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Rudy Fans Fight Foes' Film
By Jarrett Murphy | April 21, 2006
With 928 days left until the 2008 election, it might seem a little early for the unveiling of "Giuliani Time," the seemingly Swift Boat-esque hit film that opens next month (Power Plays hasn't seen it yet). But thanks to the ever-advancing presidential campaign calendar, there's already a skeletal pro-Rudy organization ready to fight back. In fact, there are several of them.Earlier this week, Draft Rudy Giuliani sent an "urgent message" to its adherents warning that the film "tries to distort reality and ruin the reputation of an American hero. . . . Whether you can give $20, $200, or $2,000, your support will be used to combat and expose this propaganda that is being disguised as a documentary." The message comes from Illinois political consultant and former state GOP official Allan Fore, who created draftrudygiuliani.com last October. That was 15 months after another site, Draft Giuliani, started operations. That site features the slogan "America's Mayor for America's President"-a phrase so groovy that they've trademarked it-as well as merchandise, like T-shirts for dogs.
Fore has also started an FEC-registered committee, called Draft Rudy Giuliani For President NFP. According to FEC records, the committee (which is not authorized by the candidate) has recorded a single donation-$500 in December from a man in Bridgehampton. (There are also draft committees for Hillary and Al Gore. And there's a Draft Michael Jackson King Of Pop For VP 2008 Campaign Committee.)
Despite the panic over at Draft Rudy Giuliani, "Giuliani Time" is probably the least of Rudy's worries if he's really contemplating a run for the White House. There's that McCain dude, whom everyone seems to love, and that Kerik fellow, the Rudy acolyte who blew up in the president's face. And there's the right wing of the Republican Party, with which Rudy has often disagreed on abortion, immigrants, gays, and other stuff.
Right now oddsmakers have Rudy facing 10-1 odds of being our next president, same as Virginia Governor Mark Warner and Veep runner-up John Edwards. Hillary, McCain, and Virginia Senator George Allen are seen as more likely winners. Condeleezza, George Pataki, John Kerry, and Jeb Bush are among the longer shots.
Will "Giuliani Time" help or hurt Rudy's chances? Draft Rudy Giuliani asked the same question. Seventy-nine percent of the 140 respondents said, "Yes, it'll help raise money that will support Rudy Giuliani." Ka-ching!
Posted in The Money Trail
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