanMotley]

Gary Johnson Campaign Schedule:


March 17th:
Interview with Fox News
Rally and Speech at the University of New Mexico
Town Hall and GOTV in Las Cruces, NM
Interview with local news

Interviewer: Governor Johnson, many have called you a spoiler for the Republican Party, likening you to Ralph Nader in 2000. What is your response to that?

Johnson: Well, if you look at the polls, I am not only taking equal votes from both parties, but also people who don't vote because they are dissatisfied with the system. I appeal to both parties and to independents, and those who just don't vote. I offer a change from the status quo.

Interviewer: You've been a constant critic of Mayor Giuliani, but have barely touched on the two democratic candidates, what is your biggest quarrel with them?

Johnson: The problem here is that all the candidates stand for bigger government. Senator Edwards is inexperienced, and is one of the biggest progressives in the senate. Senator Biden is experienced yes, but he has been one of the biggest proponents for gun control and big spending. Mayor Giuliani shares both of these problems, he is not very experienced with having to deal with a congress, and his policies are not very different from the two democrats in the race. He claims to represent the Republican party, but he stands against many of policies and planks that made the Republican party successful.

Interviewer: What is your strategy for this race?

Johnson: To get more votes of course! But in all seriousness, I am here as the candidate for the American people. If I can get into the debates I feel that I have a real chance at this race. I am running as the outsider here, and I am the only candidate that represents the American people, I started my own business, and I've not taken money from lobbyists. I am a blue blooded American, and I believe I represent the heart of America.

March 18th:
Speech at New Mexico State University
Meet with Students at NMSU
Town Hall and GOTV in Santa Fe, NM
Meet and Greet in Santa Fe, NM

March 19-20th:
Fundraising and Meeting with potential endorsers.

[Donerail]

Edwards Campaign Schedule (March 17th - 20th)



Thank you, Kansas! It's been close, in both contests, but tonight we kept up our lead, a lead I'm confident we'll maintain, expand, and eventually win this nomination! I'd like to give my sincere thanks to everyone who's worked on this campaign so far and helped us get as far as we have. Illinois - we came as close as we could without winning, and thank you for your strong show of support. Now, it's on to Alaska and Wyoming!

March 17: Wyoming
Rally in Cheyenne with Gov. Mike Sullivan, Sen. Bob Graham and Gen. Wesley Clark
Meet and greet in Torrington
Rally in Casper with Gov. Mike Sullivan Sen. Bob Graham and Gen. Wesley Clark
Town hall in Sheridan

March 18: Wyoming
Meet and greet in Powell
Town hall in Riverton
Town hall in Rock Springs
Town hall in Laramie with Gov. Mike Sullivan
Rally in Cheyenne with Gov. Mike Sullivan

Senator Biden has brought up gay rights on the trail here, so I'll add my contribution to this debate. I agree with Joe when he argues that LGBT Americans are entitled to equal respect and dignity under our laws. Discrimination is morally wrong. Workers deserve to be judged by the quality of their performance, not their sexual orientation, which is why in the Senate I cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I believe that same rule of equality extends to treating all military servicemembers equally and in a way that promotes national security, and extends to choosing homes for the 120,000 children in our foster care system in the best interest of those children. And I agree that everyone is entitled to live in dignity without fear of violence. While in the Senate, I cosponsored legislation to give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, and my campaign also stands for banning racial profiling in law enforcement. The Edwards campaign is one that stands for all Americans having the same freedoms and the same responsibilities, without regard to age, gender, sexual orientation, race, or ethnic origin, and one where all Americans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

March 19: Alaska
Rally in Anchorage with Mayor Mark Begich and Gen. Wesley Clark
Town hall in Juneau
Meet and greet in Valdez

What's that? Oh, the minimum wage. I see the minimum wage as an important part of making work pay. I'll raise the minimum wage to $8.33 by 2008, and then indexing it to inflation. It's part of my broader focus on making work pay by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for adults without children and cutting the EITC marriage penalty, all of which will work to life hundreds of thousands of Americans out of poverty. I'll also work to strengthen and enforce our labor laws to make sure workers have a real choice in whether to form a union - union membership can be the difference between a poverty-wage job and the security of the middle class. Finally, I'll create a new labor taskforce to target the industries with the worst abuses of minimum wage and overtime laws. I'll step up enforcement of the misclassification of employees as independent contractors and strengthen workplace safety rules. In that way, we can work to beat poverty within 30 years.

March 20: Alaska
Town hall in Fairbanks
Meet and greet in Barrow
GOTV and election night party in Anchorage with Mayor Mark Begich

One of the things we haven't talked about enough is workplace discrimination. I support legislation to strengthen the remedies for sex discrimination and deter wrongdoing. I'll also work to expand resources for female entrepreneurs through his new REACH Fund and by prioritizing the needs of women-owned businesses in existing programs. Additionally, I'll work also strengthen enforcement at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and will restore and expand women's right to fight workplace discrimination by ensuring women have the ability to challenge unfair pay.


Will we make America the country of the 21st Century?  That depends on all of us.
It’s not that we don’t know what needs to be done.  To lift families out of poverty.  To strengthen the middle class in this country.  We know what needs to be done. The strength in America is not just in the Oval office.  The strength in America is in this room, right now.  It’s the American people. And it’s time for the President of the United States to ask Americans to be patriotic about something other than war. I’m John Edwards and I approve this message.

Set to run in North Carolina, Wyoming, Colorado, Alaska, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

[badgate]

ooc: Is the round over? I thought it was over midnight on Friday; did you move it up NHI?

[Donerail]

ooc: Is the round over? I thought it was over midnight on Friday; did you move it up NHI?

This round will close on June 5th at 12:01 AM EST.

[Maxwell]

JOHNSON COMING ON STRONG

Playing up potential conservative dissatisfaction Gary Johnson is making a strong play in his third party bid for President. The plan of the Johnson Campaign looks to be wooing conservative votes from Giuliani, still it is difficult to see him winning the general election at this point. Some Republicans see him as a potential spoiler, delivering the election for either John Biden or John Edwards. Still, if he is able to tap into voter dissatisfaction with both political parties, Johnson may be able to catch lightning in a bottle and fortunately for him it is still early in the process. Polling puts Johnson with roughly 4 to 5 percent of the vote.

Daily Tracking Poll

Rudy Giuliani: 47%

John Edwards: 44%

Gary Johnson: 5%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Potential Johnson States

Strongest States for Potential Johnson Win

OOC: He runs 2 ads for an entire round and suddenly he's got a shot to win 23 states while only polling at 4-5%?

I think he's saying in the future, if Johnson gets competitive with in the general.

[DKrol]

JOHNSON COMING ON STRONG

Playing up potential conservative dissatisfaction Gary Johnson is making a strong play in his third party bid for President. The plan of the Johnson Campaign looks to be wooing conservative votes from Giuliani, still it is difficult to see him winning the general election at this point. Some Republicans see him as a potential spoiler, delivering the election for either John Biden or John Edwards. Still, if he is able to tap into voter dissatisfaction with both political parties, Johnson may be able to catch lightning in a bottle and fortunately for him it is still early in the process. Polling puts Johnson with roughly 4 to 5 percent of the vote.

Daily Tracking Poll

Rudy Giuliani: 47%

John Edwards: 44%

Gary Johnson: 5%

Rudy Giuliani: 48%

Joe Biden: 46%

Gary Johnson: 4%

Potential Johnson States

Strongest States for Potential Johnson Win

OOC: He runs 2 ads for an entire round and suddenly he's got a shot to win 23 states while only polling at 4-5%?

I think he's saying in the future, if Johnson gets competitive with in the general

Ah.

[Potus]

Where is Johnson getting all of this cash?!?

[NHI]

ROUND XX: March 21-April 13

SPLIT AGAIN! BIDEN WINS WY -- EDWARDS WINS AK
THE RACE CONTINUES

Hillary Clinton: 966

John Edwards: 870

Joe Biden: 659

Dennis Kucinich: 168

Wyoming:

√ Joe Biden: 51.8% (13)

John Edwards: 48.2%

Alaska:

√ John Edwards: 50.0% (13)

Joe Biden 49.8%

Other: 0.2%

Joe Biden and John Edwards walked away with one win each on Tuesday night and increased their delegate count. Still the race for the Democratic Nomination continues onto Colorado and beyond. Biden has carried eleven states to Edwards' ten. Given the closeness between the two candidates, and the limited number of contests remaining most pundits are speculating that there is a very strong possibility that there will be a brokered convention for the Democrats in Boston.

Democratic Nomination Poll

Joe Biden: 48%

John Edwards: 48%

Undecided: 4%

On the Possibility of a Brokered Convention:

Support: 48%

Oppose: 47%

Undecided: 5%

Is the Elongated Primary Between Senator Biden and Senator Edwards helping or hurting the Party?

Helping: 49%

Hurting: 46%

Undecided: 5%

Upcoming Contests:

Colorado: April 13th (43 Delegates)

John Edwards: 48%

Joe Biden: 48%

Undecided: 4%

April 17th: U.S. Virgin Islands
Edwards: 51%
Biden: 48%

April 17th: North Carolina
Edwards: 60%
Biden: 37%

April 24th: Pennsylvania
Biden: 50%
Edwards: 46%

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Democratic Presidential Debate: Boulder, Colorado

BIDEN vs. EDWARDS

To Senator Edwards: Where do you stand on the proposed minimum wage debate?

To Senator Biden: Do you classify yourself as a liberal or a moderate?

To Both: What are your plans on how to deal with health care coverage in the United States, specifically the millions who are uninsured?


This Round will Close one June 10th at 12:01 PM EST.