"Rudy Giuliani was a C-plus Mayor who has become an A-plus myth"

[ProSense]

article | posted May 30, 2002 (June 17, 2002 issue)

The Full Rudy: The Man, the Mayor, the Myth

by JACK NEWFIELD

Rudy Giuliani was a C-plus Mayor who has become an A-plus myth. Since the atrocity of 9/11, Giuliani has managed to merge himself with wounded New York until the man and the metropolis--and this almost religious event--seem to be one heroic blur.

But in April 1999, in the sixth year of his term-limited mayoralty, Giuliani had only a 40 percent approval rating from the people he governed, who knew him best. A year later his divorce lawyer was savagely attacking his wife, Donna Hanover, while the Mayor was flaunting his mistress in public. He even brought his girlfriend into the Mayor's residence, Gracie Mansion, while his wife was still residing there. They don't allow this kind of behavior in trailer parks!

As a result, Giuliani's popularity plummeted again in the spring of 2000. He was almost a laughingstock when he withdrew from his Senate campaign against Hillary Clinton. The official reason given was the Mayor's diagnosis of prostate cancer, but even conservative writers like William Safire in the New York Times and Robert Bartley in the Wall Street Journal had urged him not to run in pointed columns focused on his chaotic personal life.

In May 2000 Giuliani looked like a control freak who had lost control of himself.

more

That's the Giuliani I remember. The man's political fortunes were in the dumps right before 9/11. He, like Bush, rode the 9/11 tragedy to mythical status.

From Talking Points:

(November 14, 2006 -- 12:34 PM EDT)

PERHAPS THIS IS something of an existential question. But do we really have to pretend that Rudy Giuliani has more than a snowball's chance in hell of getting the Republican presidential nomination? Or can we all just stipulate that a multiple adulterer, who supports gay civil rights and choice, has deep and on-going ties to mobbed-up and now-disgraced Police boss Bernie Kerik, has a largely unscrutinized (outside of New York) resume, and had the bright idea of locating the NYC disaster center in the already-once-bombed World Trade Center probably will have some rough sledding in Republican primaries?

Disgraced and Penalized, Kerik Finds His Name Stripped Off Jail

[Richard Steele]

1. Recommended

[pinto]

2. Ha! Great quote.

[Island Blue]

3. Rudy needs to be taken down now

before he has the chance to with the Republican nomination. Otherwise, brain dead Americans may fall for his danger-danger, terra-terra, shtick. (Because you know if he is their candidate, we WILL be attacked close to election day - I'd expcet nothing less from the Party of Terror.)

[rasputin1952]

5. All he has is fear, that's all any of them have...the whople GOP

reeks of fear simply because "the party of ideas" has none, and never did.

The first Republican, Lincoln, stuck in one of the most horrific times our nation has ever seen, never once showed fear publicly, he never espoused it as a political point...never once, did the first Republican revert to such a base emotion top sway the public.

Reagan won on fear, the silly fear that the USSR would nuke us at the drop of a hat. bush I tried to give people hope, but gave us a crappy war instead...can't stop that oil from getting here, weren't people afraid of "gas lines/rationing"...:scared:

bush II...more fear...fear that we may "lose our way"...Jesus, the man shoved us straight to the gates of hell! (now THAT is scary!)

Now it's terror...everyone has their own special terrorist hiding under the couch, waiting for us to nod off for just a second so they can behead us in our own homes...:eyes:

Here's an idea for the GOP...start taking care of AMERICANS! The infrastructure is falling apart, people are starving, people are homeless, people are dying from curable diseases...and I have yet to see a real terrorist running around sharpening his knife, waiting for me to nod off...x(


I never thought I would relish the days of Goldwater...but when Barry said the GOP was a bunch of hacks and shitheads, I got respect for the man...:D

[samplegirl]

9. Great post

How can any intelligent American person fall for the same old terror tactics. Well said we need to take care of Americans.

[rasputin1952]

11. These jugheads are spending so much money in the ME it is

beyond comprehension that they care anything for Americans.

Some "patriots"...this administration could care less about anything but making money, and when they make money off the blood and sinew of Americans, I call that treason. I have studied history extensively and have yet come across any society that has been beaten into a democracy.

Now, today I heard where Iraqi police were setting IEDs that were killing Americans...isn't that the beat all? Armed and paid by the US government to kill American soldiers...Just how sick is that!

Get the troops out of there now, let the Iraqi's have their Civil War, Sunnis killing Sh'ites, Shi'ites killing Sunnis...let the hatred between them stay between them. When enough people have p[aid with their blood, maybe, just maybe, someone with reason will stand up and say "ENOUGH!" Then the killing may stop. But not if bush has anything to say about it...the man lives for death...x(

[BrklynLiberal]

4. If it weren't for 9/11, Giuliani would have been on the dust heap along with Prez Shit-for-Brains.

It should tell the public something, that those of us who live in NYC, and REALLY knew Rudy, despise him.

[Pale Blue Dot]

6. C+ is WAY too high a grade.

He was an F. There is absolutely nothing positive you can say about his tenure. In fact, most people forget that most of NYC would have graded him the same way on 9/10/01.

[malmapus]

7. I still have my favorite "Rudy" memory from living in NYC

He was doing the "clean up" in the 90s, I forget the date now, but he decalred the Fishermans Wharf mob free, that night it was on fire.

[bklyncowgirl]

8. Don't you mean the Fulton Fish Market? nt

Edited to change South Street Seaport to Fulton Fish Market. That's what listening to Republicans for two hours will do to you. Make you confuse a beloved (if somewhat smelly) slice of real old New York with a tourist trap.

[malmapus]

15. I can't remember anymore lol

Been so long, but it was just one of those things where Rudy said one thing and well in this case the mob proved him not so right. :)

[Swamp Rat]

10. Whatever did he do to earn a passing grade?

What?

Stand on a pile of rubble without falling down?

[rasputin1952]

12. A friend of my mom's was a LT on the NYPD...no one liked

Giuliani that worked for the city. He was always there to take credit when someone else did a good job, and fire those whom didn't play by 'his rules'...Rudy gets the credit...period.

I'm surprised his head hasn't exploded from all of the expanding hot air...:eyes:

I think people on the RW side of the aisle may be taken by his bravado, but anyone w/3 working brain cells knows this is just another BS play by a champion BS'er.

[cui bono]

13. He was horrible in the debate tonight.

All he has to go on is fear mongering so that he can hang onto his mythical greatness he obtained after 9/11.

His "facts" about issues were all wrong. He said Dems are living in the Cold War of the 90's. Um... hm... I thought they're talking point is that Reagan ended the Cold War? And he was talking about Iran's nuke capabilities. He needs to study some more before the next debate.

[BlueIris]

14. Excellent summary of the TRUTH about The Mayor of America. nt