Posted on 03/05/2007 4:03:46 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS) -- Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani asked for privacy Monday to deal with strained relationships within his family, and defended his wife as a "very loving and caring" mother and stepmother.
The Republican presidential candidate came to Southern California to speak with sheriffs about gang violence, but found himself answering questions about his family after his son, Andrew, publicly said their relationship had become distant after Giuliani's messy divorce from Andrew's mother, Donna Hanover, and his later marriage to Judith Nathan.
"My wife Judith is a very loving and caring ... mother and stepmother. She has done everything she can. The responsibility is mine," Giuliani told reporters gathered outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff's headquarters.
"I believe that these problems with blended families, you know, are challenges -- sometimes they are," he said. "The more privacy I can have for my family, the better we are going to be able to deal with all these difficulties."
The New York Times reported that Andrew Giuliani and his father have recently tried to reconcile after not speaking "for a decent amount of time." In the Times article, Andrew attributed the strained relationship to Nathan, saying, "There's obviously a little problem that exists between me and his wife."
"We are both working on our relationship," Andrew Giuliani told a television interviewer. "No matter what he's done, I love my father. He's my father and we love each other. It's not as good as it once was but it's better than when it was its lowest, and it is getting better all the time."
Lotsa luck with privacy when you are running for President. Ask any other candidate (with the strange exception of Hillary Clinton)what kind of privacy they enjoy. They live in a fishbowl -- and it's a miracle anyone even wants to run for office.
Family Values Ping!
/sarcasm
Not a good sign, coming this early on. I'd say that there is about a 75 percent chance that personal issues will sink Guliani's campaign.
I always thought NYC was hopeless until he proved me wrong, big time.
Mother's can poison their son's toward their father's....and I'm sorry, but ANY woman who would participate in the VAGINA Monologues while a son was still living at home....well....there's issues there, too! I'd say.....no one knows the whole story, and it should be kept private.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, right, reacts to questions about his family asked during a press conference after he and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, met to discuss gang violence at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., Monterey Park, Calif., Monday, March 5, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
News reports of Mayor Rudeo's family problems broke while he was visiting Arnie Schwarzenegger.
As Rudy nervously answered one question about Andrew, with Arnie by his side...... the TV report noted Rudy's aide was sitting with the press corps "pretending" she was a reporter.
As Rudy finished his shaky answer, his aide then stopped all discussion by throwing Rudy a question on another subject.......as if she was a disinterested reporter.
How'd you like to have this devious crew handling your government?
FYI: The news report ended with a poll showing 88% of those polled had a problem with a father not attending his son's graduation.
Well said
Everyone with a perfect family please raise your hand, and then get down on your knees and thank God for your blessings.
I am neither a Rudy supporter nor a Rudy hater, but I see family issues as backfiring big time.
Thank you bump.
and while your husband is mayor of your city
A poll on family matters? Sheesh.
mini ping
Maybe the MSM is carrying water for McCain.
Donna Hanover was a TV newsbabe here in south Florida back in the early 80s, the "Miami Vice" era. She was known within the business even back then as something of a head case.
Rudeo? RUDEO??? LOFL.
That's hilarious, "Diz!"! My sides!!!!
I would like to have a president who stands up for himself and those on his team. What we have now is an honorable man who seems incapable of standing up for himself. Sometimes I think that his upbringing makes him incapable of defending himself or his team.
When he had his DUI (caught for going so slow on a country road) and for his daughter's underage drinking, each went to court and took their medicine, so to speak. Now, however, he has the weight of the entire country on his shoulders and such honor behavior leaves his team (be it Republican, conservative, or American) looking bad in the eyes of the world. It hurts more than just him personally; it hurts the entire country.
I think there is enough negative "stuff" in Rudy`s record to sink his campaign. The media will see it differently and jump on anything that might make a good story. Family matters always make for good copy.
Just caught a glimpse of Duncan Hunter on the intro on Fox News. They are at least including him now.
Agreed-he probably has the most baggage of any major candidate out there. With all the hype for rudy that has been coming from the MSM, I thought they'd do the rope a dope thing and wait for after the primaries and then unload it. But in the past month a whole heck has come out about him, and it only looks like it's accelerating, not slowing down.
Hellooooo..... It was his son, who by the way, is a grown adult who brought up the family discontent on national television. Nobody had to dig.
Was it Bill Simon who just said that every family has dealt with abortion or other social issues (alluding to having someone in the family who is gay)?
I can't remember who said it, but it's true.
Rudy may have been good for NYC but he is way too liberal to be a good president.
I don't know, but the family stuff always backfires.
Did he cheat again?
I can't wait to see the anti-Giuliani ads in the primary season. Get out the popcorn, it will be one hell of a show.
c'mon, Chelsea Clinton was off limits, the Bush twins were off limits too to some degree.
this is purely a smear.
Rudy should have simply become a confirmed batchelor. Like Nelson Rockefeller, and certain friends of mine, he has very poor judgement when it comes to members of the opposite sex.
excellent point...
FYI: The news report ended with a poll showing 88% of those polled had a problem with a father not attending his son's graduation.
Do you what graduation that was? I'm curious.
Somehow, President Reagan and Nancy endured the incessant press coverage of their childrens' temper tantrums.
High school.
Geez, now he wants to hide his character. Character counts, Rudy.
What a dirtbag.
A dad who blows of his son's graduation is a dirtbag.
That's AWESOME news! Thank you!
It's a matter of character and ability to chose those he wants close. If he's failed twice in choosing a wife, how do you expect him to be able to properly pick a cabinet of scotus judge?
Thanks for the report. I saw a little on TV, CNN, but didn't hear all of it as I was switching channels.
Can you imagine having the most famous father in your graduating class and he is a no show?
Jule and Annie are losing it.
Sounds like they realize conservatives aren't going to settle for anything less.
I agree with you that inserting family issues is going to backfire big time. Not many people today have perfect families and if they do, they have friends or other family members who have had problems. A lot of blended familities in this Country and probably 95% or more have experienced a trouble with the kids not approving.
Yep --- the desperate attempt by the NYSlimes and yet posters here claim he's MSM's candidate. Go figure.
Some of these Freepers will say anything whether it is the truth or not to make Rudy look bad but it is not working.
As a Duncan Hunter supporter I am choosing not to engage in debate on this Rudy Giuliani thread on Free Republic. As a freeper I am disappointed that there are fans of a liberal presidential candidate trying to push socially liberal views on this socially conservative forum. In particular, I have noticed that the Rudy G fans do not answer posts questioning the qualitative substance of their candidate, or the posts are met merely with insults.
Duncan Hunter's campaign website
http://www.gohunter08.com/
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Video of Rudy Giuliani in his own words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVBtPIrEleM
Transcript of video below.
Will the real Rudy show up at CPAC?
Culture of life:
ABC clip:
George Will: "Do you think Roe v Wade was good constitutional law?"
Rudy Giuliani: "Yes I believe, I believe it is."
Cnn Clip December 2, 1999:
Announcer: "Giuliani was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial birth abortions, something Bush strongly supports."
Rudy Giuliani : "No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing."
Immigration
CNN clip:
Announcer: "Back in 1996, mayor Giuliani went to federal court to challenge new federal laws requiring the city to inform the federal government about illegal immigrants."
Rudy Giuliani: "There isn't a mayor or a public official in this country that's more strongly pro immigrant than I am. Including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti-immigration legislation about two or three years ago."
Gun control:
CNN clip
Rudy Giuliani: "I'm in favor of gun control"
Meet The Press:
Tim Russert: "How about registration of all handguns?"
Rudy Giuliani: "You know I'm in favor of that. I've been on your show many times."
Gay Rights:
CNN Clip:
Announcer: "As mayor he supported civil unions, and extending health and other benefits to gay couples."
ABC Clip: "I supported domestic partnership legislation and signed it"
Meet The Press:
Tim Russert: "So should gay people be openly allowed to serve?"
Rudy Giuliani: "I think people should be judged on the merits. And there should not be a specific focus on someone's sexual orientation."
First Amendment:
ABC Clip
Cokie Roberts: "Would you vote in the senate in favor of Mccain / Feingold?"
Rudy Giuliani: "Yes, I'm a big supporter of Mccain / Feingold. I have been for a long time."
Party Loyalty:
ABC Clip:
Rudy Giuliani: "Frankly George, I'd like to run on all the lines. I'd like to run on the liberal line, the conservative line, I'd like to run on the democratic line if I could figure out how to do it."
Conservative Values:
Meet The Press:
Tim Russert: "Whether it's gays in the military, gun control, campaign finance, late term abortion - you and Hillary Clinton are in sync on those issues."
Rudy Giuliani: "Well then maybe the other side should stop the 'He's part of the vast right wing conspiracy'."
Welcome To CPAC, Rudy!
End clip.
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