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Who Gets Our Vote: President Or Dame Edna?

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By Daniel Ruth

Published: December 27, 2007

There are times when the hustings aura surrounding Rudy Giuliani seems less of a presidential campaign and something more akin to "The Young and The Restless" meets "The Birdcage."

Or, put another way, can a man who has supported abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, been married three times (including once to a cousin), indulged in highly visible extramarital affairs AND appeared in public in drag on at least four occasions ever be elected president?

Sorta makes one wonder whether Giuliani is running to become commander in chief or the heir to the Dame Edna legacy.

"I thought it was three times," the former mayor of New York said of his well-publicized forays in evening gowns and sensible pumps. "Well, it was just for fun."

You have to admit the inauguration ball for a President Giuliani would be fraught with anxious anticipation as to just who would show up in the Vera Wang number - the first lady or the president himself?

7-Point Lead

Giuliani visited The Ministry of Truth on Wednesday as part of his strategy to shore up support prior to the Jan. 29 primary. Hizzoner currently holds a seven-point lead over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Gomer Pyle of the electoral college.

Think about this: It is entirely possible the race for the Republican presidential nomination could come down to a choice between "Hallelujah!" and "Ring-A-Ding-Ding!"

There's no doubt the former mayor of New York can be glib, facile, articulate and funny, even when he's blowing smoke up his own skirt - so to speak.

Take for example Giuliani's hard-line stance on enforcement of immigration laws, while at the same time supporting the dubious double-standard of the insane wet-foot/dry-foot policy toward Cubans illegally entering the country to remain in the United States if they make it here to these shores.

Sticking With Florida

But this is a presidential campaign. Things don't always make sense, including why a candidate in the heat of a race would essentially blow off the first three rites of passage of the season - the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries - to stump in Florida, where even if he prevails on Jan. 29 he will still only receive half of the available 114 delegates because of onerous national party sanctions imposed on the state.

The mayor was wrapping up his interview with the editorial board when he was asked about the process of selecting a president, which seems more preoccupied with the candidate's religious beliefs or, in his case, a seemingly dysfunctional marital and family history.
Rudy Giuliani shrugged. "It's our way of doing it," he said, adding that a mayor, whose relationship with the public is inherently more accessible, tends to expose personal issues more vividly.

In that case, for the opera-loving mayor, which work struck the closest theme to his own campaign? "Turandot"? "Carmen"? "Madame Butterfly"?

Giuliani demurred. "So far this the campaign does not feel like an opera," the candidate insisted. Besides, "operas have unhappy endings," he said in mock defensiveness.

True, but the divas always look great - even as they are breathing their last.

Keyword: The Book of Ruth, to read and comment on Daniel Ruth's blog.

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