Every conservative I meet has SOMETHING against Rudy. (Me?  His insouciance towards illegal immigration.) I don't think all those little discontents add up to one big discontent, though.  Political arithmetic doesn't work like that. If I'll give him a pass on immigration, why would not conservatives of a different kidney give him a pass on their pet grievance?  Leadership, as Kate quotes JPod saying, carries a lot of weight, and will carry much more if the WoT get more fraught.  People will trade a lot for it. Enough to make Rudy president?  That's the question.