Breaking News: Rudy Giuliani hints at dropping out

Rudy Giuliani appears to be pondering an end to his long pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination.

In a meeting in the back of his chartered plane en route to St. Petersburg, Fla., a short while ago, the onetime, longtime GOP front-runner told a small group of reporters, including The Times' Louise Roug: "The winner of Florida will win the nomination."

He then went on to predict he would win. And his spokeswoman, Maria Comella, said later he was speaking with confidence.

But that's an unusually categorical statement suggesting that only a total first-place upset by Giuliani, who trails both Mitt Romney and John McCain in all major polls for Florida's Republican primary tomorrow, will keep him in the competition, despite previous repeated vows to continue.

Giuliani's campaign, which led in national polls when it began and stayed there for many months, is showing signs of serious financial fatigue. This month his top staffers are foregoing their paychecks so the maximum amount of money can be invested to salvage his political fortunes in the Sunshine State, which was where Giuliani's late-state strategy was to kick into high gear.

So far, he's yet to finish first anywhere and ended up behind Rep. Ron Paul in Iowa and Nevada.

In his meeting with reporters today, Giuliani added that, no matter what happens Tuesday, he  definitely would  participate in the Republican debate co-sponsored by The Times on Wednesday at the Reagan Library.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Don Emmert AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Harold Goodman]

Goodbye Rudy and take Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh with you. It goes to show that they have their heads up their behinds and are not in tune with the American People.

[Dr Ward Ciac II]

Thank you Mr. Malcolm and LA Times. This is a game of last man standing. Once there were 11, now there are 5. Dr Ron Paul is in 4th place in the delegate count. He came in 2nd in Nevada, and 2nd or 1st in Louisiana.

Ten Most Corrupt National Politicians 2007
http://www.judicialwatch.org/
1. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
5. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY)
6. Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR)
8. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL

Dr Ron Paul's question to Senator John McCain vs. Miss Teen SC on Economics (two versions):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcdLO3jKkPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu-tg1kQ8dk&feature=related

The 'conservative, family values' Juan McCain:
* wants amnesty for illegal aliens.
* was one of the "Keating Five," congressmen investigated on ethics charges for strenuously helping convicted racketeer Charles Keating after he gave them large campaign contributions and vacation trips.
* upon his return to the United States after serving in Vietnam, McCain was reunited with his wife Carol, who had suffered her own crippling, near-death ordeal during his captivity, due to an automobile accident in December 1969 that left her facing months of operations and physical therapy; by the time he saw her again she was four inches shorter, on crutches, and substantially heavier. He had an affair and divorced her for another several years later.

[cbk]

Who should Giuliani voters support? Since McCain said he may not appoint a conservative judge like Alito, would McCain end up putting another Souter on the bench? McCain’s Hispanic outreach director is none other than Dr. Juan Hernandez, an open-borders, put Mexico first fanatic, should Republicans really put a democrat on the ticket by voting for McCain? McCain also seems like a democrat with Kerry indicating he (Kerry) was approached by the McCain camp to put McCain on as the Vice President in 04. With the nomination narrowing down to the media favorite McCain and the conservative Romney, I plan on voting for the only Republican left, Romney.

[Joe]

The big question is who (if anyone) will he throw his support behind after dropping out? He would make for a very interesting VP canidate.

[Wolf Blitzer]

RON PAUL IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!!! AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!!!

[Diane L.]

Rudy Who?????

[dadpasadena]

This portends a tremendous shift in the American consciousness. We've moved past 9/11 with the realities of the Bush Administration on the night of the State of the Union which, at this point, is tattered to say the least. The strategies of the Republicans have been scattered hither and yon. Hopefully, the era when despots in the White House no longer need be accountable is over. Guiliani was afraid of those questions that got too close to his associations within and without his political framework. He was looking too much like the Mafia he put in prison. Perhaps Democracy will survive the American politcal process after all.

[Paul Newcombe]

The question of the age in the 1930’s was not the economy, nor abortion, nor supreme court justices. It was Nazism and its potential to overturn the very fabric of society. We did not need a Neville Chamberlain then, we needed a Winston Churchill. The question of our age is likewise not the economy, abortion, or supreme court justices. The question of the next 20 years is Militant Islam, the global jihad, the potential loss of Europe to its Muslim cultural jihad, and the entrance of nuclear terrorism. Today, we need another Churchill, another Reagan, to answer the forces arrayed against our national security. Rudy is the only candidate who has come face-to-face with the jihad and its ruthlessness. He, I believe, is the only candidate who is truly determined to defeat Islamic jihadism. It is critical we have a president who is of this mindset if our children and grandchildren are to live in a world without fear. Rudy will not let us down.

[TJ]

There is a God.

[PRE]

Sheesh1 You Ron Paul people are still around? You're candidate has unequivocally proved that he has no business in this race. Money doesn't equal votes, but he will do the party a service if he sticks to using his money to promote small government and low taxes; and stays away from his wacky Blame America theories on Iraq.

[Jason]

Paul has also finished ahead of Giuliani in four of the six states so far; Iowa, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina and he BARELY beat him in New Hampshire although he spent more than 2.5 million on advertizing and had more than 120 campaign events.

The truth is that no one voted for him, not that he hasn't been competing. The guy is a flop.

[Gerry Lincoln]

With any luck, all those sorry clowns will drop out and Dr. Ron Paul will win by default.

Let's see the media try to lock him out then!

[Kevin Houston]

If he is going to bow out, then what is the point of going to the debate (other than to waste everyone's time?)

Finally, can we agree, once and for all that Plain Old Telephone Surveys (POTS - especially POTS taken six months or more prior to the actual elections) are completely worthless and should not be used to dole out free media attention? If we could somehow go back in time and give Dr. Paul all the attention that was showered on Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, etc. - I think Dr. Paul would be running away with this primary.

If the media (latimes included) would just report on all the candidates equally, instead of just the ones they (mistakenly) think "can win," I (for one) would be very appreciative.

Later.

[Jim]

Now Rudy will have time to read those books Ron Paul gave him about the concequences of our misguided foriegn policy and the "blowback" that results.

[Cleaner44]

I thought Rudy already did drop out. He really has not shown up in any of the states and is a fringe candidate. Cya Rudy.

[Jason]

So long Rudy. But in all fairness, that's what you get for laughing at the R3volution...

[MrUNPC]

The Democrat controlled liberal Media machine is doing all it can to choose IT’S “favorite” GOP candidate, which means ANYONE but Mitt Romney. First, they elevated Mike Huckabee from obscurity to frontrunner status in IA in a few short weeks with nothing but puff stories and absolutely NO scrutiny of his liberal voting record as AR Governor. So, much to the joy of the liberals, IA voters were convinced that Mr. Huckabee should be their choice, but NOT as President but rather as Pastor of the United States. Mike Huckabee is, by far, the weakest and least qualified GOP candidate and the easiest to beat and the Liberals WERE salivating at the prospect of his winning the nomination.

Once they finished using the Huckster they resurrected McCain from the dead, who is nothing more than a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He's been in the Senate forever and is an entrenced "good ol' boy". BTW, would someone explain why Bob Dole was labeled “too old” (73) when he ran against Clinton in 1996 and McCain’s age is NEVER mentioned?

The McCain domestic record is a disaster. To say he fought spending, most particularly earmarks, is to nibble around the edges and miss the heart of the matter. For starters, consider:

McCain-Feingold — the most brazen frontal assault on political speech since Buckley v. Valeo.

McCain-Kennedy — the most far-reaching amnesty program in American history.

McCain-Lieberman — the most onerous and intrusive attack on American industry — through reporting, regulating, and taxing authority of greenhouse gases — in American history.

McCain-Kennedy-Edwards — the biggest boon to the trial bar since the tobacco settlement, under the rubric of a patients’ bill of rights.

McCain-Reimportantion of Drugs — a significant blow to pharmaceutical research and development, not to mention consumer safety (hey Rudy, pay attention, see link).

And McCain’s stated opposition to the Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts was largely based on socialist, class-warfare rhetoric — tax cuts for the rich, not for the middle class. The public record is full of these statements. Today, he recalls only his insistence on accompanying spending cuts.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, McCain was consistently hostile to American enterprise, from media and pharmaceutical companies to technology and energy companies.

McCain also led the Gang of 14, which prevented the Republican leadership in the Senate from mounting a rule change that would have ended the systematic use (actual and threatened) of the filibuster to prevent majority approval of judicial nominees.

And then there’s the McCain defense record.
His supporters point to essentially one policy strength, McCain’s early support for a surge and counterinsurgency. It has now evolved into McCain taking credit for forcing the president to adopt General David Petreaus’s strategy. Where’s the evidence to support such a claim?
Moreover, Iraq is an important battle in our war against the Islamo-fascist threat. But the war is a global war, and it most certainly includes the continental United States, which, after all, was struck on 9/11. How does
McCain fare in that regard?

McCain-ACLU — the unprecedented granting of due-process rights to unlawful enemy combatants (terrorists). McCain has repeatedly called for the immediate closing of Guantanamo Bay and the introduction of al-Qaeda terrorists into our own prisons — despite the legal rights they would immediately gain and the burdens of managing such a dangerous population.

While McCain proudly and repeatedly points to his battles with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who had to rebuild the U.S. military and fight a complex war, where was McCain in the lead-up to the war — when the military was being dangerously downsized by the Clinton administration and McCain’s friend, former Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen? Where was McCain when the CIA was in desperate need of attention? Also, McCain was apparently in the dark about al-Qaeda like most of Washington, despite a decade of warnings.

Mitt Romney is by far the most qualified man in EITHER party and is a class act all the way. And yet since he became a GOP candidate for president, I have seen nothing but negative, trivial articles/stories about his Mormon religion, his money, his slick appearance, etc. fully intended to sway a naive electorate that pays far too little attention to the most important 4 year event in our country.

Mitt Romney is a TRUE family man and very successful at turning failed or failing enterprises around and Lord knows the United States of America needs turning around. It should be run as a business first, with a strong military to protect it from harm. All other social, giveaway programs should be scrutinized (and certainly would be under a Romney presidency) as to efficiency and even necessity. The fact that he was even elected Governor in a state (MA) controlled by 85% Democrat legislature was a feat in itself. In spite of it, he did a very admirable job as Governor, turning a large state deficit into a surplus. Of course, his many justified vetoes were constantly overturned by those liberal Democrats which made for a lot of frustration.

[JP]

One more neocon down, three to go.

Ron Paul for President!

[FZappa]

Rudy the warmonger is out.

Only three fake conservatives left to go before Ron Paul wins the nomination.

Huckabee: you're next. Super Tuesday.

[fisher]

Mr. Bloomberg's support goes beyond New York. Jon Fisher, a 35-year-old technology entrepreneur in Tiburon, Calif., said Mr. Bloomberg's background appeals to him. "Business experience, and specifically this kind of entrepreneurial business experience, is exactly the skill set we need in a president," said Mr. Fisher, who sold his most recent venture, Bharosa, to technology giant Oracle Corp. last year.

Mr. Fisher, a Democrat, is inviting others who have sold companies to Oracle to a meeting in Tiburon at the end of the month. The goal, Mr. Fisher said, is to recruit people willing to dedicate time and effort to a Bloomberg campaign. (Mr. Bloomberg would presumably fund his campaign himself, making fund-raising unnecessary.)

[Ronpaulfan]

Ron Paul has beaten the Ghoul in every state but New Hampshire which is under investigation with a recount.

Just thought you'd like to know.

[Robert Marley]

Slow news day at the LA Times, I guess??? What a deceptive and stupid story....How the heck does Rudy's comment that the winner of FLA will get the nomination = he is hinting at dropping out???? I also love the article's precise timeline for when Rudy allegedly made the comment as "a short while ago."

Why not let the voters of FLA decide who they want to win instead of you feeding us this garbage....I AM EXTRAORDINARILY DISGUSTED WITH THIS HIT-JOB PIECE BY THIS PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joe Vedder]

Harold Goodman, Rush and Hannity are the two most listened to radio shows in America.. looks like you are the one out of tune with the American People.

[Benson]

I'm not saying he won't drop out (he probably will) but this:

"The winner of Florida will win the nomination."

Isn't really a "hint" at it. Giuliani has been saying A) He's going to win Florida, B) That win is going to win him the nomination.

That seems more of a combining of the two talking points than acknowledging he won't take first so there's no point to continuing.

[Edith Claire]

"So far, he's yet to finish first anywhere and ended up behind Rep. Ron Paul in Iowa and Nevada."

Giuliani finished behind Ron Paul in every state so far sans NH.

[wgadget]

Go, Ron Paul!

[Deanna]

You forgot Michigan. Rudy also placed behind Ron Paul in Michigan.

[JeffnDallas]

Ron Paul isn't looking so "fringe" these days, is he?

First there were 11, now there are five and sounds like soon to be four. Oh, and of those 4-5 remaining, who has the most cash on hand to spend on the upcoming campaign primaries other than write-my-own-check Mitt?

These men talk about how they can save our economy, yet most of THEM are running their campaigns in the red! And they want control over MORE money?! Mitt may write his own checks, but where is his "true" support and supporters? Ron gets money without even asking!

So WHO do you think is in a better position to address our financial situation of this bunch? Gee, I wonder...!

[Jeff Childress]

Ron Paul will NEVER get the nomination........EVER

[Jason Taylor]

Forget the polls. They haven't been right yet. Why couldn't one interpret Rudy's comments as "I will win in Florida and I will win the nomination." That's what he's been saying all along. How is this hinting of dropping out? You nut jobs that are trying to push McCain on us make me sick.

[Mary]

He will come in big this is old tactics to discourage people to vote for him don’t listing to this nonsense go out and vote Rudy

[bill straub]

Rudy was the man to beat Hillary and win the White House with fiscal conservatism. He is a good man but made a very poor decision to not go all out in New Hampshire....

[Kate]

On the other hand, you have a candidate like Romney who did not take the salary offered to him to save the Olympics or his salary as governor...hmmm...who would you rather have in the White House? Someone who HAS been bought and paid for or someone who REFUSES to be? Go Romney '08

http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2002/12/30/daily21.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18935355/

[fanofwalt]

Did I read that right?

"No matter what happens Tuesday" -- I assume this includes the prospect of Rudy dropping out -- Giuliani would still participate in Wednesday's debate? Even if he's, um, no longer a candidate?

How does the Times, and the other co-sponsors of this debate, plan to respond to this? Would you and they actually allow a declared drop-out to usurp valuable speaking time from the still-running candidates? Should I also then expect to see Duncan Hunter, Dennis Kucinich, Fred Thompson, or other 2008 drop-outs on the debate stage?

If Rudy's no longer a declared candidate by Wednesday's debate, then by all means, devote the debate time -- equally -- to the remaining four GOP candidates. To do anything else would be a disservice to the viewers and the public at large.

[Lost in Irvine]

Juan McCain?

That is just sad.

Really sad.

[Taylor]

Rudy, McCain and Romney are good men, though it's most unfortunate to see McCain resort to dishonesty.

Even so, McCain has been a great Senator for the past 20+ years, and we Repubs are grateful for his heroic past and faithful service.

But let's not kid ourselves about McCain's prospects to win the White House folks. Today's polls are not tomorrow's polls — let alone what we will see come November.

Who is going to pull for McCain, huh? Conservatives don't like him (Limbaugh, etc.) You think the New York Times is going to rally Americans to vote for McCain? Not a chance!!!

Romney is energetic, super smart, and has the support of Limbaugh and nearly all other media conservatives. He truly has no other agenda than to help the country succeed, and none of the baggage McCain brings.

I pray/hope FL voters give Romney the edge!!!

[joe]

Julie-Annie also finished with half of the amount of votes that Paul got in South Carolina. So, he's actually finished behind Paul in Iowa, Nevada, South Carolina, Louisiana, and barely edged out Paul in New Hampshire -although New Hampshire is in the middle of a recount. So, who knows, he may have lost there as well. Just makes you wonder how much of the vote Duncan Hunter (who has been running neck & neck with Julie) would have gotten with all the wasted airtime that went to Julie... And, amazing what Paul has done with less airtime than Sam Brownback or Tom Tancredo -just amazing...

[Eric]

Giuliani should drop out and endorse Ron Paul.

[DougMN]

Howdy, Mr. Malcolm!! It wasn't only in Nevada and Iowa that Ron Paul beat Guiliani. Ron Paul beat Guiliani in
IOWA
NEVADA
MICHIGAN
SOUTH CAROLINA
LOUISIANA

Guiliani said, "Those Ron Paul people are everywhere; yeah, they're all over the country and very enthused."

Go, Ron Paul.

[Vivian]

Good riddance and don't let the door hit you in the ........ Please take your National ID card with you rudy.

[coy]

We sure can't afford a McPain 4 years.

[Art Wiggins]

Mr Malcolm,
Rudy has been beaten by Rep. Ron Paul more than twice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_gKOCb4QBA

[Jorge I. Gomez]

This country needs Rudy Giuliani as Egypt needed another plague. Giuliani is just another Bush, but with a little bit more of intelligence. They both ride the 9/11 wave for such a long time that it has lost its appeal. Voters are not as afraid as before when Bush scared the hell of every american with his antics about Al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein, WMDs, we'll fight them there so we don't have to fight them here. But politics are a strange game where reality and what's best for the country become a low priority. Politics is just another word to protect the status quo and nothing else, otherwise, how can anybody explain why candidates who promised the most like Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson and Ron Paul barely register on the polls and then people compalin that Washington doesn't change o doesn't care, duh!!!!

[a-benz]

Goddbye! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Ron Paul on economics;

1. Tax Reform: Reduce the tax burden and eliminate taxes that punish investment and savings, including job-killing corporate taxes.

2. Spending Reform: Eliminate wasteful spending. Reduce overseas commitments. Freeze all non-defense, non-entitlement spending at current levels.

3. Monetary Policy Reform: Expand openness with the Federal Reserve and require the Fed to televise its meetings. Return value to our money.

4. Regulatory Reform: Repeal Sarbanes/Oxley regulations that push companies to seek capital outside of US markets. Stop restricting community banks from fostering local economic growth.

Congressman Paul has written or co-sponsored numerous bills to enact the policies in his plan. In Congress, he has been a champion of lower taxes and limited government.

Congressman Paul is the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. In Congress, Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase or for an unbalanced budget

The comprehensive economic revitalization plan is available online at: http://www.RonPaul2008.com/Prosperity .

[Jack Wilson]

Rudy is the only Republican who could defeat either Hillary or HusseinObama. the litmus-test conservative Reps don't care -- they would rather have Hillary or the black Muslim. it's the old maxim, it has to get worse before it can get better. the problem is, what the 'worse' puts in place in terms of judges and legislation cannot be undone that easily. what's more, the religious conservatives don't have an electable candidate now or in the foreseeable future. the times have changed since Reagan -- who really wasn't a conservative with respect to government spending or government expansion. Republicans have lost focus and have no leader -- the Bushes have made sure of that, as Reagan did before them. Dole? McCain? they both compromised with Kennedy -- how principled can they be.

[Brian Elkins]

wow..looks like this is another pro-Ron Paul story. Rudy could win, there's a record number of advance ballots that have been requested in Florida and a majority of them are expected to go for Giuliani. I agree that if he does not win Florida its over. I just hope to God McCain (Bob Dole 2.0) doesn't win. lol We would get creamed!

[Valerie]

Well, I'm voting for Rudy in the Florida GOP primary on Tuesday and I'm happy with my choice. It's a shame he hasn't had the opportunity to really talk to Americans for longer than 60 seconds at a time, because his message and ideas are great... just not suited to the soundbite media.

Whomever wins the nomination, at least it won't be Huckabee!

[Kevin]

So who would rudy endorse if he leaves .......

[Randy]

Guliani still has a place at the Republican table just like McCain has a place at the Democrats table. But Romney will serve the people of the United States well and has my full confidence.

[Angelo Pittsburgh, PA]

Andrew Malcolm for White House press secretary 2008!

Straight talk.....FINALLY!

Thanks for de-coding Mr. Giuliani's remark; "The winner of Florida will win the nomination."