Giuliani Stumps in the Granite State

MANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 27, 2007 — -- Rudy Giuliani likes Thin Mints.

He ordered five boxes from the Girl Scout troop that greeted him at the century-old Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, N.H. FDR also conducted transactions at that hotel, in 1944, when he hosted the International Monetary Conference.

Giuliani is thinking "very seriously" about his potential candidacy. He said he would decide "when the pieces are in place."

The first question a voter asked following his speech to the Littleton Chamber of Commerce was "Will we see you on the ballot?" He answered, "That may turn out to be more up to you than me."

Giuliani gave no hint about the timing of his decision.

"Some people think you should make it sooner, some people think you should make it later, but the best thing to do is to figure out exactly what all the elements are and make it at the right time," he said.

The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Giuliani ahead of John McCain, who won New Hampshire's last GOP primary, 34 to 27 percent. That's despite Giuliani's moderate views on social issues. He is for abortion rights and gay rights.

He steered clear of those issues during his speech and instead emphasized his leadership during 9/11.

"I would prefer to support for president [a] head of a corporation, mayor, head of anything -- somebody who stands for something even if I don't agree with them completely," Giuliani said.

Voters also may disagree with his support for the so-called troop surge in Iraq, though Giuliani suggested last night he backed it out of deference to President Bush.

Otherwise, Giuliani gave a speech devoid of positions.

On immigration, he said, "What kind of problem is it ultimately when millions of people want to come to your country?"

He mentioned finance, saying, "If mayors, governors and presidents don't create budget discipline, nobody will."

For the moment, Giuliani is riding the noteriety he received after his performance on 9/11. One of the Girl Scouts who greeted him said she recognized him from television and the wife of a former fire chief asked him to autograph a book about 9/11.