Barry Wynn
Giuliani Bundler: Keynote Role Isn't a Political Calculation
Barry Wynn, an important Rudy Giuliani supporter and former Bush campaign finance chair from South Carolina, thinks that Giuliani's selection as the Republican National Convention's keynote speaker is more the result of a close relationship with John McCain than a desire to reach out to independent voters.
"It just says that John McCain's his own guy and beats to his own drum," said Wynn. "They have been friends for 20 years and somebody is not going to tell John McCain not to have one of his longstanding best friends, who does have a star quality, not to be the keynote speaker. As far as whether it is orchestrated to appeal to a certain group or not, I just don't think that's the case. read more »
Heyyy! Who Stole Rudy’s Black Book From Carry-On?
Rudy's Southern Friends
Barry Wynn, the former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party and the finance chair of President Bush's re-election campaign, said yesterday that Giuliani "seems like a man of action and not just talking. He certainly is the type of person Washington needs. He is an outsider and that's refreshing." He also said that he'd "certainly be one of the people encouraging him" to run.
And Marc Rotterman, a southern Republican strategist based in Raleigh, North Carolina, tried out what was doubtless a preview of Rudy's arguments that he can win voters in the socially conservative Republican base.
"There is a perception that the evangelicals are monolith, I don't concur with that," he said "I think he is one of the two or three contenders in the Republican Party."
Giuliani has indeed received warm receptions in conservative parts of the country, and seemed comfortable enough appearing recently with Ralph Reed. It bears repeating, though, that none of it means that evangelical voters will actually vote for him once he's a candidate.
We'll see. (Maybe.)
- Jason Horowitz
