Free Republic

A bombshell secret report sizing up David Paterson's leadership when he was Senate minority leader found his office mired in chaos, lacking clear lines of communication and hobbled by dysfunction and indecisiveness. The 2005 report, based on interviews with key aides, is a devastating early look at the bumbling management style that would come to define Paterson's first year as governor. "Leader Paterson has a restaurant maitre d' style of management - whatever the members want," Jonathan Rosen, then a top staffer for Senate Democrats, told a Paterson aide who was tapped to interview staffers and compile their opinions."Paterson is...

He's doing everything wrong.

Here is video of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani talking with CNN's John Roberts on American Morning about Rush Limbaugh. Giuliani said that Rush is a good personal friend of his, but that Rush is not the leader of the Republican Party. Giuliani said Rush has one of the most influential voices in the party with a huge listening audience. Giuliani said he hopes President Obama succeeds in every respect, although he does not believe the course Obama is taking will succeed. . . . . (Watch Video)

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles on Wednesday indicted a Jordanian businessman with connections to the Florida Republican Party on charges of funneling illegal contributions to three former presidential candidates and Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida. The indictment of the businessman, Ala’a al-Ali, 37, shines a spotlight on the role of a business associate who the complaint asserts helped collect the donations. The associate, Harry Sargeant III, is a major Republican fund-raiser who owns an oil company with government contracts in Iraq and who recently resigned as finance chairman of the Florida Republican Party. Mr. Sargeant raised more than...

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Republicans are completely out of power for the first time in four decades. Democrats rule the executive and legislative branches and hold 26 of the state's 29 congressional seats. On the fringes of this grim political tableau hovers a larger-than-life figure who won worldwide acclaim after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Rudy Giuliani, considered the GOP's best chance for redemption, has a new nickname: Rudy the Savior...

........more high-profile names emerged from the 163-page Madoff investor list....developers William Achenbaum and Edward Blumenfeld, the late hardware-chain founder Murray Pergament, WTC developer Larry Silverstein..... Morris Talansky who operates an investment firm and tax-exempt foundation "lost over a million dollars," said his criminal-defense lawyer.....Talansky's alleged payments to Israeli PM Ehud Olmert led to Olmert's resignation last year. Madoff's defense lawyer said he was listed because a relative who invested (had apparently used Ira Lee Sorkin's mailing address).

Glenn Beck: Giuliani slams 'Great Society II' stimulus package January 30, 2009 - 12:50 ET Glenn: From Radio City in Midtown Manhattan, the third most listened to show in all of America, Hello, you sick, twisted freak. Welcome to the program. My name is Glenn Beck. I'm glad you're here. Rudy Giuliani is on the horn with me. Hello. Mayor Giuliani, how are you, sir? Mayor Giuliani: Good to talk to you, Glenn. Glenn: Good to talk to you. Our country has changed so fundamentally since you were running for President that I'm beginning to wonder are who the heck...

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani urged President Obama and others to go slow on cracking down on Wall Street bonuses because they help boost New York City coffers. "If you somehow take that bonus out of the economy, it really will create unemployment," the former two-term mayor said Friday. "It means less spending in restaurants, less spending in department stores, so everything has an impact." Giuliani noted he gauged the city's budget by the size of Wall Street bonuses. "Wall Street has $1 billion, $2 billion in bonuses, the city had a deficit," he said on CNN's "American Morning." "Wall Street...

Good interview on Morning Joe.

A two-parter from David Frum’s new site, the New Majority; the key bit comes near the end of the second clip. He’s not asking the party to abandon social conservatism, just to nudge it towards the background and make foreign policy and fiscal responsibility the core of the platform. Which … is essentially the approach McCain took. He’s right about the dwindling numbers of the base, though. I think the GOP’s tacit strategy now is to wait and hope for (1) a messianic figure of its own to emerge and build a new coalition through the sheer force of his/her...

Rudy Giuliani analyzes the reason the Republican party is losing in recent years and what it can do to enlarge it's base. Stressing the importance of big tent politics and under-emphasizing social issues. In any case, the economy is the main reason McCain lost, but other social issues have also created a bad stereotype of Republicans in general.

LOS ANGELES - Former Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano and his entertainment lawyer co-defendant were convicted Friday of charges linked to the wiretapping of billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian’s former wife in a child support battle. Pellicano and attorney Terry Christensen were each convicted of conspiracy to commit wiretapping. Pellicano was also convicted of wiretapping and Christensen was convicted of aiding and abetting a wiretap. “We are disappointed, think the jury is wrong, and we will be appealing,” said Patricia Glaser, Christensen’s attorney and law partner.

Michele Obama once noted she didn’t have any pride in America until now, the moment her husband was nominated for president. In a sense, Mayor Giuliani is in agreement for at last we can “overcome the worst thing in our history.” Remarkably, this comment is devoid of historical texture. Barack Obama may be the first black president, but he is not the first black to serve in public life. After all Virginia, the seat of the Confederacy, elected a governor who was the grandchild of slaves. The 13th and 14th Amendments were designed specifically to provide rights to blacks emancipated...

Former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani has told Sky News the election of Barack Obama will make America "an honest nation and not a hypocritical one". Even though Mr Giuliani became a supporter of John McCain after seeing his own bid for the presidency fail, he acknowledged the President-elect would improve his country's image abroad. Mr Giuliani, whose reputation was forged while he was mayor of New York, particularly at the time of the September 11 attacks, now gives lectures on leadership skills and is in the country attending the Leaders in London conference. He says Mr Obama has...

November 25, 2008, 9:45 a.m. Opposed to Holder without ApologyThe shameful pardons are disqualifying. By Andrew C. McCarthy I’ll concede this much to Lanny Davis: Last Friday night, during our Hannity & Colmes debate over President-Elect Barack Obama’s selection of Eric Holder to be the next Attorney General, Davis said (or I should say, screeched) that I’d soon be apologizing, and he’s right. I am sorry that our discussion degenerated into a screaming match. That’s wince-making television that doesn’t edify anyone. So I do apologize to anyone who had to endure that segment. But Davis’s hysterical suggestion that I...

Eyewitness News @ 6 November 25, 2008 • 6:54 pmTuesday, November 25, 2008 A POLITICAL SUPERSTAR IS COMING TO CENTRAL GEORGIA.EVER SINCE SHE WAS NAMED AS JOHN MCCAIN'S RUNNING MATE...ALASKA GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN HAS DRAWN BIG CROWDS.NOW....PALIN WILL CAMPAIGN WITH SENATOR SAXBY CHAMBLISS MONDAY IN PERRY.THAT'S THE DAY BEFORE HIS RUNOFF WITH DEMOCRAT JIM MARTIN. AND BOTH CANDIDATES ARE BRINGING HIGH PROFILE PEOPLE TO GEORGIA TO CAMPAIGN FOR THEM.THE DEMOCRATIC GROUP INCLUDES FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON.. AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE.REPUBLICANS INCLUDE FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MIKE HUCKABEE.. AND MITT ROMNEY.ON MONDAY.. CHAMBLISS LANDS THE HOTTEST ITEM IN THE...

A lawyer who gave 100's of $thousands to Democrats is a tax cheat. Menachem "Melly" Lifshitz paid back $4.75M taxes, penalties, interest…..and promised to resign the state bar to stay out of jail. An investigation was conducted into charitable groups used in alleged tax frauds. Officials did not say if the Melly & Rochelle Lifshitz Charitable Trust, Nassau County, Lawrence, LI, is involved. The Trust has donated more than $250,000 to Orthodox Jewish charities. Lifshitz also donated to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. He is a partner at Berstein Liebhard & Lifshitz, a securities class-action law firm......

Rudy Giuliani said Sunday he will consider running for governor of New York and isn't ruling out a second attempt at the U.S. presidency. A one-time presidential front-runner and former mayor of New York City, Giuliani dropped out of the race for Republican nominee in January after losing the primary in Florida, where he had poured the bulk of his campaign resources. "No one knows whether you'll do something again until you come to the point of: 'Is it possible to do it again? Would you have a chance of winning?"' he said of a second White House bid following...

Rudy Giuliani says he will consider running for governor of New York and isn't ruling out a second attempt at the U.S. presidency. The former mayor of New York City dropped out of the race for Republican nominee in January after losing the primary in Florida.

'AMERICAN HERO' BERNIE CALL$ IN BACKUP Bernard Kerik's pals are holding a fund-raiser to help keep him out of jail. Attendees will spring for at least $75.......to help defray his legal costs. The Bernard Kerik Legal Defense Fund's attempts to raise money for Mayor Giuliani's former driver and top cop tanked. ".....noone wanted to come. People didn't want to be involved with him anymore. " * Kerik is charged with accepting about $225K in renovations from a company seeking to do business with the city - and didn't report it to the IRS (Kerik pleaded guilty 2006 to misdemeanors from...

"John McCain spent more time in the Hanoi Hilton than Barack Obama has spent in the US Senate." Rudy Giuliani from today's JSND Conference Call.Be sure you vote November 4th. And remember, Country B4 Party. NObama! NO DEAL!

4/25/07 Jim Robinson thread Free Republic This is the start of a series of threads that will be used to expose the truth about Rudy Giuliani in his own words and deeds. Please post all of the quotes, speeches, interview transcripts, video clips, photos, newspaper/magazine articles, reports, records, statistics regarding: ---NYC budgets, NYC spending, political appointments, gun grabs, connections to the gun control lobby, lawsuits against gun manufacturers, ---the truth about crime reduction in NYC, ---private property grabs, asset forfeitures, abuses of office, individual rights trampling, constitution trampling, ---violations of public trust, violations of the rule of law, national security...

PATERSON WOULD BEAT RUDY: POLL By FREDRIC U. DICKER, State Editor ALBANY - Gov. Paterson's tough talk about slashing state spending in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown is paying off. A poll out yesterday gave him a record-high approval rating -and showed he'd beat former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a gubernatorial election. The Siena College survey, however, found Paterson would lose a one-on-one contest to Mayor Bloomberg, but such a race would be tighter than previous polls have shown. The new poll found that New York voters, by 62 to 19 percent, have a favorable impression of Paterson,...

MEDIA ADVISORY Rudy Giuliani and Steve Forbes to Campaign in Virginia Saturday For Immediate Release Contact: Press Office Thursday, October 23, 2008 703-297-8900 ARLINGTON, VA -- The McCain-Palin Virginia campaign today announced that Rudy Giuliani and Steve Forbes will campaign in Virginia for John McCain and Sarah Palin on Saturday, October 25th. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Steve Forbes will hold a Small Business Rally in Richmond with Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore. Mayor Giuliani will also attend a Veterans Victory Rally in Virginia Beach with Attorney General Bob McDonnell and John...

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani today raised doubts about Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden's own trust in Barack Obama; "He seems to be predicting some very serious incident that’s going to take place and he seems to think that the reaction isn’t going to be the right one," Giuliani said in a conference call with reporters. "This is an extraordinary statement." Obama's runningmate doesn't think he's ready to be president. The campaign used the opportunity with reporters and Biden's comments to further its contention that Obama was not ready to lead and referenced Biden's own comparison of...

Predicting pols There are only 15 days left until Election Day, which means that pundits and pols will be busy predicting who will win come November 4. We caught up with Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Georgetown's Café Milano Friday night and she didn't pull any punches. "100% Barack Obama is going to win!" she told Yeas & Nays. "He's going to be our next president and a great president at that. We're all excited to work with him." But that's not what Rudy Giuliani thinks. We found him palling around with Yogi Berra at the Washington Hilton Saturday night and...

The Talk Shows Sunday, October 19th, 2008 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Former Secretary of State Colin Powell.FACE THE NATION (CBS): Virginia Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.; Missouri Republican Gov. Matt Blunt; former Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.THIS WEEK (ABC): Newt Gingrich, former GOP speaker of the House.LATE EDITION (CNN) : Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., House minority whip; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala.; Ed Lazear, chairman, White House Council on Economic...

ALBANY — Two words seem to be on the minds of many top New York Republicans these days: Governor Rudy. Rudolph W. Giuliani, since his bracing defeat in the presidential primaries, has kept himself busy as one of Senator John McCain’s most active surrogates. But he is also said to be mulling over a political consolation prize: a run for governor in 2010. A number of state party officials and strategists said the former mayor would almost certainly be the Republican front-runner, so long as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg does not change his mind and his party affiliation again. Many...

There was little in the federal bailout bill that most Americans could wrap their arms, much less their minds, around. What did strike a chord—and one of the rare notes of consensus—was that greedy executives of failed institutions should have to give up their high salaries and golden parachutes before getting a life raft from Uncle Sam. But the CEO’s needn’t be too alarmed. The $2 billion their industry has invested in Washington politicians over the last 20 years will likely bring healthy returns. Pesky details like “who” and “how much” to penalize were kicked down the road or left...

ABOARD “Straight Talk Air” (between New York and Miami)—Sen. John McCain would “absolutely” not compromise on Supreme Court nominations if elected and would continue to nominate strict constructionist judges if any of his Supreme Court nominations were defeated by a hostile Senate. McCain said that and much more to HUMAN EVENTS chief political correspondent John Gizzi in an exclusive interview Friday morning. The Republican presidential nominee also said, if elected, he would gladly join running mate Sarah Palin on a trip to Alaska to view the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge but has not yet changed his mind on oil drilling...

The ultimate insider, David Rubenstein, Managing Director and co-Founder of The Carlyle Group, told the Milken Institute Global Conference that a terrorist attack before the elections would have a dramatic impact on the elections and that it would result in Rudy Giuliani winning the election. He told the conference that following another attack Giuliani would be viewed by voters as the "Protector in Chief"...

LEWIS CENTER -- Rudy Giuliani blasted prominent conservative columnists who have criticized Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin as being unqualified and even worthy of being removed from the GOP ticket. The former New York City mayor spoke at a press conference at the Ohio Victory campaign’s grassroots leadership conference Saturday. Giuliani was asked what he would say to columnists who’ve criticized John McCain’s selection of Palin, such as Kathleen Parker, George Will and David Frum. “I think they look like a bunch of jerks after the debate the other night,” Giuliani said. “I think they should all say they...

MANCHESTER-- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani credited John McCain with helping to rally Republican support for the financial bailout legislation that failed in the House of Representatives. Giuliani made the comments while campaigning in New Hampshire for Executive Councilor Ray Wieczorek (R-Manchester). "I believe Senator McCain did a very important thing last week when he suspended his campaign, went to Washington, tried to put things together. I think it was mistake for the Democrats to reject him the way they did," Giuliani said at a press conference with local reporters. "I think that Senator McCain actually, in spite...

The Talk Shows Sunday, September 14th, 2008 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Former Gov. Tony Knowles, D-Alaska; Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, R-Alaska; Jim Laychak, president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y.; Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Bob Woodward, associate editor for The Washington Post and author of a new book on the Bush administration.FACE THE NATION (CBS): Gov. Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz.; Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.; former acting Gov. Jane Swift, R-Mass.THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Carly...

Rudy Giuliani’s consulting firm was hired in 2002 to help a Florida company build its business under a contract that called for Mr. Giuliani’s firm to be paid in part for lining up work with the federal government and other clients, company records show. Federal law prohibits payment of a commission in return for a federal contract... The deal between the firm and the contractor, Seisint of Boca Raton, was signed with the expectation that Mr. Giuliani’s high profile and connections would help the start-up company obtain federal contracts as well as nongovernment work, said Michael Brauser, co-founder of Seisint...

Apoplectic journalists have spent more than a week now howling with indignation at GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's belittling of Barack Obama's so-called community organizing. To recap, she accepted the veep nod quipping, "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities." Neither Palin nor ex-NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani, who made similar comments, attacked the honorable American tradition of volunteerism, but the media reacted as if their comments were somehow un-American. Pious liberal muckrakers ferociously attacked Palin and Giuliani, excoriating them for grinding one of their sacred cows into hamburger....

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University says former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son was properly dismissed from the golf team and was never promised a spot on the squad. Andrew Giuliani sued Duke in July, claiming he was improperly cut from the team earlier this year and that the coach violated a contract he entered when he agreed to come to the university and pay $200,000 in tuition and fees. But Duke said in a court filing Wednesday that the 22-year-old Giuliani was properly suspended after throwing an apple in the face of another player, breaking a golf club during...

Almost exactly one year ago during a Republican presidential debate in Durham, New Hampshire, I said that if I weren't running for President myself, I'd be supporting John McCain. Well, I'm not, and I do. Every four years, we are told that this Presidential election is the most important election of our lifetime. This year - 2008 - IS the most important.This has already been historic. It is the longest Presidential campaign in history. And it sometimes felt even longer.The American people realize this election represents a turning point. In two months they will decide the future direction of our...

Nov 9, 2007 EXCERPT: Bernard Kerik did an irresponsible job training police in Iraq, John McCain said. McCain cited Kerik's relationship with Giuliani as a reason to doubt Giuliani's judgment. Kerik is Giuliani's former driver and bodyguard, hand-picked Police Commissioner, and business partner. Kerik was also a failed nominee to head Homeland Security; Giuliani recommended Kerik to GWB for the post. Kerik is now surrendering to face corruption charges. McCain pointed to Kerik's performance in Iraq, along with complaints about how Giuliani treated first-responders after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "I don't know Mr. Kerik. I do know that I...

I think it was during the Rudi speech, after he said something like, "Obama...Experience...Zero...nada.." that the crowd started chanting Zero, Zero, Zero. That crowd came up with an excellent theme/symbol/slogan/etc. Zero. There should be lots of ideas on the Zero theme.

Rudy Giuliani had me in stitches during his red-meat keynote address at the GOP convention. I laughed out loud when Giuliani laughed out loud while noting Barack Obama's deep experience as a "community organizer." I laughed again when VP nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin cracked: "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities." Team Obama was not amused. (Neither were the snarky left-wingers on cable TV who are now allergic to sarcasm.) They don't get why we snicker when Obama dons his Community Organizer cape. Apparently, the jibes rendered...

Slowly, slowly, I am recovering from the extremely effective bilge festival staged by the Republicans last night. And while there is much to discuss, there was one item, in particular, that has to be considered infuriating: the attack on Barack Obama's service as a community organizer by the odious Rudy Giuliani--he's come to look like a villain in a Frank Capra movie, hasn't he?--and Sarah Palin....So here is what Giuliani and Palin didn't know: Obama was working for a group of churches that were concerned about their parishioners, many of whom had been laid off when the steel mills closed...

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The motto of Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin comes from a Bible verse reminding believers that God has given them "no cowardly spirit." And he has not been timid during three years as the most prominent religious leader in Rhode Island, the nation's most heavily Catholic state. Tobin used his edgy humor last year to publicly skewer former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is Catholic and supports abortion rights. In the diocesan newspaper, during the Republican presidential primary, Tobin addressed the candidate by first name—"Hey Rudy"—and called his stand on abortion pathetic. Tobin recently took on U.S. immigration...

Video link to Rudy Giuliani RNC speech Due to Rudy's adlibbing, posting the transcript of his speech doesn't do it justice.

Less than a year ago, Rudy Giuliani was leading in national polls for the Republican presidential nomination, but last night, he was making the case for the man who was in a distant third place at the time -- John McCain. When we last saw Giuliani on the national scene, his supposed "firewall" in Florida had collapsed, forcing him to abandon his once promising run for the White House. But tonight, he brought the house down with a prosecutorial dissection of Barack Obama's unreadiness to be president by contrasting his lack of record with the experience of McCain. Liberated from...

When Rudy Giuliani addresses the Republican National Convention as expected Wednesday night, it might be his last big moment in the political spotlight. It doesn't have to be. With New York State's gubernatorial race coming up in 2010, Giuliani has a rare chance to make up for his mistakes since leaving office. Instead of just making money, Giuliani can make a difference by helping to revive the GOP as a truly national party. More importantly, he has the chops and the experience to reform Albany and deliver New Yorkers the smarter, more responsive, more effective government they deserve. Before we...

(CBS) Speaking on Face The Nation Sunday, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was announced Friday as presumptive GOP nominee John McCain’s running mate, is more qualified to be president than Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. “You know why? She had to make decisions,” Giuliani told Face The Nation anchor Bob Schieffer. “All Senator Obama has had to do is talk. That's all he does.” Palin, who is 44 years old, has been the governor of Alaska for less than two years. Previously, she served two terms as mayor of the town...

Standing in front of a huge banner that read "A Mile High, An Inch Deep" and "Not Ready '08," former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani questioned Obama's credentials and quoted statements by his rivals during the primaries, including some by both presumptive vice presidential nominee Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.). Referring to Obama's pledge last fall to meet with leaders of hostile governments, including Iran, without preconditions, Giuliani said, "I think Hillary Clinton called it naive; Senator Biden called it irresponsible."

DENVER, Colorado (AFP) - Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani crowed Wednesday that Hillary Clinton's showstopping convention speech would help Republicans defeat the Democrats in the White House race. "I think she gave a very good speech from her point of view and our point of view, but not necessarily for Barack Obama's point of view," he told Fox News. "She never really answered the key question, is he prepared to be president? Which is the issue she put out there, rather dramatically, during the primaries." snip "She gave a great speech last night," agreed Giuliani, who failed in his...

Here is video of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani reacting this morning to Sen. Hillary Clinton's speech last night at the Democratic Convention. Giuliani said that Clinton delivered a speech that did what she needed to do, but she did not answer the big question about Obama - Is he prepared to be President? . . . (see video)