For Giuliani, Missed Greetings -- and Chances

Video

Giuliani Talks About Florida Strategy

Republican presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani answers questions about his campaign strategy in Florida and super Tuesday at the Jacksonville International Airport.

» LAUNCH VIDEO PLAYER

Giuliani is now playing what might be his last card: a personal and corporate tax-reduction package offered amid fears of a possible recession, and accompanied by a reminder that he supported the administration's tax cuts during President Bush's first term while McCain didn't.

There is no certainty that great numbers of voters will hear it. At as many stops as not in Florida, the crowds, once in the thousands, have been relatively small. After his motorcade left the Cape Canaveral hotel, it cruised to Titusville for a rally with about 200 supporters who filled half a room at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

Christine Schado, 46, an undecided voter from the town of Rockledge, was waiting with her husband, Michael. "They told me to come early if I wanted a good seat," Schado said. "But there aren't many people here."

Taking his place in front of a banner that said "FLORIDA IS RUDY COUNTRY," Giuliani talked about his tax plan and pledged to support NASA and the Florida space industry in their commitment to get to Mars. He asked the crowd to join him in dreaming big, "so our children can look up to the sky and say the sky is the limit."

He waved and walked off the stage. There was no question-and-answer session. "Well, I don't know, there was nothing about health care," Schado said, still mulling over what she had seen and heard -- and not heard. "And I don't think anything was said about immigration. Nothing about abortion. I was kind of surprised he didn't take questions."

She was still trying to put her finger on what she hadn't liked most about the evening. "There was just no energy, you know?" she said later. "No positive energy in the room. I was disappointed. I thought it would be bigger. It was kind of a waste of time. But the good thing is I really want to see McCain now. I like his military background and foreign policy experience in Congress."

The next night found Giuliani at the Villages, a retirement community of about 70,000, located 55 miles northwest of Orlando. His advance team had booked Giuliani's speech in the Scarlett O'Hara Room of the Villages' Savannah Center, which can hold more than 2,000 spectators. But the crowd was no more than a quarter that size in a place where a poll last February showed Giuliani to be the favorite candidate of Republicans living there. A recent survey showed him running about 2 to 1 behind Romney.

Loyal Giuliani supporters Lou and Mary Guiliano, formerly of Long Island, were in attendance, wearing the garb of their favorite baseball team and Giuliani's: the New York Yankees. "We think Rudy would be a great president," Mary said. "He's very direct, just like us. He attacks everything, every problem -- that's the way New Yorkers do it. But I think there's a little bias here and everywhere against New Yorkers."

Near the Guilianos stood retiree Donna Wood, 65, who said she opposes abortion and has concerns about Giuliani's support for abortion rights, as well as his three marriages. She is leaning toward Romney and Mike Huckabee, but she is undecided and wants to listen to Giuliani's speech, because "you hear about all the things he did on 9/11." She added: "I'm curious. I don't know where my vote is going."

It is much the way that transplanted Illinois couple Vel and Jack Huebner feel. "Lot of undecided people here," said Vel, 80. "He has a chance, though personally I don't know what I'll do. I think he has to get his act together with all these marriages."

Before being introduced, Giuliani received lavish praise from a trio of supporters -- former FBI director Louis Freeh, who notes Giuliani's prosecution of mob figures during his days as a U.S. attorney; Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum; and actor Jon Voight, who grew up in New York.

Voight was especially laudatory, saying that Giuliani resurrected the city. Giuliani's wife, Judith, looked up at the 69-year-old Voight and smiled appreciatively. When Giuliani took the microphone at last, he praised his wife as "a great partner," delivered his stump speech and answered three questions.