Guiliani Fires Back at Dean's Criticism of Family Life

1010 Wins, NY ^ | April 28, 2007

[Cincinatus' Wife]

NEW YORK, New York (1010 WINS) -- Rudy Giuliani ripped into the head of the Democratic Party yesterday for getting personal by suggesting Giuliani's family life poses a "serious problem."

The shot earlier this week by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean marks the first time Dems have openly targeted Giuliani's messy past.

During a CNN interview, Dean said the GOP presidential front-runner "has a lot of character issues that he has to answer for."

"We've begun to reach out to evangelical Christians, and that's a real problem for him," Dean told CNN. "His personal life is a serious problem for him."

Dean refused to say what he was referring to, although the former mayor's marriage to his third wife, Judith Nathan, in 2003 followed a bitter, public breakup with wife No. 2, Donna Hanover.

Giuliani's team fired back hard yesterday in a Daily News article, calling Dean's verbal grenade a desperate ploy to divert attention away from the Democrats' wavering on Iraq, a theme Giuliani has clearly decided is working for him.

"Last night, the Democratic candidates for President once again made clear they just don't understand the terrorists' war on us," Giuliani communication chief Katie Levinson said, referring to the Democrats' Thursday night debate. "So sadly, it yet again comes as no surprise that the political leader of the Democratic Party - in a desperate effort to once again change the subject - resorted to a personal political attack."

The back-and-forth seemed to underscore growing concern among Democrats about Giuliani, who is the only Republican who beats all top Democrats in key battleground states, a poll showed this week.

[hkp123]

RUN, FRED, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!

[narses]

Why? Howard isn't trying to get my vote.

I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights, Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded. Source: CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999 http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Rudy_Giuliani_Abortion.htm

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES (November 14, 2006)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: I'm pro- choice. I'm pro-gay rights.

KING: Giuliani supports a woman's right to an abortion, and back in 1999, he opposed a federal ban on late-term abortions.

GIULIANI: No, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing.

KING: Immigration could be another presidential landmine. 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.

JEFFREY: He took the side of illegal immigrants in New York City against the Republican Congress.

KING: Giuliani opposes same-sex marriage but as mayor, he supported civil unions and extending health and other benefits to gay couples. He also supported the assault weapons ban and other gun control measures opposed by the National Rifle Association.

GIULIANI: I'm in favor of gun control. I'm pro-choice.

Republican Big-Wigs Support Pro-Abortion Event in NY

Pro-abortion Governor George Pataki and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also supports unrestricted abortion, are co-chairs of the 2000 Choice Award Presentation to be held on May 30 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. The event is sponsored by the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition, a group that is campaigning for the removal of the pro-life plank from the Republican National Platform.


http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock200503010743.asp

[Beagle8U]

Well, compare him to another snake if you want. Still a snake.

How about a corn snake? That sounds gay...lol

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

“They’re scared of ruudee, all-right......PLENTY of democrats would vote for him.”

Of course they would - after all, his policies are very similar to Bill Clintons.

He said so himself.

[shrinkermd]

What is it they used to say? “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.”

Like it or not Giuliani is leading in all GOP polls. People have not forgotten their principles but they do remember how crucial it is to win the Presidency. Giuliani leads because this has become a “celebrity” election. This is only a hypertrophy of what usually happens in elections—what people say about why they voted is frequently cover over their real reason—they like the candidate.

He might flame out, but I would not count on it. If he wins and people want to desert they can. In a certain perverse sense the nastiest knocks are not hurting Giuliani—they are boosting his chances and respect as he does his best to weather them.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Polls this early don’t mean anything.

[Jim Robinson]

Sad thing is, Rudy would turn the GOP into the very same things you hate about the dems. Get thee behind me, Satan.

[Enchante]

Dear Gary Hart,

Hey, drooling scumbag, you are the flaky apologist for the party that had EIGHT YEARS to do something and failed so badly. Yes, many figures in both parties could and should have done more, much more, all along the way. But guess what, the party that constantly poses the most obstacles to improving our security and counter-terrorism, even AFTER 9/11, is almost always the Demagogues.

[wagglebee]

Rudy is a one trick pony. The WOT.

Even though he hasn't suggested a single reason why he is even as qualified to manage a war as the other candidates.

[ridge]

Help me understand the point of the occupation and educational deferment post. I agree that the government leadership at the time of Vietnam war made significant mistakes both in prepartion and execution of the war.

No one said the draft system was fair. I think a volunteer military force is superior to some mistaken draft system. Forcing highly qualified professionals to leave the civilan work and educational force is economically and moral questionable.

I have no problem with the service of President Bush during the Vietnam War, and I have no problem with the service of Mayor Giuliani during the Vietnam War.

I’m support Giuliani, and I’m vote for him. I like his leadership in NYC and I like his leadership during Nine-Eleven.

[Luke21]

Yes sir. You have just deduced correctly.

[narses]

“...and I have no problem with the service of Mayor Giuliani during the Vietnam War.”

WHAT service? He gamed the system, like the corrupt NYC liar he is.

[narses]

LOL, sorry, Rudy was using ROTC as disgracefully as Clinton.

• Disdain for the Constitution
  Mayor Giuliani routinely disregarded the First Amendment as he rejected requests for information from news organizations and civic groups and opposed public access to city hall steps and parks for demonstrations. "Freedom is about authority," Giuliani said, responding to critics in 1998. "Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it."

• Withholding Public Information
  In a legally questionable transaction on December 24, 2001, just days before the end of the mayor's second term, Giuliani secretly moved all 2,100 boxes of mayoral files and videos from his eight years in office. The records, which by law were to become the property of the Municipal archives, were transferred to a gated private storage facility, and their control was transferred to the Rudolph W. Giuliani Center for Urban Affairs, a newly-established private nonprofit group controlled by Giuliani.

  Angry archivists and historians denounced the unprecedented hijacking of public property to private hands. Tom Connors, of the Society of American Archivists, said the transfer seemed part of a movement to "create barriers to the American citizen's right to know what their governments are doing."

• Profiting From His Hero Status
  In February, 2002, Giuliani insisted upon transferring guardianship of the $100 million remaining in the city-run Twin Towers Fund to a private charity he controlled.

  The families of the police and fire rescuers who died in the attack balked at Giuliani's plan to take up to a year to dole out the money, with his new organization billing $2.2 million in anticipated administrative expenses (including six-figure salaries for friends he appointed as officers). The families argued that the fire union had far more quickly distributed $111 million with an estimated administrative cost of just $30,000.

  Under embarrassing pressure from the victims' families, unions and state Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, Giuliani backed down. He promised to distribute the money within 60 days and fund his overhead from new donations. The families of the deceased rescuers, the real heroes of the September 11 attacks, received a one-time benefit of about $230,000 each from the Giuliani-privatized fund in 2002. That year, the former mayor earned some $8 million in speaking fees alone, more than $650,000 per month.

• Heather MacDonald, City Journal, January 14, 2004 (FrontPageMag.com)
  Former mayor Rudolph Giuliani sued all the way up to the Supreme Court to defend the city’s sanctuary policy against a 1996 federal law decreeing that cities could not prohibit their employees from cooperating with the INS. Oh yeah? said Giuliani; just watch me. The INS, he claimed, with what turned out to be grotesque irony, only aims to “terrorize people.” Though he lost in court, he remained defiant to the end. On September 5, 2001, his handpicked charter-revision committee ruled that New York could still require that its employees keep immigration information confidential to preserve trust between immigrants and government. Six days later, several visa-overstayers participated in the most devastating attack on the city and the country in history.

  New York conveniently forgot the 1996 federal ban on sanctuary laws until a gang of five Mexicans—four of them illegal—abducted and brutally raped a 42-year-old mother of two near some railroad tracks in Queens. The NYPD had already arrested three of the illegal aliens numerous times for such crimes as assault, attempted robbery, criminal trespass, illegal gun possession, and drug offenses. The department had never notified the INS.

  On the issues: Liberal Party endorsement of Giuliani

  National Review: Rockefeller quote

  New York Observer: Reagan Republican quote

  New York Observer: Republican convention quote

  New York Observer: Goldwater quote

  New York Observer: Clinton quote

  New York Observer: 'Good hands' quote

[narses]

Archives of Rudolph W. Giuliani, 107th Mayor

Opening Remarks to the N.A.R.A.L. "Champions of Choice" Lunch

The Yale Club, Thursday, April 5th, 2001

As Delivered

---

Thank you very much for inviting me to say a few words of welcome. This event shows that people of different political parties and different political thinking can unite in support of choice. In doing so, we are upholding a distinguished tradition that began in our city starting with the work of Margaret Sanger and the movement for reproductive freedom that began in the early decades of the 20th century.

As a Republican who supports a woman's right to choose, it is particularly an honor to be here. And I would like to explain, just for one moment, why I believe being in favor of choice is consistent with the philosophy of the Republican Party. In fact, it might be more consistent with the philosophy of the Republican Party. Because the Republican Party stands for the idea that you have to restore more freedom of choice, more opportunity, more opportunity for people to make their own choices rather than the government dictating those choices. Republicans stand for lower taxation because we believe that people can make better choices with their money than the government will make for them, and that ultimately frees the economy and produces more political freedom. We believe that, yes, government is important, but that the private sector is actually more important in solving our problems.

So it is consistent with that philosophy to believe that in the most personal and difficult choices that a woman has to make with regard to a pregnancy, those choices should be made based on that person's conscience and that person's way of thinking and feeling. The government shouldn't dictate that choice by making it a crime or making it illegal.

I think that's actually a much more consistent position. Many Republicans support that position, but you don't hear that as often. For example, in a recent poll by American Viewpoint, 65 percent of Republicans supported changing the plank in the Republican platform that calls for a constitutional ban on abortion. That's 6.5 out of every 10 Republicans. And over 80 percent of Republicans believe that the decision with regard to an abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and her family rather than dictated by the government.

[Applause]

In any case, I just wanted you to know that many of my fellow Republicans stand with you on this issue. So I thank you, I thank NARAL for taking the lead in establishing freedom of choice for all of us, and as the Mayor of New York City, I thank you for being here in New York City.

# # #
http://www.nyc.gov/html/rwg/html/2001b/champlunch.html

[Jim Noble]

Dean & Co. are going to shred this loser, just watch.

Like Sharpton and Maddox, Siegel and the NYCLU shredded him?

Rudy OWNS the shredder, and the RATS had better learn to like it.

[Jim Robinson]

"People have not forgotten their principles"

That's the truly sad part. Betrayal is such a cowardly action.

[Eagle Forgotten]

The Dems want this guy nominated. They are just trying to give him a little traction.

My first question was what is Dean up to? You'd think he'd know that for him to criticize a Republican would (at this stage) only help that Republican, as party stalwarts would rally around anyone who gets attacked by the DNC Chair.

So maybe you're right. Dean's no fool and maybe he does know that. In fact, maybe a pro-Giuliani backlash is precisely what he's hoping for.

Extremely Extreme Extremist wrote: If Rudy's nominated, the Dems are going to grab the values mantle....

Yes, I expected this sort of thing to go into high gear IF Rudy's nominated, but not this early. That's an argument in favor of Luke21's suggestion. Although Giuliani's high in the polls now, Dean (of all people) knows that poll numbers can be fleeting, and he may well have judged that Giuliani is the most beatable Republican candidate.

[narses]

“Rudy OWNS the shredder,...”

Yeah and babies die daily thanks to scum like Rudy who shred them in abortion mills. Mills Rooty wants my tax dollars to support.

[gotribe]

Him and everyone else who could and wanted to.