http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/jun/13/rudy_iraq_is_in_the_hands_of_other_peopleRudy: Iraq Is "In The Hands Of Other People"
By Greg Sargent | bio
Rudy Giuliani was asked yesterday by reporters why the word "Iraq" didn't appear once in the list of "Twelve Commitments," or campaign promises, he unveiled yesterday. His answer?
Iraq's not my problem.
Rudy said:
“What I was trying to do was to look at the things, as best as you can predict it now, that are going to be there a year and a half from now,” he said. “Iraq may get better; Iraq may get worse. We may be successful in Iraq; we may not be. I don’t know the answer to that. That’s in the hands of other people. But what we do know for sure is the terrorists are going to be at war with us a year, a year and a half from now.”Leadership.
Seriously, this is highly noteworthy. This sort of answer has become a stock one on the part of Giuliani when asked about Iraq. His game plan is obviously to show enough support for the Commander in Chief to keep him in good with GOP primary voters while simultaneously distancing himself from the war in order to avoid the fate of John McCain, who wisely hung the Iraq war albatross around his neck and is now sinking with it.
But really: Is the media really going to let Rudy skate by with such answers? Iraq of course will be the single most important problem by far facing the next President. Will reporters press Rudy for some real answers on what specifically he would do about it? Or will the alleged "national security credentials" he's now being credited with having based on his having been Mayor on 9/11 mean he gets a free pass on this question?