Rudy Giuliani has taken the first step toward a presidential run, forming an exploratory committee just a few days after news leaked that John McCain is doing the same.
Interesting quote from the CNN story linked above: “A document from the New York Department of State says Giuliani made the initial filing Friday.” What on earth does New York’s Department of State have to do with this? And what exactly is the function of an exploratory committee, other than signaling interest in running for president to the national media? I smell an “Explainer” from Slate.
Rudy, by the way, may have been inspired by this recent poll, which identifies him, Condoleezza Rice, and McCain as the frontrunners, in that order. He won’t be helped by some fairly idiotic campaigning he did before the 2006 midterms, in which Giuliani crassly invoked 9/11 in defense of the strongly anti-terrorist Rick Santorum.
Update: Quality background material on Giuliani and his presidential ambitions from Slate and In These Times.
