Clinton may aid Giuliani in race: experts

By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The best thing to happen to Republican Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign could be the rising fortunes of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The former first lady's position as front-runner among Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination, and the growing sense that she is cementing that No. 1 slot, powers the former New York mayor's argument that he should be the Republican nominee because he alone can beat her, experts say.

A poll this week showed Clinton ahead of her Democratic rivals with 53 percent support, compared with 20 percent for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, in the 2008 presidential race.

She raised $27 million in campaign funds, the most among Democrats, in the latest quarter. Well behind her but ahead of other Republicans, Giuliani pulled in $11 million.

"The perception is that Rudy knows how to handle the Clintons," said Lee Miringoff, pollster at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. "It's an excellent strategy. The message is 'I know Hillary. I know how to beat her. I know her weaknesses.'"

Giuliani and Clinton competed in 2000 in the U.S. Senate race from New York before he withdrew, citing his prostate cancer. She went on to win and has been a U.S. senator since.

This week, his presidential campaign released its strategy in a memo that put it simply -- "Mayor Giuliani is clearly the strongest candidate to run against Senator Clinton in the general election and is likely the only Republican candidate that can beat her in 2008," it said.

If Giuliani convinces Republicans that only he can defeat Clinton, the right wing may overlook his less-than-conservative views on such issues as abortion and gun control, experts say.