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Giuliani's political career lives on, experts say

BY KARLA SCHUSTER | karla.schuster@newsday.com; Staff write

January 31, 2008

He won't be president, but what about Homeland Security chief Rudy Giuliani or even Gov. Giuliani?

Despite the collapse of his White House bid, experts say Giuliani has not lost his political luster and could end up in a Republican cabinet or even run for elective office again one day.

"You're as good as your last election, but you're not out until you're dead," said Henry Stern of New York Civic, a good-government group, who served as Giuliani's parks commissioner. "I think Rudy is very much alive, whether people like it or not."

Giuliani, 63, dropped out of the GOP presidential race yesterday and endorsed John McCain, but said little about his future plans beyond a willingness to campaign for McCain. He is expected to return to his consulting business, Giuliani Partners LLP, but it's unclear whether he would resume a full-time role there.

If Giuliani makes good on his offer and hits the trail for McCain, it would solidify their alliance and position him for a cabinet post if McCain becomes president, some observers say.

"He drops out, endorses McCain, McCain becomes the president, Rudy could be a cabinet appointee; he could be homeland security chief, he could be attorney general," said Douglas Muzzio, a political science professor at Baruch College. "His electoral life is over, but not necessarily his political life."

Some key GOP officials, and even a few Democrats, aren't so sure Giuliani will swear off being a candidate for good.

"Politics is like oxygen to him," said one prominent Democrat. "I think it's a very strong possibility he'd run for governor," particularly if Gov. Eliot Spitzer's next three years are as tumultuous as the first one.

Nothing would please state GOP Party chairman Joseph Mondello more. Mondello said he expects Giuliani to spend some time rebuilding his business but run for office again.

"I imagine he'll start to pick up the pieces of what's left of his company and get that going again, but I don't know that that will engage him for that long," Mondello said. "He could go in a lot of directions, and he'd make a hell of a gubernatorial candidate."

Still, not all GOP party faithful are sure that the former mayor will be interested in a higher office when he's already run for the highest office.

"He's been the mayor of the greatest city in the world, he's run for the presidency," said state Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). "I don't see him turning around and running to be a congressman down the road."

Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) is also skeptical Giuliani would want to be a candidate again.

"He'll always be a political player, but I doubt he'd run for anything again," King said. "But who knows - he's the most unique and enigmatic person I've ever known. I'd never try to predict what he would do next."

Staff writer Melanie Lefkowitz contributed to this story.