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.
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