Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's attempt to "woo" West Coast conservatives in the hometown of Nancy Pelosi and the epicenter of the American left:

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a moderate Republican and possible presidential candidate, is working to strengthen his hand in California by scheduling a high-profile appearance and quietly gathering support from some of the state's staunchest conservatives.

State GOP board members were informed by party officials last week that Giuliani is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for the state Republican Party convention in February in Sacramento, sources said.

That appearance will catapult what was expected to be a fairly routine GOP gathering into a national event -- and is almost certain to ramp up the increasingly active parade of presidential hopefuls of both parties coming to California to court donors in a state viewed as the wealthiest source of campaign cash.

Giuliani, called "America's mayor" after his formidable performance in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, already has established a camaraderie with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- a Republican in the same moderate, bipartisan mold who also supports gay rights, abortion rights and stem cell research.

Despite those more liberal positions on social issues, Giuliani is gaining the backing of some California Republicans well known to the state's most conservative grassroots base: financier and former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon and Republican political consultant and Internet publisher Steve Frank.

To some San Franciscans, Giuliani no doubt seems "conservative," though his liberal views on social issues may well help him tap into California money.