I think at this point he still polls well in Alabama and similar because he has the most name recognition other than maybe McCain (who probably won't poll well there either given his past there isn't tons of love for McCain he has burned too many bridges).

I would be curious to see what the polls say in a few months.

Also, social cons aren't as one dimensional as they are painted. I think a lot of social conservatives are also fiscal conservatives and care a lot about the WOT and Guliani comes across as being good on those two issues. So those who are in the know on Rudy's positions, may still be willing to compromise that soc con position to keep the other two. And in a lot of ways Rudy is probably the more fiscally conservative of the bunch, and one who comes acress at least as being better on WOT issues.

Clearly the conservatives in Alabama see this and think they have a lot more in common with Giuliani, values wise, than the stuffed shirt McCain or the mormon. Rudy was having sex with his cousin and he married her, and so is seen as just 'one of the boys'.

So if Romney isn't doing well in spite of what seems to be a lot of infrastructure, this could be a really bad sign.

I mentioned Romney's Mormonism, which I do think is hurting him with Evangelicals in the Deep South.

Giuliani is I think, without question, the least socially conservative of those guys. That doesn't bother me but I'm surprised it's not hurting him in the Buckle of the Bible Belt.

I don't think it's "mainstream bigotry" that there is dissatisfaction among the base with all the candidates. It was rather palpable at CPAC. Of the three, I think Giuliani went over the best.

Bill Clinton will join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at a commemoration of the 1965 civil rights marc...

On Rudy doing well, why don't you also add a comment such as "Either word on Hillary's vote to authorize the war hasn't gotten around or people have discounted it because of the "Bubba" thing." What you are doing is essentially saying "I don't know why the polls aren't matching the mainstream bigotry about how republicans in general and social conservatives in particular are reacting to Rudy." If Romney was ahead, would you be making a similar point about Mormonism or past practices of the LDS? If McCain was in the lead would you be bringing up McCain Feingold or his age? Or if Obama was in the lead would you ponder if people know about his cocaine use? If Edwards was in the lead would you question their knowing about his new home? You only seem to harp on Rudy, but not the other candidates. Why is that?