NYT: Kerik Fallout Hovers Over Giuliani, but Only in NY

[Osamasux]

December 18, 2004
By JENNIFER STEINHAUER

For the last year, New Yorkers have watched in amazement as Rudolph W. Giuliani morphed into the shining star of a national Republican Party that is far more conservative than he is. The closer he moved to the Bush administration, the farther he seemed to move past the personal and political history that city voters remembered well.

Last week, when his business partner, Bernard B. Kerik, withdrew his nomination as secretary of homeland security and Mr. Giuliani had to apologize to the White House, New Yorkers were again reminded of the headstrong mayor they got to know during the 1990's, long before he became an American symbol. Many in the city spent a week of Christmas parties and subway rides chattering about the first chink in Mr. Giuliani's post-Sept. 11 armor and speculating about how much his advocacy of Mr. Kerik would damage his future in American politics.

But around the country, where Mr. Giuliani's reputation continues to glow, many Republicans seem unconcerned that Mr. Kerik's woes may complicate Mr. Giuliani's political future. Some simply see the problem as Mr. Kerik's alone, and are far less interested in the subject than New Yorkers are.

"He was close to Kerik, sure, but what does that mean?" asked Spencer Jenkins, the executive director of the Utah Republican Party. "Does that mean he was responsible for everything that Kerik did or thought? I don't see any negative here." A Quinnipiac University national poll of 1,529 registered voters, released on Thursday, said that 45 percent of those surveyed still wanted him to run for president, as did 68 percent of Republicans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/18/nyregion/18giuliani.html?ei=5094&en=d1061062d32c5e52&hp=&ex=1103432400&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1103384319-40xA3rXovdtoMZcMRyvBcA

[EdGy]

1. New York is all that matters

I'm hopeful that this has torpedoed any attempt by Rudy to run for Senator (or Governor).

On the national stage Rudy is DOA, he's too moderate, he is pro-choice, has gay friends, and other moderate views that the mainstream of the national Republican Party sees as unacceptable. There's no way the extremists in control of the national GOP would allow Rudy on the national ticket.

[KittyWampus]

25. Rudy Blames The Lose Of Explosives In Iraq On The Troops, He's DOA

any self-respecting Democrat would/should use that footage non-stop.

On national or local level.

[Osamasux]

2. First chink in the armor

We can't let it be the last. The help Giuliani gave Bush was invaluable and unforgivable. It must cost him dearly.

[rodeodance]

3. Rudy in 2008---sure is a lot of talk about it

[rocktivity]

14. The "first chink" in Mr. Giuliani's post-Sept. 11 armor

was when he announced he was not disbursing any of the funds that had been donated to the city until March. Only the resulting public outrage resulted in his releasing them before the end of the year. Was he going to use the money for something else, or did he have plans for the interest that would have accrued?

:headbang:
rocknation

[acmavm]

4. That's what we've come to, an America where people are too stupid

and way too morally lax to stand up to any principles, especially the ones who are trying to tell everyone what their principles should be.

I live in a country run by liars and thugs who have a 'base' that consists of people who claim to base their beliefs on Christianity but in practice do everything but that. Promoters of hate, bigotry, violence (Iraq). But ask them and they'll tell you they're the true believers in the man who's message was peace, love, charity, and understanding. This country is the Twilight Zone and the zombies are running things.

[hlthe2b]

5. Look at who is in the WH---He is hardly qualified nor scandal free....

and yet the RW is willing to look past his own drinking/drugging/probable girlfriend abortion(s). Plus his long litany of crooked dealings....

I'm not sure I'd rule out the Repugs managing to create another "image" to run...

[catgirl]

7. Rudy's shortcomings will keep reappearing

Too much dirt on him already and I imagine there's a lot more to uncover. Forget a presidential future. He has also blown it in New York as well. It still amazes me that his Sept 11 "compassion and leadership" won him such admiration. What would any other leader have done? Brushed it aside? And Hillary! I won't go there. Bottom line, Rudy is a wormy scum bag.

[alarimer]

16. My mom loves him

She lives in upstate NY. I can't for the life of me understand his appeal at all. He is just another lying Republican jackass. I have tried to point out all his failings to her but to no avail.

[beyurslf]

6. Liberal Republicans don't have a chance nationally.

[Sara Beverley]

8. Another lie from the RW. The rest of us out here know Rudi is a dud!

The RW media is trying to pump him up but it just won't work. He's not a glowing Christian icon. He engaged in extramarital affair, flaunted his mistress in public and is now linked to Kerik, a possible criminal. If the investigation on Kerik is not a whitewash, Kerik could even go to jail.

I'm still waiting for the media to ask exactly what Rudi and Kerik did to be called "heros of 9/11?"

[w4rma]

9. They were Repugs and they did lots of photo ops. That's what they did (nt)

[zann725]

10. "What" did Rudi & Kerik "know?" And "when" did they know it (re 9/11)?

Kerik especially.

[NYC]

36. Thanks for telling us.

I think New Yorkers wouldn't elect him dogcatcher. It's good to know that he isn't really so popular outside NYC as the media indicates.

[VegasWolf]

11. Those that know him the best, despise him the most. Major

accomplishment getting Disney Store into Times
Square. 9/11 is the best thing that ever happened
to Ghouliani. He had a wonderful opportunity to
take the credit for the real heroes work.

[JMS825]

12. Rudolph W. Giuliani is a Jag Mo anyways

Giuliani was on national TV after the tons of explosives turned up missing and he said Bush did nothing wrong and if anyone is the blame the troops are for not doing their Job that is why I spit on Rudolph W. Giuliani like he has on our troops

[chomskysright]

13. don't forget Guiliani badgering to hurry up Kerry to concede...

on 11.3; he was a disgrace; I had to turn the TV off to keep from throwing it out the window.

[rocktivity]

15. The Bush Empire got what they wanted out of Rudy

then disposed of him in a way that made Bush look like an innocent dupe and him like a screwup. How could they NOT have known about Kerik's flaws? Their objective was to hang them BOTH out to dry!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Prodemsouth]

24. You called it. The Call of the week! Bush knew or Bush Admin knew.

They are clearing the field early for one of their own.

[KittyWampus]

26. Yup, The WASP Mafia Wants NO Competition.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

17. ADOLF Giuliani is the one who blamed our troops for the "missing"...

explosives in Iraq. Giuliani is anti-Troop!

Giuliani is not good enough to lick Osama's crotch!

:puke:

:grr:

:argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh::argh:

[imenja]

18. Giuliani Sexy?

From the same article linked above:
"Many in the party's right wing, already nursing concerns about Mr. Giuliani's judgment, insist that his appeal is akin to that of a rock star - sexy but no future - and see this as the final straw."

That's the Republican right's view of sexy? No wonder they like Rush and Hannity.

[Bluebear]

19. Sexy? Hahahahahahaha

Yikes!

[tilsammans]

23. A lisp and a bad combover . . .

Now THAT's really sexy!

[kskiska]

31. Some might say he's sexy

Depends on what you like.

[imenja]

33. What a Fox!

And yes, that was intended as a pun. Love the photos.

[TheDonkey]

20. Doesn't Gulliani have sexual scandal in his history???

I really hope he gets the nom!! I don't see most mainstream Americans embracing his skeevy presence.

[0007]

21. I didn't see this country going ape shit over junior either!

[tilsammans]

22. Yup. A serial philanderer . . .

. . . who announced on a TV NEWS program to his wife Donna that he wanted a divorce. Wanted to have her and their children thrown out of Gracie Mansion so the mistress could move in.

Nice family values, huh? :puke:

[MADem]

32. Don't forget about his FIRST WIFE

...his Italian cousin, he was married to her for ten or twelve years. She had a "bad" womb, so he dumped her. Got an annulment to marry Donna. Donna spits out two kids, so he's done with her...on to Judy.

He's a fucking scuzzball who treats women like kleenex. Total jerk.

[njdemocrat106]

34. Judith Nathan is a dog, IMO

(No offense to dogs) Kind of like how Prince Charles divorced Diana and chose that prune-face Camilla Parker-Bowles instead. I lost a good deal of respect for Giuliani because of his divorce and his shilling for Bush (actually, it was more lying about Kerry) during the election.

[Prodemsouth]

27. Most of America and obivously most Repugs don't know Ghouliano

yet. Listen to that idiot from Utah defend him- you know if he knew what most of us who read newspapers knew he would not say that.

[napi21]

28. I wouldn't worry too much about Rudy in 2008.

A lot of the glow will be off his 9/11 reputation by then, and his has lots and lots of bad stuff in his background to make a mess bigger than Kerik's for sure.

[GRLMGC]

29. True

There's so much nastiness in his background that he could easily be taken down in the primaries by another Repug. Also, if they insist on nominating him, and we have a campaign that isn't afraid to air his dirty laundry, then he could potentially suffer a lot of damage.

[BUSHOUT]

30. Gawd I hope that little f#$ker runs! Please, RUN HIM!!!

[wankawanka]

35. guliani would never get out of gop primary