Elanso

Republicans are hot-wired for pay-to-play, and Rudy Giuliani is the quintessential Republican. There's just no stopping the Real Rudy from emerging whenever he gets a whiff of cash.

With the Republican Party in need of money for the November elections, former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has offered to appear at fund-raisers around the country for G.O.P. candidates. But there is a catch: He wants some cash out of the deal.

Mr. Giuliani’s aides have told the National Republican Congressional Committee and Congressional candidates that if he makes an appearance, he wants the candidates to help him get rid of his presidential campaign debt.

The unusual request underscores the financial predicament Mr. Giuliani finds himself in, after he ended his presidential bid this year with roughly $3.6 million in campaign debt. Traditionally, prominent party figures help lower-tier candidates by headlining fund-raising events in return for good will and future political alliances, but do not receive funds themselves.

This isn't unusual for Rudy. If there's a way for the former mayor of NY to find a way for others to pay for his mistakes, excesses or extravagences, Rudy will find it (see Giuliani's Mistress Used N.Y. Police as Taxi Service).

A reminder: McCain didn't win the GOP primary, people like Giuliani lost. This was the best Republicans had to offer. And because the Republican brand of Tom DeLay, Larry Craig, Mark Foley and Rudy Giuliani still hasn't cleaned house, they get to be almost as big an anvil around John McCain's neck as George W. Bush and the Iraq war. That's why they are in such deep trouble now.