Rudy Giuliani could be nearing the end. He has explicitly said the Florida primary is critical to his presidential campaign. Well, polls show he’s in third or fourth place. Polls as we know, are occasionally wrong, but it’s not looking good for the man who for months was at the top of the GOP national poll.
We spent time with him last week. I had covered him on and off when he was the mayor of New York City, and the confidence and swagger I saw back then was virtually gone. In it’s place was a somewhat subdued man who did not exhude the energy I am used to seeing from him. He seemed a bit ill at ease at a gathering of hundreds of Cuban Americans in Little Havana.
About 10 little children with signs gathered to greet him. He shook their hands like they were adults; he just didn’t seem quite sure what to do. When he took the stage, he started talking rapidly without a translator; most of the Spanish speaking crowd hadn’t a clue what he was saying. Finally, a translator stood next to the former Mayor and the crowd perked up and was quite exhuberant. The translator however had a tough time keeping up with Giuliani’s telltale rapid New York english.
If he loses Florida soundly, it’s hard to imagine Giuliani continuing on through Super Tuesday and risking embarrasment in his home of New York. But he said in Florida he’s in the race to stay. We’ll see if the results lead to some reassessment.
About 10 little children with signs gathered to greet him. He shook their hands like they were adults; he just didn’t seem quite sure what to do. When he took the stage, he started talking rapidly without a translator; most of the Spanish speaking crowd hadn’t a clue what he was saying. Finally, a translator stood next to the former Mayor and the crowd perked up and was quite exhuberant. The translator however had a tough time keeping up with Giuliani’s telltale rapid New York english.
If he loses Florida soundly, it’s hard to imagine Giuliani continuing on through Super Tuesday and risking embarrasment in his home of New York. But he said in Florida he’s in the race to stay. We’ll see if the results lead to some reassessment.
- Gary Tuchman, 360° Correspondent
