Steve Forbes Endorses Rudy Giuliani for President (Wizbang)

I'm kind of surprised:

Republican ex-mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani won backing for his 2008 presidential bid from billionaire publisher Steve Forbes, who will also help lead his campaign, Giuliani's team said.

Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes Magazine which publishes an annual list of the world's richest people, will act as co-chair on the national campaign and as senior policy advisor to Giuliani, who is favorite to win his party's nomination for the presidency early next year.

Forbes himself sought the Republican nomination for the presidency in 1996 and 2000.

"Steve and I share an economic vision that embraces supply-side economics, tax relief, and spending restraint," Giuliani said in a statement released by his campaign team.

"As mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani showed how exercising fiscal discipline, including tax cuts, lowers deficits, spurs economic growth, and increases revenue," Forbes was quoted as saying in the statement.

"It is time the rest of the country benefit from a true fiscal conservative leader who gets real results."

Steve Forbes is a free market conservative through and through so his endorsement of Rudy is an important one. Captain Ed explains why:

Without a doubt, Team Rudy hit a homer on this endorsement. It gives more conservatives more leeway towards discounting the social positions of Giuliani in a time of war, and increases his potential to attract centrists and independents to the GOP in 2008. Giuliani has shown that he understands conservative concerns with his record and that he will work towards reaching an accommodation with them. In a field lacking a credible conservative of national standing, Rudy could carve out a wire-to-wire frontrunner victory.

Comments (12)

Part of what induced Republ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Synova | March 28, 2007 9:38 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Synova:

Part of what induced Republicans to sit out this last election was a sorry lack of fiscal restraint.

The Dems who benefited from that have shown they're full speed ahead to do more of the same.

I've heard Rudy talk about fiscal issues when it comes to dealing with social needs and he's impressive. I've heard people say he isn't a "conservative" but they are wrong.

Posted on March 28, 2007 21:38

KILLER Giuliani article. Fo... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by bryanD | March 28, 2007 9:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

bryanD:

KILLER Giuliani article. Follow the links. Ideal with beer buzz!
http://www.takimag.com/site/article/giulianis_closet/

Posted on March 28, 2007 21:59

Leave it to B'dirtbag" to t... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by jhow66 | March 28, 2007 10:22 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

jhow66:

Leave it to B'dirtbag" to throw the mud. Frigging idiot.

Posted on March 28, 2007 22:22

What mud? The thing about ... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Synova | March 28, 2007 10:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

What mud? The thing about Giuliani is that he doesn't *have* closets. All his skeletons have pushed back the coffee table and are dancing in the middle of the living room rug.

Posted on March 28, 2007 22:43

hmmmm... I supose the old ... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by ijosha | March 28, 2007 10:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

ijosha:

hmmmm... I supose the old flat tax propositions will come alive again, given Forbes past platform.

Posted on March 28, 2007 22:54

Being endorsed by someone l... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Paul Hooson | March 28, 2007 11:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Paul Hooson:

Being endorsed by someone like Steve Forbes who looks like he's been sewn together from dead people won't ring very much with the general public, but the big business community will be more enticed to donate cash to the Guiliani campaign with this Forbes blessing which is the real benefit.

Posted on March 28, 2007 23:19

And unlike Hill&Bill, Giuli... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by chsw | March 28, 2007 11:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

chsw:

And unlike Hill&Bill, Giuliani didn't even have top pay for this endorsement.

chsw

Posted on March 28, 2007 23:33

Now we just need to know wh... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by mantis | March 29, 2007 12:28 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

mantis:

Now we just need to know who Ross Perot endorses.

Posted on March 29, 2007 00:28

Rudy is a rare breed. He is... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by WildWillie | March 29, 2007 8:06 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

WildWillie:

Rudy is a rare breed. He is very conservative on fiscal, law issues, very liberal on social issues. Hard to decide on this one. I don't care if he was married 8 times. I care about terrorism. National security. ww

Posted on March 29, 2007 08:06

Rudy is a rare breed. He... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by John Irving | March 29, 2007 8:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

John Irving:

Rudy is a rare breed. He is very conservative on fiscal, law issues, very liberal on social issues.

Apart from his stance on gun control, this gets a "hell yeah" from me.

Posted on March 29, 2007 08:43

WildWillei comments about R... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by dalleceneri | March 29, 2007 11:20 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

dalleceneri:

WildWillei comments about Rudy, "I care about terrorism. National security. "

Yes WW, should there ever be a terrorist incident in your city, under a President Giuliani, you can rest in peace knowing that your remains have been memorialized in your city's pot holes.

Posted on March 29, 2007 11:20

Why would anyone endorse a ... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Les Nessman | March 29, 2007 11:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Les Nessman:

Why would anyone endorse a candidate at this point when the election is so far away? Every election cycle starts earlier and earlier. Best thing we could do is ignore ALL the candidates for the next year and a half.

Posted on March 29, 2007 23:56