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

[CybScryb]

The only place Rudy had a chance to win was NY and perhaps FL. His brand of politics doesn't play well west of the Hudson. Running a campaign on fear in America was just plain silly. We've always wanted John Wayne for president, not Festus.

[raul mendez]

A real shame cause Rudy is a tremendous leader. America could use someone like Rudy.

[Michael]

Rudy doesn't hint anything!!!
He doesn't imply he will drop out!!

What a bogus Drudge headline!!!

[Chip M Anderson]

I cannot fathom how McCain has pulled off what he has thus far...he is not a true republican...which I can handle in a Senator and in a Congressman...local politics breeds all sorts of variances...but not in a national election...I find the love affair the main stream media has with Mr Mc interesting, and probably suggests they know he is the most beatable by with Obama or Hillary, and if for some chance he is elected (as the MSM sees it), he will govern from the left, except for the war. If Mc wins florida and then the convention, he will lose the base for sure...at least they will not be motivated for there will be little difference between Mc and the democrat nominee. And finally, on a short note, I am disappointed in evangelical Christians for there one-issue problem with Mitt romney (who is by far the best candidate and most qualified candidate on the Republican side). His so-called flips on one-issue topics (which aren't really flips) are far less worse then what we accepted from our "hereo" RWReagan. A vote for Mc is a vote for the main stream media's candidate of choice on the Repblican ticket...watch who your inviting to dinner...and then watch the silverware...

[Brian]

Rudy Giuliani ended up behind Ron Paul in all the primary's. WHO IS RON PAUL?

[Larkin G. Mead]

Good riddance Rudy and I agree with another commenter! "Take loud-mouth Rush Limbaugh with you along with that little sawed off punk Irishman, Sean Hannity And, while you are on your way back to New York, will you kindly take that angy woman, Ann Coulter with you. Call "Club For Growth" and tell them that the old guard is dead and a new generation of Republicans are about to unfold; socially conservative and fiscally pragmatic. Limbaugh and the conservative talking heads have all but dismantled the old Reagan coalition by attacking Mike Huckabee and John McCain. Once Rudy and Mitt are gone from the field, we can begin to reassemble the Republican Party back to the party of Reagan.

[Mark]

Dear Rudy:

Nana nana nana nana hey hey hey goodbye.

[Kyle]

Thank God. He is a phony conservative and not suitable as the GOP nominee. I know that California knows about Ron Paul and I feel that he has a real chance to win Cali on Feb. 5th. Everyone that wants to know more about Ron Paul just go to: RONPAUL2008.COM

[TheBaconator]

Paul Newcombe, you are hilarious!
Sure, Rudy was eye to eye with the Jihadists, and what he saw was dollar signs. Rudy used the national spotlight to enrich himself and launch his presidential run. He is an absolute scum bag who exploited a national tragedy for his own personal gain.

[john]

if Americans will elect obama,mc cain or clinton they will show the world how dumb they are!
ron paul is the only human being on the stage ,the rest are just monkeys!

[Tim]

Rudy should be the GOP nominee. Look at the facts objectively. Here are 5 great reasons to vote for Rudy:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/rudy_giuliani_should_be_gop_no.html

[Jessica]

I wouldn't count Rudy out yet... and the fact that people can't think for themselves and vote for who they want not who the media wants is pathetic. Rudy IS the right guy for the job, he just had a strategy the media didn't like.

[John]

buh-bye Rudy, thanks for playing- then there were 4, Huck-a-puck is next.

[Pope Ratzo]

I'm willing to support making Benito Guiliani the emperor of 9/11 if he agrees to stay away. The sentiment that made him so popular very early in the race is connected to something very ugly in the American psyche and it says something good about Americans that he's now so unpopular. It might just mean that it takes more than wrapping yourself in a flag and chanting "9/11, 9/11" to lead a nation.

Also, I have a question for Andrew Malcolm:
Why does Laura Bush need a press secretary, anyway? You had that job, so maybe you can clarify this mystery a bit. A hairstylist, I can understand. An interior decorator, fine. But a press secretary? George Bush's WIFE needs a press secretary? I'm impressed that you could parlay that weak position into being a top blogger at the LA Times. It doesn't say much about the LA Times, but you deserve all the credit in the world.

[Robert Wood]

Giuliani deserves a great deal of credit for having cleaned New York up. He has a clear concept on the War started by the Islamofascist terrorists. And he is not likely to start making references to "President Putin of Germany," unlike the current "front-runner" for the Republican nomination. Also unlike McCain, he has not resorted to blatant lies about his opponents' positions in order to gain an advantage in the race. Conservatives will vote for Romney, but Giuliani should stay in the race in order to give moderate Republicans a choice.

[Cold Turkey]

Mr. UnPC -- that was quite a rant. I assume you're a Mitt supporter/campaigner.

--ct

[Wallace]

An idea: Ron Paul for mayor of New York!

Please, Ron Paul fans, you're embarrassing yourselves. If I hear one more person chirping for Ron Paul, I'm moving to France with Alec Baldwin. No, wait, he never moved, did he?

OK, revise: If I hear one more person chirping for Ron Paul, I'm moving to New York with Alec Baldwin.

[Joop Kaashoek]

It would be good riddance if he went, he has a very vindicative history and his nationalistic 'America first at all cost' would plunge America's standing in the world even lower, if that is possible.

[Edd]

I still believe that Hillary will win it to the White House! I liked Guliani but he does not have the machinery like HILLARY. HILLARY is the most experienced of all the candidates and she is ready on Day one! Go HILLARY!

[Darvin Dowdy]

a real shame. If only he could have let lose of his Bracewell/Giuliani security blanket. Baffling how a man w/his confidence and ability would let something like that pull him down.
Rudy, like all the other candidates, did not spend enough time in the south. Especially along the border states. Of course its not too late. But these GOP candidates have built such massive walls around themselves. No fresh ideas can get through to them. They stagnate and finally wither and their campaigns die. Like Tancredo, Hunter and FDT. Such a pity. Darvin Dowdy

[Chris Brown]

Dear Ron Paul fans,

Please stop writing thinking that your candidate has any shot. Simply because the man has beaten Giuliani in most states DOES NOT mean that he is ANYWHERE CLOSE to earning the party's nomination. Far from it, in fact. My preferred candidate dropped out (Fred Thompson) because he believed that he had done everything he could and that it was enough. His reasons for dropping out, as well as other candidates, might be nit-picky debatable, but there's one common theme:

REALITY

All these comments about a so-called "revolution" are just old hat. They were mildly entertaining months ago, but now I cannot honestly take them seriously. That is my personal belief, I know, but let's be reasonable. Ron Paul was, at best, a "fringe" candidate. The majority of his popularity is on the internet (I think that in my part of the city I've counted MAYBE 2 or 3 Ron Paul supportive signs).

Honestly, the facade needs to end now. Paul is done. He's like that house-guest that you have over that has really over-stayed their welcome but you're truly too polite to say "would you please leave now". I believe that Rudy is done after Florida and Huckabee and Paul are after Super Tuesday (even if Paul does not drop out, which for some reason I would not at all be surprised if that happens). This is a Romney and McCain race now, and we need to unite as a Republican Party and decide which of the two has the best chance of defeating the Democrats.

Just my two cents,
CB

P.S. "Giuliani should drop out and endorse Ron Paul." ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS!!!

[rick]

Perfect........now he go back to war profiteering.....the scum bag

[Gullyborg]

Ron Paul is still down around 5%, even with several other candidates having dropped out. He has never picked up the support of any departing candidate. That proves he is the lunatic fringe. Having a few hundred die hard fanatics who spend all day using Google News Alerts to find stories on the election and plastering with pro-Paul comments is NOT a "movement." Raising a few million dollars is impressive, sure, but when compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars raised by democrats it is completely insignificant. It is especially insignificant when you realize the only reason Paul raises ANY money is that he is able to tap into the anti-war resentment of the far left netroots.

Who will Dr. Ron Paul's fans support when he loses this primary? Will they back the GOP winner? Or will they back the anti-war democrat? Will they sit out the election or vote third party because the GOP failed to nominate a "pure" candidate?

More to the point:

Right now, there appear to be two Republicans who actually have the support to win the nomination. Mitt Romney is ahead in delegates and votes received. John McCain is running strong in many states coming up. One of these two men will be the nominee.

Which one will Dr. Ron Paul back?

Giuliani, a good man who would make a good President, is right that the winner of Florida will probably be the nominee. It probably won't be him, though. Romney and McCain seem to be tied at about 30% each. Paul is in single digits, far behind Giuliani or Huckabee.

Time for the Paulbots to put their money and their enthusiasm to better use, by getting behind another candidate and actually having a say in who wins this primary.

[Thomas]

6 TRILLION REASONS WHY NOT TO VOTE REPUBLICAN

The amount of debt accumulated under the Bush Presidency.

Clinton balanced the budget for 4 years straight and actually began to apy down the national debt. Republicans attacked Democrats with Tax & Spend soundbites. Republicans don't tax, but spend, spend, spend.

Cut the baloney, no more republican politics. Conservative implies Status Quo. Are you happy with the status quo? Everincreasing Health Care & Energy costs? Where's Bush Manhaten Project to remove our dependency on foreign oil? Never happen under Petroleum politics. Vote for Change, Vote for Obama, a new day will come to America. Instead of having a society based on ME, ME, ME which Republican politics symbolizes; let's think beyond ourselves and vote for the party which reminds us that there are 300 million of us from diverse backgrounds and it takes 300 million of us to make a country; vote for the party of WE THE PEOPLE, NOT THE PARTY OF ME, Keep your hands off mine, people. I've never seen more hypocritical people than those that support Republican positions. Against Abortion but won't support kids whom are in poverty and in bad schools and lacking health care.

Time for change.

[Greg]

MrUNPC--dude, I didn't brainwash the Republicans in NH or SC for voting for McCain--he's actually the guy we *least* want to run against, simply because he is occasionally moderate on a couple of issues.
How little do you have to think of your own party to think so many people of them are so easily misled?

As for the people freaking out and saying "How dare you, L.A. Times?!" um, Giuliani's a very distant third right now in the polls in Florida, so if he says "The winner of Florida will win the nomination," and then fails to win Florida… he can't very well continue, right? It's a perfectly logical assessment.

"We did not need a Neville Chamberlain then, we needed a Winston Churchill."--Actually, WE (the American people) needed a Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and we got one. I'm sure you're aware, too, that Chamberlain was a conservative, and that Churchill only ascended in Britain with liberal votes.