I just got off the phone with a senior conservative consultant who has spent the morning working the phones to social conservative leaders
who have pledged not to support a Rudy Giuliani candidacy, should he win the GOP nomination.
According to my source, these conservative leaders have narrowed the field of alternatives.
I'm told that former AL Chief Justice
Roy Moore will be the first choice if Rudy is the nominee (there were rumblings about him in '04, but he was talked out of it to run for governor).
...
Alan Keyes, according to my source,
is the fall back ...
Apparently, they are leaning against running either
Gary Bauer or
Howard Phillips (Dr. Dobson reportedly voted for Phillips in '96 as the Constitution candidate), though they are on the list ...
The vehicle will most likely be the Constitution Party.
Update - 4:36: Marc Ambinder says "
A Third Party's An Empty Threat."
Update - 5:54 - The
AP reports that
Dr. Dobson "is not yet participating in any planning for a third party ...
Update: 8:38 PM- I had the chance to
interview Richard Viguerie, who actually attended the conclave. He tells me
Roy Moore's name was never mentioned.