The Anti-Rudy Blitz Begins

Here's some truly damaging dirt about a candidate who's actually, as of now, got a chance:

Ouch. I want to call him a liar on all of those points, but I don't quite think that helps him.

Less damaging is this 1989 Giuliani ad, featuring a testimonial from his now ex-wife Donna Hanover. I'm not sure what that's supposed to prove except he was married to her ten years ago and now isn't.

Allah notes it was put up by a guy with no prior YouTube history. Not saying it's a dirty trick -- information wants to be free and all that. Still, seems to be an indication that McCain's or Romney's net-guys are earining their pay.

You know how 1960 was the first television campaign?

This might be the first real internet campaign. Fundraising, blogging, sure, we've had those on-line. But now all the really good, really cutting negative ads will come via YouTube.

And does McCain-Feingold require the campaigns putting out such negative ads to identify the source?

Really, I'm not defending Rudy here or trying to slam his opponents. (Waaah-- they said meeeean things about my guy.)

I think this is perfectly fair. I'm just curious to see this stuff now starting to play so big on the Internet. And I'm wondering if McCain-Feingold ever contemplated this. Just as a bit of legal trivia. Could give a fig about the law myself.

On the other hand... Rudy's still got that electability thing going for him.

A new poll shows Rudy Giuliani taking two of the three crucial swing states of Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio from Hillary Rodham Clinton by winning over independents and nearly breaking even with her bread and butter - female voters.

In the head-to-head showdown, Giuliani thumps Clinton by 11 points in Pennsylvania and bests her by 5 in Florida - while the former first lady edges America's Mayor by one point in the Buckeye State.

Giuliani crushes Clinton nemesis Barack Obama in all three states, racking up 12-point leads in Florida and Pennsylvania and a 4-point cushion in Ohio.

The Quinnipiac University poll found an eye-popping 51 percent of Pennsylvania voters back Giuliani - including 20 percent of Keystone State Democrats - over Clinton, who pulled in 40 percent support. Clinton eked out only a 1-point edge with women.

The poll's assistant director, Peter Brown, said Pennsylvanians are keenly interested in homeland security - the fourth plane involved in the 9/11 attacks crashed in the state - and hold Giuliani in high regard.

Giuliani, who has the highest favorability of any 2008 candidate, got his biggest thumbs-up from Pennsylvanians, at 61 percent.

...

In Florida, Giuliani leads Clinton 47-42 percent, aided by a 50 percent backing from independents.

...

Ohioans narrowly prefer Clinton - 44-43 percent - due in large part to her sizable 9-point advantage among women and 31 percent support among Evangelicals.

And I didn't see this coming. I may have to back down from my Hillary Is Toast thesis. Are women really going to vote for Hillary, just because she's, allegedly, a woman?

Well, Democratic women are that dumb, apparently.

But female Democratic primary voters are propelling Clinton to substantial leads over Obama in the swing states surveyed: 25 points in Florida (31 among women), 13 in Ohio (20 among women) and 11 in Pennsylvania (17 among women).

More Ouch! Other videos you've probably seen, rapping McCain and Romney.

And of course Romney was lit up pretty good by this internet-hit classic:

Still dig this moment of Romney's, though:

posted by Ace at 06:18 PM

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