Is Giuliani Abandoning Iowa And N.H?

Today in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Rudy Giuliani campaigned as if the Florida primary was next week.

Giuliani told CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts: "Well, sure, we're getting near the end now!"

And perhaps he has to.

Pitts asked: "Here is something that I've heard from people who support you in Iowa in New Hampshire. This is a quote: 'Why has Rudy Giuliani written off New Hampshire and Iowa?'"

"We haven't had a proportionate strategy in that we've tried to spend time in all of the states," Giuliani said. "I see it as a nine-inning game and in a nine-inning game…"

"But you don't have to play the first three?" Pitts asked.

"Sure, we have. We've been in Iowa quite a bit," Giuliani said. "We've been in New Hampshire more … we think this strategy fits our campaign."

What do does he mean by fit? That Giuliani doesn't fit in Iowa?

"No, meaning what resources we had, what was available to us to accomplish how we thought the election would play out. This seems to be the strategy to fit this particular election," Giuliani said.

That's not how they see it in New Hampshire.

"I think Giuliani has basically written New Hampshire off," said Giuliani supporter Marshall Cobleigh.

That from a Giuliani supporter, who is New Hampshire's former speaker of the House. He fears his man has lost momentum.

"I think he's got a horrible national strategy," Cobleigh said.

If not "horrible," analysts call it "dangerous."

"The Giuliani campaign is nervous and worried and they should be," said political analyst Larry Sabato. "They realize that everything depends on Florida on Jan. 29. Either Giuliani wins Florida and catapults himself into the super-duper primaries on Feb. 5, or it's over."

That's not how Giuliani sees it.

Is Florida make or break for him?

"Florida is very important," Giuliani said.

At this late date, he has no other choice. He'll either be the frontrunner or a footnote.