Rudy Giuliani sharply criticized Hillary Clinton's promised tax increases and her socialist rhetoric while campaigning in California, Josh Gerstein of The New York Sun reports:

Mayor Giuliani is labeling Senator Clinton's plan to reverse President Bush's tax cuts "an astounding, staggering tax increase" that would turn back the clock and damage America's economy.

In a potential preview of next fall's presidential contest, Mr. Giuliani, who is seen as the front-runner for the Republican nomination, directly attacked the leading Democratic candidate, Mrs. Clinton, over a speech she gave Tuesday in New Hampshire bemoaning the return of "robber barons" and promising to pursue "shared prosperity" by increasing taxes on Americans making more than $200,000 a year.

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Mr. Giuliani clearly relished the chance to engage with Mrs. Clinton on the tax issue. He was even armed with some research about her past statements on the subject. " Mrs. Clinton, when she was in San Francisco a few years ago, was quoted as saying about the tax cuts, 'We're going to have to take more from you to give it to the common good,'" he said. "My philosophy is to give you a little more back for the common good."

Read the whole story at the link above. Hillary, naturally, is also saying taxes should go up to "reduce the deficit," a deficit which is rapidly dwindling on its own. The truth is that her health care plan alone will require more money than the entire tax cut on those making over $200,000, the level she and other Democrats have arbitrarily labeled as "the rich." Does anyone seriously believe that is the ONLY area in which she would drastically increase discretionary spending?

Rudy seized another opportunity to demonstrate to the Republican base, and the social conservatives in particular, just why we like him. He didn't let Ron Paul get away with his sniveling, moronic nonsense, and he won't let Hillary slide, either. It is precisely the proper approach for Giuliani, too: after the initial positive reaction to his "frank talk" on his abortion views, he pushed too far and started overemphasizing the issue that most divides him from the conservative base.

With Romney moving up slowly but steadily, and Thompson getting all sorts of free press for NOT declaring yet, Rudy needed to grab the spotlight again. This should do it.

Thanks to Power Line for pointing to this story.