Giuliani Estranged From His Children

CBS News ^ | 3/5/2007 | staff

[George W. Bush]

Updated:2007-03-05 14:55:26

Giuliani Estranged From His Children

Some Say Personal Problems May Hurt Prospects

CBS News

NEW YORK (March 5) -- It doesn't look like Rudy Giuliani's two children will have a role in his presidential campaign. According to press reports, the GOP frontrunner's third marriage has alienated his son, Andrew, 21, and daughter, Caroline, 18, from their father.

Giuliani's 21-year-old son, Andrew, told the New York Times that he would be too busy working on his golf game to participate in his father's presidential campaign.

"There's obviously a little problem that exists between me and his wife," the younger Giuliani told the newspaper. "And we're trying to figure that out. But as of right now it's not working as well as we would like."

Giuliani's marriage to his third wife, Judith Nathan, followed his divorce from Donna Hanover, the mother of Andrew and Caroline.

In 2000, Giuliani announced during a live TV interview that he planned to divorce Hanover. She responded by publicly accusing Giuliani of adultery.

Caroline Giuliani has not spoken publicly, but the Times and New York's tabloid newspapers reported that she was also alienated from her father as a result of his marriage to Nathan.

The New York Daily News reported that Giuliani rarely spends time with his children and that he had failed to attend many important events in their lives, including Andrew's golf tournaments and Caroline's school plays.

Andrew Giuliani is a sophomore at Duke and a member of the school's golf team. Caroline attends a private Catholic school in Manhattan. She will attend Harvard University in the fall. Giuliani has had no comment on his relationship with his children.

Giuliani holds a huge lead in the polls over GOP presidential rival John McCain, but some political analysts believe the former New York Mayor's estrangement from his children and other personal problems is bound to inflict political damage.

Political analyst Charles Cook told Newsday that the latest twist would hurt Giuliani with the GOP's conservative voters.

"This is just going to be one of a thousand cuts," Cook told the newspaper. "This will just sort of fit into a whole constellation of issues that work against someone winning a conservative party's nomination, a party that thinks of itself as a pro-family party. This just makes it really hard."

Copyright 2006, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Sorry to step on your fantasy, but the survival time of many treated prostate cancer patients is over 15 years."

He backed out of the NY Senate race in 2000 because of prostate cancer. This is not a fantasy. How many politicians under fire from the media have backed out of campaigns and claimed illness?

We already know he won't back out to spend more time with his family.

[madprof98]

Even some conservatives are lapping up this spittle.

When a whole lot less awful stuff was coming out about Bill Clinton, we didn't call it "spittle." We said his personal misbehavior was an accurate reflection of his loathesome character. We need to say exactly the same about the GOP's Blue-State candidate.

[philetus]

Giuliani Estranged From His Children"

Maybe his children are confused about which one is mommy.

[packrat35]

Folks, think about it. Hillary can beat just about anyone we put against her but Rudy.

A really sad commentary on the Republican Party.

[presently no screen name]

And maybe he didn't attend these few events for a very legitimate reason.

Could be he planned on bringing his wife and the kids said, 'no dice'. Or Donna could have said, 'if he goes, I don't'. We all know how that crap plays out.

[mylife]

Rudy will tear the party in two

Naw. Rudy is doing us a favor by running so early and taking all the sniping for the party. He will allow is to get focused on the issues we care about while serious candidates who can fill the bill take notes in the wings. I expect to see some serious candidates emerge late in the year

[penowa]

"Is there anyone out there old enough to remember 'little' Andrew at Rudy's mayoral inauguration? The kid was a monster. LOL!"

Yes, and I remember Rush talking about going to some party someplace where the little heathen broke bad all day at the swimming pool without any direction from either parent in regard to his behavior or lack thereof. LOL!

[presently no screen name]

claimed illness

Nice. You have so much in common with the hated MSM.

[BonnieJ]

I hope it's someone more impressive, substantial and charismatic than Duncan Hunter.

[plain talk]

Yes ... but more importantly in Reagan's case his divorce was ancient history. Guiliani's messy divorce happened just a few years ago.

[psjones]

And who knows, maybe it's because they've asked him not to go. Bottom line is, we don't know what the situation there is, do we. It doesn't sound as if the kids have accepted their stepmother.
It's not always easy when parents are divorced, both my husband and i have divorced parents and step parents. His father, even though he wasn't always there once his parents were divorced, did pay for my husband's education and tried to help out my husband's sister.

I'm not going to rush to judgement since it seems to me we're not getting the full story.

[rlmorel]

LOL...I usually don't engage in...umm....Schadenfreude, but...in the case of Al Gore, I will make an exception.

Hehe, that little thing with his...er...umm.."involvement" with the company he brought the idiotic carbon offsets from!

Didn't hear much about it in the MSM (except for his big house)

[BARLF]

Thank You Palladin. I'm happy for your brother and his family. My hubby would have been 80 September last. He died April 29th. 2006.

It's possible I suppose his other ailments weakened his immune system and helped the cancer along.

The wonderful thing about it all, he never suffered horrible pain as so many do.

God is merciful.

[Ben Mugged]

whole lot less awful stuff was coming out about Bill Clinton

Getting a subordinate to give him head in the oval office? Rape? Lying under oath? Misuse of power?

Something else about Rudy must push your button rather than his divorces to be so forgiving of Bill Clinton.

[b4its2late]

The MSM will destroy any GOP front runner for Mrs. Bill Clinton.

[BonnieJ]

And as far as we know, Rudy Guiliani is very devoted to his current wife...unlike Clinton. I guess the whole thing is Bill Clinton never wore a dress to a fundrasier! He's now more acceptable than Rudy Guiliani to some Republicans?! It is amazing to see this obsession.

[presently no screen name]

more importantly in Reagan's case his divorce was ancient history. Guiliani's messy divorce happened just a few years ago.

Duh! "Ancient! And the difference in their years is almost 40!

[Elyse]

I can google and see that on wikipedia myself, but it doesn't tell me much about her as a person. She has raised funds for 9/11 victims, a Catholic hospital and school and Katrina victims. Many liberals have done the same thing. I'm not impressed by society fund raising.

[Palladin]

Whatever...

[mylife]

One thing Rudy has in spades is Charisma