Rudy's Rude Awakening?

Former New York City mayor RudyGiuliani’s talkshow cheerleading for George W. Bush maybe getting tiresome, but it’s all part of GOP strategist KarlRove’s master plan to get “America’s mayor”elected in 2008, we hear. But not to the Oval Office.

According towell-placed political sources, Giuliani has been working closely with Rove tobuild a Presidential platform against presumed Democratic front-runner HillaryClinton. “There’s been talk on Capitol Hill for months aboutRove’s ‘secret meetings’ in New York with Giuliani,”says one D.C. operative. “Rudy is not appearing on Hardball andLarry King for his health.”

But sources say the job Rovehas in mind for Giuliani isn’t the one the ever-ambitious ex-mayor isangling for; as usual, the Boy Genius has his own ideas. “Whoever gets theRepublican nomination is going to appear so extremist that it will be hard forthem to appeal to moderates, the core of winning any national election,” notes our insider. “But you add on an American herolike Rudy Giuliani and you have a likable ticket. Just prepare yourself forconstant reels of Giuliani saving New York on September 11th.”

Painfully familiar with Rove’s machinations and mindfulthat Giuliani is likely too moderate to ever win the GOP’s blessing,Democratic strategists have taken to viewing him as a “secretweapon”—the kind of middle-of-the-road Republican (i.e. pro-choiceand not anti-gay) who would look good in the VP slot next to a fire-breatherlike Bill Frist. Just don’t tell Rudy. Neither representatives for Rovenor Giuliani returned calls seeking comment by press time.