In some ways, it's very easy to become President. First, get elected to a high-visibility position somewhere in the United States. Governor of a state is good, but it doesn't have to be a large state, as shown by Bill Clinton's apprenticeship in Arkansas. Or you can get elected to the U.S. Senate and become a high-profile legislator. That's Hillary Clinton's plan. Or you can become mayor of a large U.S. city and sell yourself as a leader. That's Rudy Guiliani.

Rudy has nothing else to run on, so he calls himself a leader, even calling his book "Leadership." The plan is that Americans who don't know any better will vote for a leader because America needs a leader, especially in these tough times. Tough times need a leader!

Some leader. A leader is a good judge of character. Rudy's close friend, the former police chief of New York City and his personal choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was just indicted on public corruption charges. According to Associated Press, "Prosecutors said Kerik received about $255,000 in renovations to his Riverdale, New York, apartment from a company seeking to do business with the city of New York and concealed the income from the Internal Revenue Service. The indictment also alleges Kerik made false statements to the White House and to federal officials." Pick me a winner, Rudy!

A leader avoids sleazy endorsements. Rudy was recently endorsed by Pat Robertson, the rightwing Christian leader, regarded by all as a lunatic. Rudy supports abortion rights and has gay friends, so in thowing a bone to the rightwing fringe of the Republican Party, he stood next to a man who said the following disgusting things over the years:

"Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that’s held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings." –Pat Robertson, on the dangers of judicial activism."

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history." –Pat Robertson

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld

"(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." –Pat Robertson

"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period." –Pat Robertson

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected him from your city. And don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for his help because he might not be there." --Pat Robertson, after the city of Dover, Pennsylvania voted to boot the current school board, which instituted an intelligent design policy that led to a federal trial.

Who in his right mind would accept a high-profile endorsement from Pat Robertson?

A leader does not betray his principles. Rudy is addicted to talking about 9/11. Without 9/11 he has no campaign at all. His achievement on 9/11 was that Rudy was mayor of New York City when the terror attacks took place. But at least we know that he suffered personally when 9/11 happened. He lost friends and saw the carnage close-up. Back to Pat Robertson. Rudy accepted a high-profile endorsement from this guy, who agreed with the following statement on televsion right after 9/11, basically blaming the United States for the terror attacks:

He agreed with Falwell when Falwell stated that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were caused by "pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the American Civil Liberties Union and the People For the American Way." After public outcry regarding the dialog, which was conducted via television monitor and took place only days after the attacks, Robertson claimed that his earpiece was malfunctioning, and that he was unaware of what he was agreeing with at the time.

There is a strong undercurrent of protest about Rudy's rise in the Presidential sweepstakes. The rational view is that the Republican rank-and-file will learn about the real Rudy and turn against a total fraud who has concocted a bullshit "leadership" image that would allow the U.S. to rise above international terrorism. That rational view has not yet taken hold. Another reason why fear and loathing still carry the day in American politics.