THE RACE TO THE RIGHT:

Giuliani goes to the mat for Bush (Peter Hecht, 2/11/07, McClatchy Newspapers)

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, speaking of "the kind of president I will want to be," rallied California Republicans on Saturday with praise for President Bush and a declaration that victory over terrorism is "the great moral issue of our time."

Giuliani, who earned renown for his leadership after the World Trade Center attacks, drew cheers from delegates at the California Republican Party convention by evoking the courage of rescue workers on Sept. 11, 2001, and calling for new resolve in the war on terrorism. [...]

In Sacramento, Giuliani defended Bush as a courageous figure in the fight against terrorism. And, meeting reporters after his speech, he strongly dismissed any discussion of a military pullout in Iraq.