Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Oops. It was here a minute ago . . .

Okay, that's two "oops" headlines in a week. Probably two too many for most of you, earning me five demerits for informality of speech.

But, boy is this an "oops". It seems that someone in the Giuliani campaign left their internal analysis and playbook behind in one of the cities in which Rudy stumped for hurting Republicans in November, 2006. The New York Daily News has obtained it and is gleefully pawing through the purloined private notes.

The document apparently spends some time on Giuliani's weaknesses, which is the most fun part. Topping the self-flagellation list "is the explicit concern that he might 'drop out of [the] race' as a consequence of his potentially 'insurmountable' personal and political vulnerabilities." (Gosh, this is fun.) Chief among those personal vulnerabilities is Giuliani's "weakness" for his private business interests -- which reportedly earn him as much as $100,000 for a single speech. His staff also worries that Rudy seems to be drawn to people of questionable character, or perhaps the other way around, either way, the likes of Bernie Kerik, Russell Harding, and others, apparently have his staff very worried.

The topic is nothing new, this section of the internal Giuliani dossier could have been written a year ago by Glenn Greenwald:
Ever since his tenure as New York City's Mayor came to an end in late 2001, Rudy Giuliani has been on a money-making splurge. Beyond just his exorbitant speaking fees, his firm, Giuliani Partners, and its related affiliates, have their multiple tentacles in countless industries and highly lucrative transactions. That Giuliani wants to cash in on the 9/11 fame and admiration he earned is understandable after a couple of decades of living on a government salary, but that pursuit may end up sabotaging his Presidential ambitions.

At least in terms of his integrity -- one of the principal selling points for the former federal prosecutor’s candidacy -- Giuliani’s career has been unmarred. But any substantial venture into the private sector usually entails associations with less-than-pure individuals and transactions which, at the very least, can be cast in a negative light. If nothing else, Giuliani's extensive and diverse business activities are sure to provide ample fodder for opposition research on the part of any campaign looking to undermine his sterling image.
There's more, well worth the read.

Also on the nervous staffs' list are Giuliani's serial marriages and extra-maritals. Donna Hanover (his Mayor-time ex) and Judith Nathan (the current Mrs. G and the Mayor-time mistress), were expressly listed at the top of the list of Rudy negatives. (Showing all the class that can properly be attributed to him, Rudy publicly announced his filing for divorce from Hanover before mentioning it to Hanover. (By the way, Rudy was married for 14 childless years to his cousin and had that marriage annulled when he "found out" they were related. (How do you go through 14 Thanksgivings without "discovering" the relatives?) (Rudy's official campaign bio deletes mention the first two marriages and his two children) (how many times can I place parentheticals within one another like the Dead playing off The Eleven before my reader moves on?).) (Gee, I hope I closed all of those off . . . .) The divorce from Hanover was messy, with the jilted Mrs. bringing up allegations of still other mistresses.

The Daily News report goes on to discuss the fund-raising section of the memo. Apparently, the Giuliani campaign had been counting on the support or recruitment of fundraisers and professionals who have since hitched their wagons to other stars. Awwwwwk-ward.

Oh, PLEASE run, Rudy. The race wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you!

3 comments:

Will Divide said...

"A man who places one parenthesis inside another would throw a scorpion into a cradle." - Mark Twain

The exact wording may be different, but it was a comment I got on an English paper in college.

Upixah?

A Big Fat Slob said...

It depends, is the kid crying?

Will Divide said...

My inner cheerleader has been begging Rudy to run for the past year just so the rest of America can see what NYers have know for years; that he is a thin-skinned martinet, a crank and a boob.

Oh and what does this critical loss of sensitive information do to the reputation of Giuliani Partners? All of a sudden their million dollar retainers look like money burned in a pit.

Yeesp.