It will be interesting to see if Rudy can break into the Republican Party!

Hypocritical jerk.

Rudy's role model That chorus of derisive laughter you heard was the response from both Left and Right Blogistan to Mayor 9/11's attempt to invoke quasi-religiosity with his "Twelve Commitments." I know they're supposed to be charges that Rudy......

Forget what it will cost, what will it gain? Even if the US manages to do with zero oil and gas imports, I known, insane, but bear with me!, what will this gain?

The rest of the world, especially China, India, will still happily import from rulers that, regardless of the level of democratic legitimacy, call the US president names. An because of the global free oil market everyone in the US will still pay the same price as everyone else.

Don`t think for a second that that enron energy trading kid you heard joking about the "f##ed" grandma in California will think for a second about exporting energy from the US to somewhere where the economy is booming and where they known how to appreciate some "fresh" hydrocarbons.

Though its always nice to hear a GOPer claim the free market isn`t the answer, even if its on a subject where I cant think of a better alternative.

So any trouble near pipelines, shipping routes and what remains of the wells would still mess up the US economy, even with zero imports. Though every American car driving voter can feel great cause:
A. its not their dollars going to the nasty/badly washed russians/arabs/persians/aziris and
B. they got to vote for the the guy (no doubt) who was bashing Arabs the most. This always gives a safe and fuzzy warm "us vs them" feeling.

Okay so maybe I should mention the cost. The biggest energy lever that "just works" is reducing consumption. The easy way of doing that? just taxing gas more. Even Ron Paul agrees this is the honest thing to do.

But thats the lever that works, one can always just trust our kids will one day come up with new technology or solutions to the downside of current alternatives instead.

Or you can work with china to get the energy together and reduce the staggering rise in consumption. And for every couple of efficient energy consuming products (cars, dryers) you buy in the US, china will produce one for the internal market as well.

Also do I have to point out the unfortunate choice of the word "commitment" from the Giuliani campaign.... Seriously, "Giuliani" & "commitment"? Are they afraid late night comedy will run out of Bush jokes before more than the world runs out of cheap oil?

Now how about some analysis on the promises of the chicken-in-every-pot crowd?

JJ: "How on earth would you do that?"

He would sign up Fred Malek, Nixon's Jew counter.

Politician says things that are designed to be universally appealling. That's noteworthy?

No, but the utter transparency and irrationality of his promises here is at a whole new level.

I really believe that he thinks that he can coast to the presidency based on being the mayor of a city struck on 9/11.

For the love of God, please tell me Marion Barry has no chance of becoming President!

And yes commitments and commandments are two totally different things but are close enough to bring the other to mind. If they wanted to avoid the commandments problem they could have called them a contract or promise or blood oath.

This is not the speech which would be given to policy advisors or members of Congress. I believe you were a bit hard on the man.

No doubt. Still, I'm getting tired of platitudes about solving complex problems. Further, many of his goals strike me as contradictory.

A month ago, Giuliani would have been they guy I picked if forced to choose between the candidates. I liked his CPAC rollout, for example. But his glib answers on terrorism and immigration, in particular, worry me.

One of the things I liked about Giuliani is that he's a pragmatist who has a record of actually making things work. Setting unreasonable goals -- or goals whose achievement requires trampling our liberty -- goes against that.