Two days ago, America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani filed his statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. He is now the candidate other potential presidential nominees will watch, and will undoubtedly move to the position of Republican front-runner.
And rightfully so - Giuliani is a viable politician.
One: He has personality. He's charming, outgoing, and friendly. Some voters appraise a candidate by their perception of that particular candidate's disposition.
Remember the 2000 election between President Bush and Vice President Gore? Polls showed more Americans would have preferred to go on a cross-country drive with Bush.
Sen. Barack Obama is not the only candidate with charisma, and Giuliani is also a riveting speaker.
Two: This guy has experience. During the Reagan administration, he became the associate attorney general, an office supervising other federal law enforcement agencies. He then served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, prosecuting mob leaders and corrupt politicians.
He now heads Giuliani Partners, a consulting practice that focuses on security and crisis management.
As mayor, he took over one of the most corrupt and dangerous cities in the country. Among his many accomplishments, he cut taxes 23 times, helped bring down the crime and murder rates substantially, and created work programs, which significantly cut the number of those receiving welfare and boosted the employment rate.
Giuliani directed the rescue and clean-up efforts on Sept. 11 and provided much-needed leadership to his state.
Three: New Yorkers love him. Presidential nominees would do almost anything to get their hands on New York's 31 electoral votes. In a race against Sen. Clinton, New York might be too close to call.
Odds are it will remain blue - but there is an outside chance it could go red. Giuliani revitalized New York City and has been a resident of New York all of his life. New Yorkers may not be too quick to turn their backs on him. He may even do well in New Jersey.
Four: The press likes him. At times, it can be challenging for a Republican candidate to get extensive positive coverage of their campaigns.
But both reporters and pundits seem to enjoy reporting on Giuliani. With the press on his side, the public can expect to learn more about his politics and his transformation of New York City.
Five: This is very important - the perception that Giuliani is too liberal is wrong. Yes, Giuliani can be described as less than traditionally conservative on two of the biggest social issues - abortion and gay rights.
He supports both. But there are different elements to take into account here. To begin with, Giuliani has maintained he is not a personal fan of abortion, but would support a woman's right to choose.
He opposes partial-birth abortion. He favors the traditional definition of marriage, but promotes tolerance and acceptance of gay individuals.
Lastly, he endorses the recent Supreme Court appointments made by President Bush. He has stated his preference for judges who will interpret the Constitution as opposed to those who legislate from the bench.
Furthermore, due to these positions, Giuliani may be able to reach across the aisle and garner support from Democrats who are unhappy with the direction their party is heading.
Six: Voters have seen him during a crisis. No explanation is needed here. This is exactly what the country needs in today's state of world affairs.
Columnist George Will described this sentiment perfectly on ABC's "This Week."
"People are going to ask what I'd call the seven-minute question," Will said. "Nightmare scenario, you're the security adviser, you're awaken[ed] in the middle of the night. You have three minutes to get the details of an attack coming on the United States.
"Then, the president, who you notify, has four minutes to answer. That's seven minutes. Which candidate fits the seven-minute question?"
It is no wonder why Giuliani is so admired by Americans all across the country. He has the perfect combination of the factors that would make a great president.
He just might become the first Italian-American president.
Reach the reporter at: hilary.wade@asu.edu.
