Posted on 05/24/2003 4:04:32 PM PDT by blam
New York turns out in style as Giuliani marries for third time
By David Usborne in New York
25 May 2003
The Rudy Giuliani story has been one of the best soap operas in town since his bitter bust-up with his former wife two years ago, his run-in with prostate cancer the year before and, of course, his political heroics as New York's Mayor after the 11 September attacks. Roll credits this weekend for the happy ending.
Yesterday was wedding day for Mr Giuliani, 58, holder of an honorary knighthood from the Queen. In fact, there were no TV cameras for the strictly private ceremony - which is a pity, since the setting was gorgeous: Gracie Mansion, the newly refurbished mayoral residence on the East River.
"Hizzonner the Mayor", who was marrying his girlfriend of three years, Judith Nathan, had his pick of fancy hotels and other venues in the city for his nuptials, to be officiated by his successor, Michael Bloomberg. But the mansion was perfect. Or it was entirely inappropriate, depending on how you look at it.
Maybe he chose it to remind New Yorkers that his political ambitions were still burning. Governor or even President Giuliani are titles that come to mind. Or because it is much easier for security to protect than a hotel, what with reporters and al-Qa'ida terrorists to worry about.
Yet, this was also the home where his 18-year marriage to the TV personality Donna Hanover so publicly spun apart in the months before his time as Mayor ended. In the summer of 2001, he was evicted from the mayoral mansion by a livid Ms Hanover, who had got wind of the affair with Ms Nathan. The wronged wife was thereafter dubbed "Cruella" by the Mayor's sharp-tongued divorce lawyer.
Ms Hanover, who presents a cable show about celebrity homes, was not expected at Gracie Mansion last night. But then the list of 300 invited to attend was a closely held secret. We did know who was not invited, however: they included another ex-mayor and long-time political thorn in Mr Giuliani's side, Ed Koch. Mr Koch tried not to sound bitter: "I'm not a close friend, but I wish him well," he said. "But if he runs for Mayor again, I won't vote for him."
Mr Giuliani, who runs a political and security consulting partnership, was spotted all about town last week, grinning madly. On Monday, he and his fiancée collected the marriage licence from City Hall. "I'm very, very happy," he informed the attendant reporters. "I'm looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together." Thursday saw a stag party at Yankee Stadium, given by the groom's 17-year-old son, Andrew, also the best man.
The other star of the show, though, was Mr Bloomberg. Usually he prefers to avoid any official activities on a Saturday, when he can be found on the golf course or inspecting his various homes worldwide. Mr Bloomberg also made it clear when he took office last year that he had no intention of using his mayoral powers to marry people.
But for Mr Giuliani, he made an exception. Indeed, he wrote a whole new policy on the matter. He will be available in future to officiate at weddings of former New York mayors only, and for no one else. Which means he'll surely never have to do it again - Mr Koch has never married, and shows no intention of doing so - though this assumes the Nathan-Giuliani pact holds good.
This is, after all, Mr Giuliani's third stab at marriage. When he won Ms Hanover, he first had to break away from his first wife of 14 years, Regina Peruggi. He managed by persuading the Catholic church to annul the union. Which wasn't so hard, since he and Ms Peruggi are second cousins.
All true. And only a New Yorker can appreciate the public spectacle of a "marriage" that he and his former wife had for most of his time in office. They lived separate lives since shortly after he first came to office.
We also know that there is no way in hell that the former Mrs. Giuliani was "blindsided" by his request for a divorce, given their rather public distancing from one another and various passive-aggressive acts carried out in public.
The Giulianis had a very publicly miserable and dysfunctional marriage. They were never seen in public together; she publicly dropped his last name and took back her prior husband's last name; she sought out a role in that Talking Cooters play, just when he was starting to gear up his race for the Senate; when he was re-elected in 1997, she made a point of seeking out the media so that she could say she didn't know if she was going to vote for him; etc.
That family was "broken up" long before Rudy took up with a woman who loves him for himself, not for whatever power she could get from him. Did you know that shortly after he was first elected, his wife had a tantrum when he wouldn't give her a "Hillary-like role" in City Hall?
I was fortunate enough to marry a really great guy who treats me better than anyone deserves to be treated - but I have seen friends go through some unbelievably nasty things in their marriages, and from the outside looking in, you would never have known how miserable their lives were. After having seen some of that stuff, I still wish married people could find a way to stay married, but I'm much slower to preach to others on the topic.
I wish the bride, the groom, and the son much happiness. And they can wear whatever they want, as far as I'm concerned. ; )
I also wish married people would find a way to make it work -- at least until the kids are grown and out of the house -- but I suppose that some situations are so toxic that it's better for all involved if they just part company.
I mean, the way she treated him when he was undergoing treatment for his cancer (radiation therapy, I think) was beyond cruel and despicable. She not only kicked him out of their bedroom and wouldn't even let him stay in a room near a bathroom, but she arranged it so that he was staying in a room right below the master bedroom, and she'd use her exercise machines every day at 5 a.m.
Considering that they lived in that mansion because of *HIS* job and he could have kicked her ass out of there at any time, I think she had a big pair of brass ones to do that to him.
She also had a lot of nerve showing up at the hospital where his mother was taken and making a big scene by refusing to leave until the media had been there and left. Btw, this happened *after* they split.
I'm always happy to hear about people like you, who've found wonderful mates, and I hope that I am so lucky one day. :) And after all that Rudy has been through and done for this city, I wish him, his wife and his children nothing but happiness. As for the former Mrs. Giuliani, she's not exactly crying herself to sleep, alone, at night -- she's now engaged to marry her high school sweetheart. In fact, when they went to shop for an engagement ring, she actually had that "event" placed in the AP Daybook. Really! :)
You and a lot of other people. That's why adultery, which was once considered shameful behavior, is now celebrated in the media. It's why children are expected to cheer on their parents when they promise--for the third time, the fourth time, or whatever time--to love, honor, and cherish another person for the rest of their lives (wink, wink, wink). It's sick and evil. I'm sorry you have no problem with it.
it's p-r-o-s-t-a-t-e. Get it right. It bugs me when people can't get that right.
My sentiments too. We can't know the state of his soul, but his position regarding abortion is a strong indication. We will know them by what they do.
If Guiliani is ever on a presidential ticket, I'm off.
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