Republican primary voters: Want to do Democrats a favor in
next year’s presidential election? Nominate the Republican frontrunner. If
polls conducted by Newsweek, ABC News, The Washington Post, Pew Research and
Fox News are to be believed, that man is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
As wonderful as Mr. Giuliani looked on camera, and as brave as he seemed when
our country suffered its most devastating loss in a generation, he has about
the same chance of being elected as this country’s next president as I have of
being elected the chair of the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy. In a
word: none.

While some would say that a certain Democratic frontrunner’s
campaign could be characterized by the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope,”
Mr. Giuliani’s campaign and frontrunner supremacy can best be described as the
“Audacity of Hopelessness.” Should Republican voters somehow give Mr. Giuliani
the nod in the primaries, American voters will give him the boot in the general
election.

You see, American voters are aware that Mr. Giuliani is
about as prepared to be our president as Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is
prepared to be our ambassador to the United Nations. No offense to our mayor —
after all, he had the sense to back off the trolley idea — but I’m sure Mr.
Cieslewicz is well aware of his limits. Mr. Giuliani, however, is not.

Worst yet, neither are Republican voters. As the
aforementioned polls indicate, Republicans seem to consider Mr. Giuliani aptly
prepared to lead their country and somehow seem to believe that his liberal
social views are in line with the conservative values often associated with the
right. Unfortunately, and seemingly surprisingly, for the Republican right, Mr.
Giuliani is as much a social conservative as Oprah Winfrey is an introvert.

On the conservative base’s most important social issues, Mr.
Giuliani takes a liberal approach. Mr. Giuliani, while staunchly defending the
traditional definition of marriage, supports civil unions. While some would
call that moderate, many conservatives would call that heretical. On abortion,
Mr. Giuliani has admitted that he is “personally opposed to abortion.” However,
to the consternation of conservative voters, he would rather leave such a
decision to the mother rather than to the state. Liberals would call that
agreeable, conservative voters would call that liberal.

Mr. Giuliani begins to sound much like a Democrat when he
speaks on social issues. And why vote for a Democrat like Mr. Giuliani when you
can vote for real Democrats like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton?

Mr. Giuliani’s Clintonian approach to social issues will
cripple the Republican base’s enthusiasm. After a Republican presidency that
has left fiscal conservatives frustrated and unsure of where their loyalties
lie, the Republican base may be the GOP’s only hope. Considering Mr. Giuliani’s
liberal social views, the Republican base may sit this election out if he wins
the nomination.

Nominating Mr. Giuliani is the electoral equivalent of
hoisting a white flag. A Giuliani candidacy effectively does away with the
Republican Party’s traditional conservative support and will force the GOP to
convince traditional Republicans to vote for their candidate. A Giuliani
candidacy would have to court undecided voters while simultaneously reassuring
the remnants of its base that haven’t jumped ship that Mr. Giuliani is worthy
of their support. Assuming Mr. Giuliani can somehow convince these social-issue
Republicans that he is the best conservative choice, he stands little chance of
victory when compared with the more experienced Democratic candidates.

Mr. Giuliani’s résumé indicates a startling paucity of
experience at a national level. His solid track record as mayor of New York and
his leadership in the wake of 9/11 has made him a household name. But for what?
The crime rate reductions during his time as mayor started before he took
office, and Mr. Giuliani’s biggest claim to fame is that the city of which he was
mayor was ruthlessly attacked, thus allowing him incredible national exposure.
If Chicago had been attacked instead of New York, the Giuliani presidential
campaign would not exist.

American voters will eventually realize that Mr. Giuliani’s
numerous television experiences have not made him any more capable of being president
than before New York City was attacked. His national experience pales even to
that most inexperienced of presidential frontrunners — Mr. Obama. When you have
less experience than Mr. Obama and less than half of his charisma, it might be
time to run for a senatorial seat, not the presidency.

So do your Democratic rivals a favor, Republicans. Nominate
your frontrunner. A Giuliani candidacy would leave the Republican Party a house
divided, with an ill-prepared, inexperienced former mayor at its head. Do so,
and watch as your base stays home on election days, and undecided voters decide
to go with Democratic candidates who have real experience that translates well
to presidential wherewithal. Do so, and watch as a disgruntled and bipartisan
public shuns your candidate by voting against him, or not for him at all.

As if Democrats need any more help with this election.

Gerald Cox ([email protected]) is a
senior majoring in economics.