Report: Rudy Giuliani running for president in 2012

WASHINGTON – It remains unofficial, but former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is poised to run for president in 2012, according to Weekly Standard editor William Kristol.

Kristol, a neoconservative commentator who's well connected in Republican circles, reported in a post titled "Rudy's Running": "I'm told by two reliable sources that Rudy Giuliani intends to run for the GOP nomination for president in 2012. He may throw his hat in the ring soon."

Kristol summed up the crux of the Giuliani's message this way: "I'm tough enough to put our fiscal house in order and to protect us from enemies abroad." However, his three marriages and moderate positions on social issues could pose obstacles in a Republican base packed with evangelical voters.

The former mayor led the 2008 field in pre-primary polls, but his campaign collapsed after a poor showing in the early states. This time, Kristol reports, he plans to "commit everything to New Hampshire" and focus on the winning the big winner-take-all states like New York, California and New Jersey.

A Giuliani run has recently been the subject of rumors after his close friend and fellow New Yorker, Rep. Peter King (R), told reporters two weeks ago that he was strongly considering another White House bid. The ex-mayor has so far declined to speak to the press about his intentions.

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