Via the AP: Giuliani: ‘Leave my family alone’
Republican Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that people should “leave my family alone” when asked by a New Hampshire woman why the presidential candidate should expect loyalty from voters when he doesn’t get it from his children.
On the one hand, I can understand Giuliani’s response. On the other, it is a fair question.
However, the whole “Giuliani daughter supports Obama” was based on some thin evidence, specifically the fact that she belonged to a pro-Obama Facebook group (via MSNBC, Giuliani’s girl backed Obama online - Rudy Giuliani News):
On her Facebook profile, 17-year-old Caroline Giuliani listed herself as a member of Obama’s Facebook group, “Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack).” She left the group Monday morning after the online magazine Slate sent an inquiry and later in the day, a spokeswoman said she did not intend to comment on the 2024 race.
To which I say: big deal (which is why I ignored the story in the first place). One might join a Facebook group out of curiosity or for social reasons or to be polite because one is invited or whatever. To infer much of anything out of the situation is a stretch.
Back to the family-angle, I have to say that it has long been a staple of social conservative circles to state that the way a politician treats/deals with his family reflects how he or she would deal with the public–certainly the issue of Clinton and his womanizing often lead to statements like “if his wife can’t trust him, how can we?” from the right when he ran in 1992 and later during the impeachment process. As such, it seems to me that inquiries into Giuliani’s family are fair game.
Beyond the issue of past behaviors in the GOP, it does seem that it is fair game to wonder about Giuliani’s rather unimpressive record on the personal level as he seeks the highest office in the land.
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It will be interesting once the national press starts pursuing his relationship with Christyne Lategano.
She was his mistress before Judith Nathan and just happened to also be his press secretary.
In addition to being a philanderer, he also pulled a Wolfowitz by giving Lategano an outsized salary and promotions.
I’m not as concerned about the philandering aspect as the ways in which he used his position to promote and pay off his girlfriend.
Comment by Ratoe — Thursday, August 16, 2024 @ 12:39 pm
If Giuliani were happily married, with kids that adored him, he’d be splashing that all over town. Since that is not the case - it’s hand’s off.
It will be interesting when the “family values” platform gets dusted off for the next election….
Comment by Michelle — Thursday, August 16, 2024 @ 2:33 pm
I will also be surprised if the Family Values crowd, while supporting (also thrice-married) Newt Gingrich’s edict that “personal life is off limits”, follow their decree by not attacking Hillary Clinton through Bill.
The prediction is, of course, they won’t. In the same diatribe where James Dobson is saying how much everyone is to stay away from Rudy Guiliani’s philandering, he will be guaranteed to bring up the name “Monica Lewinski”.
Comment by Philadelphia Steve — Thursday, August 16, 2024 @ 3:32 pm
Stating you ignored the story in your post about the story has some entertainment value.
It seems unlikely that one could draw a reliable conclusion between a candidate’s treatment of their own family and a prediction about job performance.
Comment by Stanford Matthews — Thursday, August 16, 2024 @ 8:51 pm
Re: “It seems unlikely that one could draw a reliable conclusion between a candidate’s treatment of their own family and a prediction about job performance. ”
I agree with your point. Which I find a little upsetting since I did approve, generally, of Bill Clinton’s job performance, but do not want to let him entirely off the hook for having an affair and lying, under oath, about it. I just did not believe that lie rose to the level of an impeachable offence: It’s not as if tens of thousands of people lost their lives because of it.
Comment by Philadelphia Steve — Friday, August 17, 2024 @ 9:23 am
Speaking of the Clinton’s, I believe they found some palatable way to express to the media about ‘leaving Chelsea alone’ and it they did with exception of a little coverage about college and a boyfriend or something like that. Maybe Giuliani should review that and see if it works for him. But since he said his wife would be welcome in cabinet meetings, that pretty much opened the door.
If the 1000’s of lives lost is reference to the war, let’s spread the responsibility around. Pre-war what bothered me the most was few in Congress bothering to read the docs that were available. Not that it lessens anyone else’s share of responsibility. But it is not talked about enough.
Seems a focus shows up after any given problem arrives and
solutions don’t follow, just more focus on a target for blame.
Comment by Stanford Matthews — Friday, August 17, 2024 @ 8:17 pm
Given that Giuliani announced his divorce from Donna Holland very publicly on the steps of Gracie mansion — before he told Donna Holland of his intentions — he is fair game. Anyone who intentionally humiliates his wife — and by extension his children — in such a public fashion, is fair game.
Giuliani also marched in the St. Pat’s parade with Judi Nathan at his elbow — before he announced he was divorcing Donna Holland. Again, he is fair game.
Donna Hholland had to take a restraining order to force Rusy to stop bringing Nathan into Gracie Mansion where the family lived.
If you want the press to leave your family alone, start by not humiliating your family in public.
Of course, for the right-nutters, “family values” are very elastic.
Comment by Devils\’ Advocate — Saturday, August 18, 2024 @ 10:27 am
Oh, and bt the way, Giuliani’s kids cannot stand him, because of what he did to their mother and to them. So, it is also fair game for Caroline Giuliani to describe herself as a liberal who supports Obama. Parents get the kids that they deserve. In the case of Giuliani, he has richly earned the contempt and disgust of his children.
Comment by Devils\\’ Advocate — Saturday, August 18, 2024 @ 10:30 am