WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Claiming Rudy Giuliani has "consistently taken positions that are completely opposite to the conservative Republican base," the Democratic National Committee questioned the former New York mayor's allegiance to conservative stances Monday.

The DNC's statement came less than an hour after news surfaced Monday evening that he had created an exploratory committee to consider seeking the GOP nomination for president.

"It's unclear whether or not Rudy Giuliani will be able to just 'explain away' the fact that he's consistently taken positions that are completely opposite to the conservative Republican base on issues they hold near and dear," DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney said in a statement. "Throughout his career Giuliani has tried to paint himself as a moderate, but now that he's vying for his Party's nomination will he undergo an extreme makeover in an attempt to cozy up to the far-right?"

The quick rebuke of Giuliani is a sign the DNC is in full 2008 presidential-politics mode with the midterm elections only a week in the bag.

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