March 8, 2007--Rudy
I was wondering how long it would take before the mainstream media began to suggest that Rudy Giuliani might be just too New York for the rest of the country. They’ve already been questioning if his three marriages—one to a cousin, another dissolved by him at a press conference, and the third the result of very public philandering—if these would turn off Middle America. Especially the Republican Party base.
Apparently not. At least thus far. He did well at the recent Conservative Political Action Committee convention and he is at the moment leading all other Republican contenders in public opinion polls.
But now they are speculating that the qualities that endeared him to many New Yorkers (and alienated others)—his brash, opinionated, rough style might not be the right qualities for a potential Republican presidential candidate. (See NY Times article linked below.)
It appears, though, that the perception that he will keep us safe from terrorism seems to trump his “progressive” stands on gay rights (including his penchant while mayor to turn up in drag), gun control, abortion, and even the fact that his son has disavowed him.
Former mayor Ed Koch, who was and perhaps still is a Giuliani supporter, says that Rudy is not only temperamental, controlling, and capricious but also “mean-spirited.” That there is a “bad Guiliani.”
I’m a New Yorker and lived through the early Giuliani years when he not only was all of these things but also an insipient and arrogant racist with conspiratorial inclinations. That is the “Giuliani” who existed prior to his having to deal with prostate cancer—he emerged from treatment as a self-described changed, more compassionate person, when he in effect was transformed into “Rudy”—and of course before 9/11 when he became the “nation’s mayor,” a symbol of survival, courage, and defiance, even though he was never personally in any danger nor did he perform any heroic acts. He played the role of a strong and decisive leader and that in itself, during an era where even acting strong passes for strength, convinced people that he that he was a great leader. Even George Bush looked for a time like a leader as the result of just standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center with his arm slung manfully over the shoulders of a fireman.
Having said this about Giuliani, or Rudy, I still hope he gets the Republican nomination.
This time around I want each party to put forth a candidate who might turn out to be a good leader so that whoever wins we will have a chance to get out of the various messes in which we are mired. And of the current crop of Republicans, Rudy might be the best. Actually, if elected, he might turn out to be effective.
Perhaps the New York qualities that are worrying the pundits are the very qualities that would scare the hell out of the generals, the FEMA folks, the lobbyists, and those in charge of Walter Reed Hospital. Can you imagine how Rudy would have behaved after Hurricane Katrina? What do you think he would be doing now after the disclosures about how our wounded veterans are being maltreated?
We could use some moral outrage, a lot of brashness, and even a little mean-spiritedness. All might be just the sort of thing needed to shake up the system.
I suspect you might retort that Giuliani is a strong supporter of the war and the Surge so doesn’t that disqualify him? It worries me, but I suspect it is politically essential for him to be a supporter if he is to have any chance of being nominated. This might be naïve, but it seems inconceivable that, if elected, he wouldn’t find a way to end our involvement. The next president has to otherwise her or his presidency would be doomed from the start.
After 9/11, the new Rudy went to the funerals of almost all of the hundreds of police and firemen who were killed. President Bush proudly states that he refuses to go to any of the burials of troops killed in Iraq because people seeing him there would be distracted from the nation’s noble task—it would evoke too much emotion which might undermine the war effort.
I think Rudy has already been to too many funerals of this kind and from that knows the full power of emotion. All effective leaders do. As do tyrants.
It’s complicated. But we also need hope.
Apparently not. At least thus far. He did well at the recent Conservative Political Action Committee convention and he is at the moment leading all other Republican contenders in public opinion polls.
But now they are speculating that the qualities that endeared him to many New Yorkers (and alienated others)—his brash, opinionated, rough style might not be the right qualities for a potential Republican presidential candidate. (See NY Times article linked below.)
It appears, though, that the perception that he will keep us safe from terrorism seems to trump his “progressive” stands on gay rights (including his penchant while mayor to turn up in drag), gun control, abortion, and even the fact that his son has disavowed him.
Former mayor Ed Koch, who was and perhaps still is a Giuliani supporter, says that Rudy is not only temperamental, controlling, and capricious but also “mean-spirited.” That there is a “bad Guiliani.”
I’m a New Yorker and lived through the early Giuliani years when he not only was all of these things but also an insipient and arrogant racist with conspiratorial inclinations. That is the “Giuliani” who existed prior to his having to deal with prostate cancer—he emerged from treatment as a self-described changed, more compassionate person, when he in effect was transformed into “Rudy”—and of course before 9/11 when he became the “nation’s mayor,” a symbol of survival, courage, and defiance, even though he was never personally in any danger nor did he perform any heroic acts. He played the role of a strong and decisive leader and that in itself, during an era where even acting strong passes for strength, convinced people that he that he was a great leader. Even George Bush looked for a time like a leader as the result of just standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center with his arm slung manfully over the shoulders of a fireman.
Having said this about Giuliani, or Rudy, I still hope he gets the Republican nomination.
This time around I want each party to put forth a candidate who might turn out to be a good leader so that whoever wins we will have a chance to get out of the various messes in which we are mired. And of the current crop of Republicans, Rudy might be the best. Actually, if elected, he might turn out to be effective.
Perhaps the New York qualities that are worrying the pundits are the very qualities that would scare the hell out of the generals, the FEMA folks, the lobbyists, and those in charge of Walter Reed Hospital. Can you imagine how Rudy would have behaved after Hurricane Katrina? What do you think he would be doing now after the disclosures about how our wounded veterans are being maltreated?
We could use some moral outrage, a lot of brashness, and even a little mean-spiritedness. All might be just the sort of thing needed to shake up the system.
I suspect you might retort that Giuliani is a strong supporter of the war and the Surge so doesn’t that disqualify him? It worries me, but I suspect it is politically essential for him to be a supporter if he is to have any chance of being nominated. This might be naïve, but it seems inconceivable that, if elected, he wouldn’t find a way to end our involvement. The next president has to otherwise her or his presidency would be doomed from the start.
After 9/11, the new Rudy went to the funerals of almost all of the hundreds of police and firemen who were killed. President Bush proudly states that he refuses to go to any of the burials of troops killed in Iraq because people seeing him there would be distracted from the nation’s noble task—it would evoke too much emotion which might undermine the war effort.
I think Rudy has already been to too many funerals of this kind and from that knows the full power of emotion. All effective leaders do. As do tyrants.
It’s complicated. But we also need hope.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
10:28 AM
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