Novack On The GOP Identity Crisis

March 1, 2007 -- "NEW York-based political consultant Kieran Ma honey's statewide survey of probable Republican participants in the 2008 Iowa presidential caucuses shows this support for the "big three" GOP candidates: John McCain, 20.5 percent; Rudy Giuliani, 16.3 percent; Mitt Romney, 3.5 percent. Astonishingly, all trail James Gilmore, the former Virginia governor, with 31 percent.

How could that be? Because it wasn't a legitimate survey, but a "push poll." That normally is a clandestine effort to rig a poll by telling respondents negative things about various candidates. Mahoney makes no secret that his voter sample was told of liberal deviations by McCain, Giuliani and Romney, and of true-blue conservatism by Gilmore (Mahoney's client).

It's doubtful Gilmore, a latecomer, could find sufficient funds to tear down his opponents and build up himself nationally or even in the state of Iowa. But he'll have plenty of help.

This weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) will bring right-wingers nationwide to Washington. There, Citizens United will distribute a 23-page attack on McCain. "He's no Ronald Reagan," it begins, and concludes: "John McCain is not a conservative." (McCain is the only announced GOP '08 hopeful not scheduled to speak at CPAC.)

Simultaneously, McCain operatives are putting out material that depicts Giuliani riding into City Hall on the shoulders of the New York Liberal Party as a throwback to the old Tammany Hall Democratic machine.

It is hardly too late for such negative campaigning to tear down Republican front-runners because of inadequate conservative credentials. At this point in the 2000 election cycle, George W. Bush was far in front with 45 percent in the polls, with Elizabeth Dole second at 29 percent. McCain was at a mere 3 percent, behind Dan Quayle and Steve Forbes, before making his run that nearly won the nomination.

The GOP lineup for 2008 may still be open, considering the conservative void."

At this point in time it's hard to see anyone besting Giuliani, and they haven't even gotten down and dirty via any debates, in which Rudi is sure to impress.

Meanwhile over at the lefty side of the aisle, they've got an overabundance of tree-huggers preaching to the choir, for there will never be a shortage of uber-liberals frothing at the mouth for a chance to make America the France of the New World.