By Brendan O’Reilly
A renowned expert on Rudolph Giuliani spoke in Axinn Library and classrooms about the former New York City mayor’s likelihood of winning the Presidency in 2008.
Fred Siegel, professor at Cooper Union and a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute came to campus April 26 and 27 as part of the University’s Presidential Scholar series. Siegel authored The Prince of the City: Giuliani, New York and the Genius of American Life, and The Future Once Happened Here: New York, D.C., L.A. and the Fate of America’s Big Cities.
Giuliani has not declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination, but Siegel said it is a certainty that he will run.
“He’s running an unconventional campaign,” he said.
Siegel said Giuliani’s strengths are his record as mayor of NYC and his response to the 9/11 attacks. His vulnerabilities are his stances on abortion rights, gay rights and immigration, all of which he is for. Siegel dismissed Giuliani’s marital issues as a vulnerability, adding that former president Bill Clinton has lowered the standard.
The best thing that could happen to the GOP to increase its chances of winning in 2008 would be the Democrats regaining the House in 2006, said Siegel. It would give the Republicans someone to blame when legislation stalls, and would put repellent Democratic figures like Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco in the spotlight, according to Siegel.
He foresees the only person Giuliani could share his presidential ticket with would be John McCain. Such a ticket would have a broad appeal that may draw moderate Democrats away from their party, Siegel said.
Siegel also made predictions of who would seek the Democratic nomination. He said Al Gore will be running again.
“Al Gore will be Howard Dean on steroids,” said Siegel, referring to fundraising power. He said the Democratic primary will be far more interesting than the republican race. Gore and Hillary Clinton hate each other he said, as do John Kerry and John Edwards, who he predicts with all run.