Politics The Contenders: Rudy Giuliani
posted by on January 9 at 11:30 AM
Sure, November 2008 is nearly two years away, but it’s apparently never too early to declare one’s intention to run for president, and thus it’s never too early to get to know the people who might be the next leader of the free world. This month we’ll be taking a brief look at them.
Rudy Giuliani
Party: Republican
Age: 62
Status: Exploratory Committee Formed
Lionized for his steady hand and reassuring demeanor when the twin towers were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has been mentioned ever since as someone with the national stature and anti-terrorist-cred to mount a presidential campaign on the Republican ticket.
However, his colorful personal life and his moderation on social issues could make his candidacy a non-starter with the Republican base.
Giuliani was born in Brooklyn in 1944 to second-generation Italian immigrants. He graduated from New York University’s law school in 1968 and went on to make a name for himself as a federal prosecutor who took on organized crime and Wall Street corruption. In 1993, on his second attempt, he became mayor of New York, ushering in a tough-on-crime era that is credited with making New York a safer (and less interesting) place to live.
As outlined in a recently leaked (or, according to Giuliani associates, “stolen”) campaign document, the former mayor faces perhaps insurmountable obstacles to winning over social conservatives. He is currently on his third wife, having left his first after allegedly finding out that she was his second cousin, and having used a news conference to tell his second wife that he was leaving her. People speculate that he was already seeing his now-third-wife, Judith Nathan, at the time. On top of that, Giuliani was a staunch supporter of disgraced former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerick; Giuliani has dressed in drag on several occasions (see below); and he supports gay rights, is pro-choice, and has said he believes Americans should have to pass a written test to own a gun.
(With research help from super-star intern Sage Van Wing)
Previously: John Edwards, John McCain, Bill Richardson, Mitt Romney, and Hillary Clinton.
Speaking of DOA campaigns, buh bye, Rudy!
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"Of the four prominent Republican presidential contenders – McCain, Gingrich, Guiliani and Romney – only the Mormon hasn’t had more than one wife."
Rudy in Iowa? He's going to implode early.
having lived under herr guiliani's rule over NYC in the 90s, i must warn all those who don't already know that the man is a freak.
from annoying acts of micromanagement like arresting homeless with squeegees, proposing a ban on hot dog carts, banning ferrets (i wasn't exactly opposed, but geez), and turning times square into a disney world set, to major acts of control-freakishness like censoring the brooklyn museum over the 'black madonna', proposing to recind term limits so he could continue his mayorship, shutting down north-bound subways to impede the million-man march attendees' trip to harlem, and his callous reactions to the amadou diallo and patrick dorismond incidents--the man was out of control.
9/11 changed many things, but it does not change this freak's authoritarian narcissism.
see this salon piece by cintra wilson for a better rundown of his insanity:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/12/05/giuliani/index.html
i fear the country's amnesia and embrace of rudy as "america's mayor" over 9/11 will give him some sort of credibility. i really hope that's not the case.
Not only is it DOA, it's not even above water. Not gonna happen.
What has confused me about both Bush and Rudy is how can these two leaders who had the attacks happen on THEIR watch be "strong anti-terrorist leaders". Talk about the spin factor!
One thing I've never really understood about Giuliani: if he is pro-choice, pro-gay rights, supports more restrictive gun laws, and has had a relatively colorful personal life (including living with a gay couple between two of his marriages)... why is this man a Republican? On a large number of key issues, he is diametrically opposed to the Republican party platform. Oh, sure, there are a few pro-choice Republicans, and a few pro-life Democrats. But it isn't just one issue, but many, where he seems incongruous with his own party. I almost think he'd have better luck in the primary by switching parties or running as an independent.
I can't see him winning the Republican primary. The religious conservatives will have a cow, as will the ditto-heads on Faux News. Despite his popularity after 9/11, I think his campaign is a non-starter.
People love him, so I don't think his campaign is DOA. Think about what we have now: a prez who had little experience in government, a coke addiction, and a (many?) drunk driving charge. Not to mention being in the "air guard". There are others, but I digress. I don't think that Giuliani's past will matter that much. And, many people in the center would want him. I have him pegged as the vice prez nom for sure. That is my 2 cents.
Well, I was about to talk about what he did in NYC BEFORE 9/11, but Chops put it adequately. The man thinks he's king.
Sure, New York is safer, but it's so damn nice now that no one can afford to live there, including me.
Rudy Giuliani used to be a Democrat. If he wants to get nominated for the presidency, to say nothing of getting elected, he will have to become a Democrat once more because he's too moderate for the Republican base. Remember Henri of Navarre who converted to Catholicism to secure the throne of France: "Paris is worth a mass." Giuliani will have to say: "The presidency is worth kissing a donkey." What a battle for the Democrat nomination that would be: Guiliani versus Hillary. It would be the battle for senator of NY state that never happened because of Rudy's illness.
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