Not All Giuliani Backers Want McCain

The rush by many supporters of departing GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani to back front-runner John McCain isn't being followed by all the New Yorker's friends despite Team Rudy's encouragement.

Some Washington-based backers said today that they are taking a wait-and-see approach and are discouraged by Giuliani's swift exit and expected backing of McCain. They worry that McCain hasn't done enough to temper his stand on illegal immigration and conservative issues. Others, meanwhile, compared his candidacy to that of Bob Dole, who ran a lackluster campaign against Bill Clinton in 1996. Some blogs have dubbed McCain "Dole 2.0."

However, some of the Giuliani backers begrudgingly said that they will probably get behind McCain if he wins the nomination. Their reluctance to quickly accept Giuliani's support for McCain comes despite a short E-mail from Susan Molinari, who helped organize the former mayor's Washington team.

In it she wrote, "Let me take a moment to thank you for your support of Team Rudy. We all appreciate the time, money, and support that you gave the mayor during his campaign. I know that you are as proud as I am to have been a part of the effort. There would have been no better president for our future. The mayor will be endorsing Sen. McCain this afternoon .... Thanks again for adding your good name to this great cause."

—Paul Bedard