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.
Double adulterer and fornicator.
It seems that the only way anybody could live with that knowledge about himself would have to have a conscience that has been seared as with a hot iron!
Very much in line with the consciences of the Abortionists(baby murderers)!
Flame away, I am just one small voice in this "wilderness of immorality"!
He deserves some happiness after having dealt with the Hag from Hell for all those years.
Shortly after he was first elected, she tried to demand a "Hillary-like role" in City Hall, but when turned down, she dropped her married name (for that of her previous husband) and tried desperately to develop a Hollyweird career while very publicly leading a separate life.
When he was running against Hillary, the doting wife decided to appear in that Vagina Monologues crap, just to embarrass him. Oh, and that wasn't the first time she tried to do that to him.
When he was re-elected in 1997, she purposely avoided all campaign events and made a point of refusing to say if she was going to vote for him -- but she still loved living the life of the Mayor's Wife, with all the maids, personal assistants, social secretaries, cooks, Gracie Mansion, and so on.
For years, all of us here in NYC knew that they were, for all intents and purposes, separated and living very separate lives. But please don't let a good man finding some happiness get in the way of all that "tsk, tsking" and clucking of tongues. How *dare* his kid arrange an outing to a baseball game!
The article said "stag party," and having the 17-year-old son as best man was in and of itself sick. However, it's apparently the kind of illness which doesn't raise eyebrows in NYC. Exactly what one might expect from a place which elects people like Chuckie and Hillary . . . and "Republican" mayor Bloomberg. Enjoy it there.
But what on earth is wrong with having his son stand up for him?!
Oh, and yes, I *do* enjoy not having to deal with humorless, sanctimonious old ladies. :)
The phrase "stag party" was used by a disreputable British tabloid, but anyone with a lick of common sense would be able to figure out that "17-year-old son" and "baseball game" do not equal a real stag party. But what on earth is wrong with having his son stand up for him?!
I presume Giuliani is Catholic, at least nominally, but his stance on abortion and his attitude to the sanctity of marriage make him a fiscally conservative Teddy Kennedy in my opinion.
The bride wore a Vera Wang oyster-colored silk gown with a halter neck and a foot-long train, with a 19th-century diamond-and-pearl tiara on her head
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