Is Giuliani angling to be Gingrich’s VP?

Sure looks that way. Giuliani is now publicly criticizing Mitt Romney as a flip-flopper, and embracing Gingrich instead.

The problem is that Giuliani has a Romney problem. I.e., he's pretending to be a conservative when people know he's really a liberal.  Once he wanted to be president, Giuliani flip-flopped on gay rights - a lot.  He also flip-flopped on abortion.  In a very real way, Romney's reinvention is late to the game.  Rudy was the original chameleon.  And his embrace of Gingrich is just another effort to dispel a lifetime of liberalism.  Raw ambition can be an ugly thing. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani defends Murdoch... who just happens to be a former client (AP doesn’t mention that slightly relevant fact)

In a story about how the revered (snark) Rudy Giuliani is defending Rupert Murdoch over accusations from a British paper that his News Corp may have, among other things, tried to hack the phones of 9/11 victims, the Associated Press didn't bother mentioning that Rupert Murdoch is a former client of Rudy Giuliani's.  (It took me a whopping 30 seconds of Googling to find that out.)

Time for a blogger ethics panel. Read the rest of this post...

Rudy Giuliani is the energizer bunny of liars

Giuliani attempted to explain to CNN's Wolf Blitzer what he meant when he said that America had no terrorist attacks while Bush was president (Media Matters details the list of attacks and attempted attacks that happened under Bush). And, big surprise, he lied again.

Let me walk you through the day of lies:

1. Giuliani this morning:

"We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we've had one under Obama."

Other than September 11, the shoe bomber, Anthrax, the attack against El Al at LAX...

2. Giuliani this afternoon:

The Mayor’s spokesman says that the remark “didn't come across as it was intended” and that Giuliani was “clearly talking post-9/11 with regards to Islamic terrorist attacks on our soil.”

No, the shoe bomber took place three months after September 11, and was Al Qaeda. Then there was the attack against El Al (since now Giuliani has apparently redefined terrorism to only be mass murder committed by Muslims).

3. Giuliani "clarifies" (and lies again) on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer:

BLITZER: So at -- at this point, given what you're -- what you're saying in terms of terror attacks since 9/11, there have been no -- no terror attacks since 9/11 under President Bush, but one terror attack, Fort Hood, under President Obama...

GIULIANI: Islamic...

BLITZER: ...President Obama. Islamic terror attacks...

GIULIANI: Islamic terror attacks.

BLITZER: Is that what you're saying, zero to one, in effect?

GIULIANI: Correct.

Again the obsession with "Islamic" terrorists. But putting that aside for a moment, there were not "zero" Islamic terror attacks after September 11, you buffoon. Shoe bomber, three months after September 11. Then the attack on El Al at LAX. And the SUV attack at UNC. And let's not forget the DC sniper (whose last name was Muhammad - come on, Rudy, you know you're just itching to call that an Islamist terror attack). As for the Anthrax attacks, yeah, we don't know if Muslims did it. Though it's not totally clear why sending Anthrax to US government officials isn't an act of terror, according to Giuliani, so long as Muslims weren't behind it.

Then again, I hear adultery is okay too, so long as Muslims aren't involved. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani clarifies remarks, and still gets it wrong

Giuliani this morning:

"We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we've had one under Obama."

Giuliani this afternoon:

The Mayor’s spokesman says that the remark “didn't come across as it was intended” and that Giuliani was “clearly talking post-9/11 with regards to Islamic terrorist attacks on our soil.”

No, the shoe bomber, which took place three months after September 11, was Al Qaeda. So if you count that attempted Al Qaeda plane bombing, then you also count the one attempted Al Qaeda plane bombing under Obama. So it's one to one, not zero to one. Of course, the underwear bomber attack did not occur on our soil, so even that's wrong. Stephanopoulos, who reported Giuliani's correction, apologized for not catching Giuliani on this this morning. But he shouldn't just repeat the spokesman's new lie, unchallenged. Read the rest of this post...

Not kidding: Rudy Giuliani said 'We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we've had one under Obama.'

Okay, one more time, Rudy Giuliani said today:

We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we've had one under Obama.

Wow. I saw this at Political Wire where Taegan noted, Rudy was "apparently forgetting one big day."

Rudy and Bush built their political careers around that one unforgettable domestic attack, which killed over 3,000 people.

Media Matters documents several other terrorist attacks in the U.S. while Bush was in charge. Including the shoe bomber, the Anthrax attacks on the US Congress... Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani opposed to same-sex marriage, but consecutive marriages are just fine.

Giuliani wants to be the new spokesperson for preserving "traditional" marriage. He loves that institution so much, he's done it three times. Apparently, Rudy thinks it will lead him to the Governor's office in New York. What a hypocrite:

RUDY GIULIANI is declaring war on gay marriage -- vowing to use his strong opposition of it against the Democrats if he runs for governor next year.

BUT HIS GUY PALS PLAN TO WED

The former mayor, in an extended interview with The Post, also predicted that Gov. Paterson's high-profile effort to legalize gay marriage would anger many New Yorkers and spark a revolt that could help sweep Republicans into office in 2010.

"This will create a grass-roots movement. This is the kind of issue that, in many ways, is somewhat beyond politics," said Giuliani, a two-term mayor who unsuccessfully sought the GOP presidential nomination last year.

"I think gay marriage will obviously be an issue for any Republican next year because Republicans are either in favor of the position I'm in favor of, civil unions, or in many cases Republicans don't even favor civil unions," he continued.

Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. The issue in 2012 is the economy. Your party ruined it - and won't help the president fix it.

Plus, Rudy is out of touch. A majority of New Yorkers now support same-sex marriage.

NOTE FROM JOHN: Rudy Giuliani hardly opposes same-sex marriage. He's the only candidate in the Democratic Republican field (Freudian slip) who has a more pro-gay record than even Mitt Romney. What you're seeing is a Giuliani who's desperate to become president. And unfortunately, the only way you can win the Republican primary is to be a far-right nut. Of course, then you can't win the general election, but rest assured, Giuliani will rediscover his drag wig and lipstick if and when he wins the GOP nomination. Then he won't be talking to the religious right for four more years. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani supports Wall Street bonuses despite being failures

It's hard to imagine how this guy was blown out so quickly during his Presidential bid. Why does Giuliani hate capitalism? What red blooded American doesn't believe in shoveling over billions to total failures who brought the world into the worst recession in decades? Let's just forgive and forget as we wonder if our jobs will exist tomorrow and the economy falls harder because of greed on Wall Street. How does Giuliani's plan to reward failure fit with the capitalism? Shouldn't success be rewarded? Do government handouts really work, as Giuliani is suggesting? I guess if you are worth hundreds of millions, perhaps, but not if you are poor. Then you are screwing the system and a loafer.

Bonuses for Wall Street fat cats are easy political fodder in uncertain economic times, but former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Friday cutting corporate bonuses means slashing jobs in the Big Apple.

"If you somehow take that bonus out of the economy, it really will create unemployment," he said on CNN's "American Morning." "It means less spending in restaurants, less spending in department stores, so everything has an impact."

President Obama admonished corporate America on Thursday after the New York comptroller reported that Wall Street bankers received $18.4 billion in bonuses in 2008.

Then again, Giuliani does seem to be the expert on being a sponger. He's made millions telling third world cities what they already know. If billions of dollars of handouts are the answer to the problems of America, the country is completely screwed and might as well call it a day. Read the rest of this post...

The Old McCain: Mayor Rudy and Governor Mitt weren't prepared to lead America

Sam Stein reports that McCain vehemently asserted that the Mayor of New York City (population 8.2 million -- 1000 times more than Wasilla) and Massachusetts (population 6.4 million -- 10 times more than Alaska) didn't have the national security cred to be President:

Back in October 2007, when McCain's candidacy still appeared dead and buried, the Senator berated the two Republican front runners for lacking the necessary political experience to handle commander in chief responsibilities.

"I have had a strong and a long relationship on national security, I've been involved in every national crisis that this nation has faced since Beirut, I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism," the Senator declared. "I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."

That was one of the last remnants of the old John McCain. The new John McCain, the compulsive liar, thinks Sarah Palin can step in and handle the job. John McCain will say anything and do anything to be president -- even sacrificing the security of the nation. He used to think that was important.



Rudy and Mitt didn't meet the McCain national security criteria: It is impossible to see Russia from either NYC or Boston. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani: McCain isn't qualified to be president

In an interview with Brian Williams on MSNBC earlier today, former GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani disqualified his primary opponent John McCain’s candidacy saying, “this is not the time to have somebody with no executive experience as President of the United States.” Uh, McCain has no executive experience. Though, why do I have a feeling that somehow we're going to hear about McCain's POW experience?

Come on, Rudy - you always get into trouble when you don't stick to a noun, a verb and 9/11.

Read the rest of this post...

McCain: Giuliani, my top national security surrogate, has no national security experience

Of course, in a year when the faltering economy is the voters' #1 issue McCain has no understanding of the economy either, so together they'll make a great team. Actually, this is quite serious. John McCain has picked Rudy Giuliani to be his top national security surrogate, his top guy going after Obama on national security, when John McCain himself said that Rudy Giuliani has no national security experience at all. Then why pick him? Two possible reasons:

1. McCain can no longer remember what he said more than two minutes ago.

2. McCain is playing politics and picking "experts" who he doesn't even think are real experts, but if they'll bash Obama, then McCain is fine with their lack of expertise in the very areas they're talking about.

TPM Election Central quotes McCain on Giuliani:

"I think the nation respects the mayor's leadership after 9/11, and I do, too, and I think he displayed leadership at a time that Americans needed some steady hand, and I think that his conduct was very laudatory following 9/11," Mr. McCain said, when asked why so many voters identify Mr. Giuliani with the issue of terrorism.

But he went on to say: "I don't think it translates, necessarily, into foreign policy or national security expertise. I know of nothing in his background that indicates that he has any experience in it, with him or Romney."

Read the rest of this post...

NY cardinal criticizes Giuliani for taking Communion

Thank God my people left that church (or vice versa) a thousand years ago. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani's business fortune looks worse every day

It's always sickened me that Giuliani has made so much money from poor cities around the world, charging outrageous consulting fees for what they already know. (Yes, this doesn't say much about the leadership of those cities, but since when have they set the standard?) The Times has an interesting article today on his support for Purdue Pharma and their product OxyContin. Besides working for former cocaine smugglers and environment haters, Giuliani did very well for himself by helping a company that pleaded guilty to felony charges for misbranding a pharmaceutical product that is connected to abuse and hundreds of deaths.

And this is what some consider moral leadership? With health care being a leading issue in 2008, would Americans really trust Giuliani considering this history? Giuliani is a guy who likes center his campaign around fear and yes, I'd be scared as hell to have him involved with the health care system in America. We all ought to be afraid of his record, which is not pretty. Read the rest of this post...

Giuliani spent a night in the hospital?

I have been under three times for surgery in the US and never spent a night in a US hospital. In a 6AM and out in the afternoon, stitches and grogginess be damned. The only time I can think of when anyone I know (besides a woman giving birth) spending a night in a hospital was my father, the night before he died.

American insurance companies are so against paying for overnight stays so I wonder what was going on with Giuliani. How bad did it have to be for him to receive such a privilege? If it wasn't serious, does this mean Giuliani supports change in health care, or only change for the select few like him? Maybe he just raked in a few million that he charged a poor Third World city and can afford cash. If only everyone else was so fortunate.

Or maybe Giuliani is REALLY sick and isn't telling anyone? (After the jump: Giulini's plane was diverted to an emergency room, yet his campaign won't say what's up - that's creepy.)
More from ABC's Jake Tapper:

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was all smiles for the cameras as he left Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis Thursday afternoon after experiencing headache pains so severe he had his charter plane turn around on the way from Missouri to New York and was rushed to the emergency room.

"I feel fine," Giuliani said, refusing to answer any reporters' questions as he left the hospital....

The campaign shared no concrete medical information about which tests the mayor undertook and what the exact results were, also refraining from allowing the media to see his medical records or speak to his doctors.

And let's not forget that Giuliani had (has?) prostate cancer, which is quite treatable but also sometimes quite deadly. Read the rest of this post...

Rudy is fading fast. Republicans voters aren't loving the Republican candidates.

No wonder Rudy got so sick last night. He probably saw the latest polls.

National polls don't really give us a sense of what is happening in the early states. But, when a frontrunner tanks like Rudy did in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, then, it's interesting.

The GOP's frontrunner is dropping fast. Really fast. He dropped 13 points nationally -- from 33% support from GOP primary voters last month to just 20% now. Admittedly, Rudy's demise is fun to watch. But this also shows the GOPers have no front-runner. The actual Republican voters seem to despise all of their choices. What a fickle bunch. More poll details after the break.
After a month’s worth of mostly negative media reports, his campaign’s decision to decrease his activity in the early nominating states and the rise of GOP rival Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani’s national standing has plummeted in the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, providing more evidence that the contest for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination is wide open.

According to the poll, Giuliani — who has been the clear leader in all previous NBC/Journal surveys this year — is now tied nationally with Mitt Romney at 20 percent among Republican primary voters. They are followed by Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, at 17 percent; Arizona Sen. John McCain at 14 percent; and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson at 11 percent.

For Giuliani, it's a decline of 13 points since last month, when the former New York City mayor led the GOP field at 33 percent — followed by McCain at 16 percent, Thompson at 15 percent, Romney at 11 percent and Huckabee at 8 percent.

Read the rest of this post...

Looks like Rudy lied when he blamed NYPD for the very unusual billing practices

A break from the hostage situation in NH to get an update on Rudy's growing scandal.

This thing just keeps getting worse for Rudy as ABC's The Blotter gets more information that contradicts the former Mayor. This has become a textbook campaign scandal. Now, we're dealing with the lies and the cover-up of the original scandal about Rudy using taxpayer dollars to finance his extra-marital affair with Judith Nathan. Yesterday, Rudy tried to blame NYPD. NYPD's chief says otherwise. Lies and cover-up:

Giuliani said Thursday the unusual billing practice was not intended to hide anything but instead to speed payment of American Express credit card bills.

But the current New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said today he knew of no problems with the delay of payments before Giuliani was mayor, when Kelly served under Mayor David Dinkins, or since.

"I don't recall anybody, any statements about delay," Kelly told reporters.

He said all bills for the police details for Dinkins and now for Mayor Mike Bloomberg are handled directly "through the police department."

Back to you, Rudy. What's your lie to explains this?

Oh, wait. Rudy's not talking to the media today. Now we're seeing the pre-9/11 Rudy. That's the Rudy New Yorkers hated. Read the rest of this post...

Rudy: Claims a "hit job" on him, but doesn't deny using taxpayer money for his affair

This is becoming a very big scandal for Rudy Giuliani at the worst possible time. ABC's Jake Tapper just did a devastating piece showing Rudy claiming a "hit job." Yet, Rudy didn't deny what happened -- he just tried to rationlize it and change the subject:

Late this afternoon Giuliani told ABC News this story was a "hit job."

"This was really done to try to focus on my personal life," Giuliani said.

He said the NYPD always reimbursed city agencies for his security details' expenses.

"They were handled openly, honestly, it was the practice that was going on since my first term and the idea was to get the bills paid quickly," Giuliani said.

Comptroller Thompson said this about the Mayor's explanation: "That's not the way that we operate these days and it would not be the preferred way of doing business," Thompson said. "In the end, it's a very convoluted way of getting things done."

"If anyone hoped that no one would notice, they were being foolish," Thompson told ABC News.

Um, Rudy, this is about your public life intersecting with your "personal life." You were having an extramarital affair. And, you were using taxpayer dollars to facilitate that affair. And, you tried to hide it. So, Rudy, that makes it an issue.

Welcome to the big leagues, Rudy. And, stop your whining. You've been busted. Read the rest of this post...

Pat Robertson wants Rudy to be President

One of the pillars of the anti-gay, anti-abortion theocratic community, Pat Robertson, is supporting the thrice married mayor who supports a woman's right to have an abortion. So reports Chris Cilizza at The Fix:

Pat Robertson, one of the most influential figures in the social conservative movement, will announce his support for Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid this morning in Washington, D.C., according to sources familiar with the decision.

Robertson's support was coveted by several of the leading Republican candidates and provides Giuliani with a major boost as the former New York City mayor seeks to convince social conservatives that, despite his positions on abortion and gay rights, he is an acceptable choice as the GOP nominee.

Apparently, Robertson and his ilk only challenge Democrats on social issues. Robertson is nothing more than a political hack. Let's stop pretending there are any morals behind anything he does. Read the rest of this post...

Bishop would deny communion to Giuliani

Okay, this is kind of funny. It's totally outrageous, of course, but still funny as hell that now the far-right religious wackjobs, enabled for so many years by the GOP, are coming back to haunt them, big time. Read the rest of this post...

Forget global warming, illegal immigrants are what's really destroying the environment

This explains why the Bush administration isn't worried about global warming. According to the head of Homeland Security, illegal aliens are the biggest threat to the environment:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Monday defended the construction of a fence along the southwest border, saying it's actually better for the environment than what happens when people illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico line.

"Illegal migrants really degrade the environment. I've seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other human artifact in pristine areas," Chertoff said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "And believe me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment."

So in that fight to save the environment and bash illegal aliens in one fell swoop, Rudy was pandering at an infamous cheesesteak stand:

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani campaigned Monday at a landmark South Philadelphia cheesesteak stand that grabbed headlines when it posted signs telling customers to speak English.

In June 2006, Geno's Steaks garnered national attention for posting two small signs stating, "This is America: When ordering 'please speak English.'"

The Republicans can't find enough ways to alienate the minority vote. Read the rest of this post...

Hard core right wingers will quit GOP if Rudy is the nominee

The base of the GOP that Bush and Rove worked so hard to court are saying they may bolt if Rudy is the nominee. Yep, the fundies hate Rudy:

Alarmed at the possibility that the Republican Party might pick Rudolph W. Giuliani as its presidential nominee despite his support for abortion rights, a coalition of influential Christian conservatives is threatening to back a third-party candidate.

The threat emerged from a group that broke away for separate discussions at a meeting Saturday in Salt Lake City of the Council for National Policy, a secretive conservative networking group. Participants said the smaller group included James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family, who is perhaps its most influential member; Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; Richard A. Viguerie, the direct-mail pioneer; and dozens of other politically oriented conservative Christians.

Almost everyone present at the smaller group’s meeting expressed support for a written resolution stating that “if the Republican Party nominates a pro-abortion candidate we will consider running a third-party candidate,” participants said.

This "secretive conservative networking group" really is comprised of the most influential religious right leaders. They are sending a message to the GOP powers-that-be. Read the rest of this post...