For seven years, he was America’s Mayor.
Rudy Giuliani was dying to be President
As he connected with, and managed the aftermath of, the greatest attack ever on America, Rudy Giuliani’s calm, steadfastness, defiance, and hope, made him a beacon not just for New Yorkers, but for Americans, and friends of America around the world.
This laurel wreath was in addition to the accolades he had received as the former prosecutor who reclaimed the city from criminal chaos by the simple principle of enforcing the law, starting at the street level. (Yes, I know the “broken window theory” has been subject to revisionist history by some academics.)
He enjoyed universal popularity, making him the most esteemed Republican since Abraham Lincoln, or George H. W. Bush in the aftermath of the 100-hour war that drove Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in 1991’s Operation Desert Storm. He was Time’s Person of the Year in 2001.
Because he had achieved nearly Caesarian acclaim, he began to think he could parlay his popularity into the presidency, and on Feb. 5, 2007, he announced his candidacy.
And he fell victim to his hubris.
He was the early favorite to win the Republican primary, with 44% support, well ahead of John McCain, the eventual nominee, with 20%. Giuliani maintained that lead throughout the year, and raised the most money.
Things were humming until the primary season. Giuliani calculated that as a thrice-divorced “New York City Liberal,” he would have trouble in conservative Iowa and New Hampshire. (Donald J. Trump later proved Christian conservatives could look past any indiscretion as long as you claimed to be pro-life.)
Giuliani skipped those two states, arrogantly some said, and pinned his hopes on the more moderate Florida, the retirement home of many from the Northeast who adored him.
Giuliani figured he would coast to victory on his 9/11 fame, which became the focus of his resume. Too much so.
In a memorable — and lucid — statement, Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden said of Giuliani: “There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11.” (Biden lost to Barack Obama and became his vice president.)
Giuliani finished third and dropped out of the race the next day, and — if I had to pick one moment — that was the beginning of the descent from America’s Mayor to stooge for Donald J. Trump to victim of a Sacha Baron Cohen sting to national disgrace to a self-confessed liar.
As Trump’s lawyer, he was nearly alone in echoing Trump’s lie that he had actually won the 2020 election. Nearly every other member of Trump’s inner circle told him he had lost, fair and square.
When asked for evidence of election fraud, Giuliani reportedly said, “We’ve got lots of theories, we just don’t have the evidence.”
Giuliani accused two Georgia election workers of vote rigging, which brought them death threats, and then brought them into court, suing Giuliani for defamation.
In a two-page stipulation, Giuliani admitted some of his statements were false — in other words, he lied — but maintained the false statements were protected free speech by the First Amendment.
The First Amendment does not protect lies, or statements made with a willful disregard of the truth.
We will see what the jury says.
Giuliani’s admission ought to bring some reality to the utter fools who still believe the Big Lie that the election was rigged. Trump’s No. 1 election-denier has just admitted he lied. How long others keeping mouthing the lie?
Rudy Giuliani tricked into a bedroom scene in a Borat movie
Hopefully, the prosecution will not play the scene from “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” otherwise known as the second Borat movie, in which Giuliani is maneuvered into the bedroom by a gushy female TV interviewer, who then begins loosening his clothes. It was a classic honey pot prank that the fearless crime buster fell for.
His law license has been suspended in New York, he may be facing jail, and there are two enduring images of what has become America’s Embarrassment:
One is of Rudy conducting a news conference in front of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping, which some idiot staffer booked, thinking it was the Four Seasons Hotel. The other image is of colored sweat running down his face from his dyed hair during a news conference.
Karl Marx said, “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”
America’s Mayor is now a bottom-dwelling farce.
Well, as Rich Wilson so famously said, “Everything Trump touches dies.” Rudy was touched by Trump. That was his kiss of death.
Wanda, Giuliani’s desire to be all powerful led to his downfall. He figured the orange-skinned SOB would lead the way for him.
It’s time for people to wake up to the danger Trump has done and the potential for him to do even more!
It’s clear what has happened to Rudy, he drank the trump kool aid and thought it would give him some power. Trump has committed some many crimes against this country we have to vote for Biden just to keep him out of office. Sad times for America
I remember having a cigar with Rudi back in the months immediately following 9/11; the man he became later on wasn’t the same man I will always remember. It was good knowing you, Rudi. Dii tecum vadant. Rudi.
I believe he fell victim to his praise.
I rather feel sorry for the guy, who fell so far from grace. From America’s Mayor to America’s laughingstock, in just two decades. You outlined perfectly how it happened. I hope our country will wake up to the toxicity of the former president (sorry, I can’t even bring myself to type his name).
“America’s Mayor is now a bottom-dwelling farce.”
Same could be said for America’s President, and worse.
He’s brought the entire country down with him.
He and, seemingly, his entire wretched, crooked family.
You may know I am not a Biden fan, but try to defend Giuliani without playing the Biden card, because I will then play the Trump card.
Tell me why you admire Giuliani, who has ADMITTED lying about election fraud.
Tell me why you are not a fan of Biden. Seriously asking. Economy: booming. Manufacturing: returning to the U.S. in record numbers. Inflation: quickly diminishing, far ahead of the rest of the world. Wages: rising. Unions: on the upswing. Unemployment: lowest in U.S. history. The first meaningful gun violence reduction in 30 years. Ukraine response. Taking action on climate change (albeit he could perhaps be doing more). Unless there is SOME evidence of wrong-doing, and I have seen exactly NONE, I have a difficult time understanding what this guy has done wrong so far to inspire such derision, particular from the right. Enlighten me, by all means. Like him personally or not, the numbers say this administration have done a pretty good job of getting us past the mess that orange loser made of this country.
What planet are you living on?
1- Canceled Keystone pipeline. STUPID. It doesn’t stop drilling. No pipeline puts crude on trains. Ask Palestine about trains.
2- Reversed Trump’s border policies resulting in an EXPLOSION of illegals. That has slowed now because Joe REINSTATED Trump’s stay-in-Mexico policy.
3- Repeated attempts to buy votes by charging ME for student loans.
4- TOO SLOW in sending what Ukraine needs. They ask, he says no, then reverses himself six months later. Ukraine need the arms NOW.
5- Debt continues to balloon, now at 120% of U.S. economy.
6- Appointments seemingly made on basis of identity rather than quality. Examples: Nuclear waste cross-dressing luggage thief Sam Brinton, DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, DHS Jacksss Mayorkas. NONE with qualifications.
Enough?
Debt has ballooned primarily due to the Bush/Trump Republican tax cuts for the rich. Trump alone added $7.9 trillion to the national debt in 4 years.
Pointing fingers again. It is MUCH higher under Biden than Trump. Better to have argued Biden was forced into spending trillions because of Covid. Unfortunately, I can’t post a graph here but it is easy to find using Mr. Google.
P.S. I emailed it to you.
A sad ending for the man responsible for leading NYC comeback. I still remember his young son acting up on a stage while Rudy was making a speech, it was funny.
The Greeks call it ‘hamartia,’ the tragic flaw found in every man. I will always remember the Rudy of post 9/11. He was a man then, a man we needed at a dark time.
I agree with Mr Martin and Mr Benedict, He was there when we really needed him. As a lawyer he knew better, and he must face the music. Sad for a man who at one time had so much potential.
Wow! I never thought I’d agree with anything Karl Marx ever said!