June 19, 2007

Rudy's Very Bad Day

When Rudy Giuliani has a bad day, he goes all out. America's Mayor spent June 19th parrying three different national stories, all of them reflective on his campaign for the presidency, and none of them complimentary. The first story was his sudden drop into second place in the latest Rasmussen poll. The second was his sudden departure from the Iraq Study Group:

Rudolph Giuliani's membership on an elite Iraq study panel came to an abrupt end last spring after he failed to show up for a single official meeting of the group, causing the panel's top Republican to give him a stark choice: either attend the meetings or quit, several sources said.

Giuliani left the Iraq Study Group last May after just two months, walking away from a chance to make up for his lack of foreign policy credentials on the top issue in the 2008 race, the Iraq war.

He cited "previous time commitments" in a letter explaining his decision to quit, and a look at his schedule suggests why -- the sessions at times conflicted with Giuliani's lucrative speaking tour that garnered him $11.4 million in 14 months.

Giuliani failed to show up for a pair of two-day sessions that occurred during his tenure, the sources said -- and both times, they conflicted with paid public appearances shown on his recent financial disclosure. Giuliani quit the group during his busiest stretch in 2006, when he gave 20 speeches in a single month that brought in $1.7 million.

And the third story features his South Carolina campaign state chair, Thomas Ravenel. who just got indicted on serious drug charges:

State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel was indicted Tuesday on charges of cocaine possession and intent to distribute it. Gov. Mark Sanford immediately suspended him from state office.

“Given the grave nature of these charges and what is alleged in this indictment, we’re left with no choice but to suspend Treasurer Ravenel immediately,” Gov. Sanford said Tuesday afternoon. “These are obviously very serious allegations that we’re constitutionally bound to act upon, and they’ll ultimately be decided by the courts.”

At a press conference late Tuesday, South Carolina Law Enforcement Department Chief Robert Stewart said Ravenel emerged as a participant in an ongoing cocaine sting in Charleston County. He said Ravenel was charged with possession and was sharing — not selling — powder cocaine with an undisclosed number of people.

None of these stories will do permanent damage to Rudy, but having them all hit at once certainly gives the sense of a campaign under fire. Giuliani's campaign has responded to the latter two stories, mostly to distance Rudy from both. They claim that Rudy left the ISG because of his pending presidential campaign, and that they have no information regarding Ravenel and his drug use.

The one story that will resonate the most will be that of the ISG dismissing Rudy, or Rudy quitting, depending on the version one believes. While Rudy's point about presidential politics has some validity -- it even drew some remarks at the time that Rudy might have considered using it to put some space between his Iraq policies and those of George Bush -- the fact that he failed to show for any meetings makes him look a bit like a dilettante. It conflicts with Rudy's hands-on management style and persona.

Will it slow Rudy down? Given the results of the ISG, he may be better off not having it on his resume anyway. However, the manner in which he departed the ISG may haunt him a little, reducing his gravitas on the Iraq war, which undoubtedly will be a big part of the 2008 campaign. It will also impair his ability to cast Fred Thompson as a less-than-motivated officeholder in the primaries.

It's easy to overhype this, though. Everyone knew Giuliani would be running for President at the time the ISG was formed. Rudy can't charge for his speeches now, at least not to benefit him personally, and probably figured that he would spend 2006 banking as much as possible in order to free himself of any financial concerns in 2007-8.

Anyway, the campaign has a brand-new day tomorrow, and at least it can't get any worse. Or so they hope.

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Comments (15)

Posted by Barnestormer | June 19, 2007 7:43 PM

Given the results of the ISG, he may be better off not having it on his resume anyway. CE

Perhaps, but mightn't critics of the ISG's recommendations just as reasonably cite Rudy's default as contributing to that distasteful outcome?

Posted by unclesmrgol | June 19, 2007 8:02 PM

As a result of his announcement with regard to the ISG, we can either conclude that
a) Rudy had little to contribute to the ISG and contributed exactly what he had, or
b) Rudy determined that the money to be made on the paid speaking circuit meant more than his contributions to the ISG.


Given that the ISG is a group with enormous clout and prominence, with either conclusion, Rudy just X'd himself out as a politician of national stature and as a person knowledgeable about foreign policy.

Posted by Kevin Binversie | June 19, 2007 8:10 PM

Ed,

The news of Jim Nussle becoming Director of OMB makes four. He was a huge part of Giuliani's Iowa team and strategy.

In his new position he'd have to abandon Team Rudy.

Posted by LeaningRt | June 19, 2007 8:34 PM

I think painting this as such a harmful day for Rudy is more revealing of his critics and Thompson fans.

Posted by Carol Herman | June 19, 2007 8:36 PM

Umm. Today, Mayor (loaded with billions), Bloomberg, just exited the GOP.

So, from where I sit, and knowing something about money; I KNOW that Bloomberg is running as an INDEPENDENT, using his own cash.

Are we back in 1992, yet?

At some point, up ahead, those who carry the Roe V. Wade "is evil" signs, will have to decide if they're gonna tank, alongside the Bush Family Business. Or not.

While Mr. Michael was right. You're either on summer vacation, already. (And, summer doesn't even come till next week); or you recognize the primary world for the GOP, can put you in position to lose the big one. In 2008.

While Drudge also links the video script where Hillary plays the Soprano's "last episode." And, ya know what? It's funny! (The truth is that Hillary is photographed, alone. Bubba is photographed eating a carrot stick. Alone. But as ad's go? BRILLIANT. Oh, yeah. Chelsea is not seen, but the tire's screeching brings her dad to say "parallel parking."

Oh, and the Celine Dion song is where there's fade out. SO Drudge gives ya da' spoiler.

It's a slow news day, folks.

Guiliani isn't losing it on June 19th.

We've just got to get used to the changes ya get on the Internet.

While it's Bush who blew through his "capital." While he's still just the Realtor to the Sauds.

As to the ISG group; it shows ya the disgusting powers owned by James Baker. Doesn't impress me. Eventually, Bush exits the White House; and may the problems created here fall to the Bush family.

Reminds me. Abraham Lincoln didn't have "executive training" but he got the job done.

Meanwhile, the stupid WHIGS? from 1840 to 1860, they just faded out. Lackluster presidents, too, entered and exited the White House. Ya don't have to remind people of those who lacked the talent.

At least on parade, now, the GOP has TALENT to spare.

It's gonna be all right, folks. The shows not gonna go to the donks, without knowing people are willing to pay for a GOOD FIGHT.

Posted by quickjustice | June 19, 2007 8:48 PM

Three New Yorkers as top presidential candidates, including the self-made billionaire liberal independent with the means to self-fund?

We're about to encounter turbulence. Fasten your seatbelts, Americans!

Posted by aileench | June 19, 2007 8:58 PM

While the U.S. government and media keep focusing on defense policies and the war in Iraq, 1.2 billion people in the world continue surviving on less than $1 dollar a day. We should not forget the committment the U.S. made towards the U.N. Millennium Goals (a pact of ending extreme world hunger by the year 2025) in 2000. According to The Borgen Project, an annual $19 billion dollars is needed to end world hunger by the year 2025. To my sense, it is almost unacceptable to have spent so far more than $340 billion in Iraq only, when we have more than war immunities to change the world and eliminate poverty.

Posted by syn | June 19, 2007 9:06 PM

I don't believe the term Independent captures nanny statist Bloomberg's socially liberal character; Collectivist maybe but not Independent..

Posted by brooklyn | June 19, 2007 9:25 PM

whooooaaaa Captain...

your insight is interesting, welcome, but seems too uptight.

Rudy rejecting the ISG can actually help him, as it was a farce to begin with...

Rudy is made of tough stuff, and I have seen it in NYC.

This Man does not wobble.

Rudy G has a great potential for a fine President, and the polls are rather amusing.

Fred Thompson is a great guy, but he has the SAME voting record as McCain.

When are we going to examine the meat, substance of the Candidates, instead of the fashion about popularity?

Is Mr. Thompson going to get in?

Or just run from the safe confines of the outside?

Sounds weak...

We shall see.

Posted by KendraWilder | June 20, 2007 12:22 AM

Right now the "frontrunners" are being buoyed strictly by fame, face, and name recognition. Even though the "second tier" seems a distant memory already in this Primary run, I wouldn't count certain ones out just yet.

Politics turns on a dime, and every 24 hour news cycle represents potential traps and trip-ups which can send leading candidates crashing in flames in seconds.

As for Rudy's campaign being under fire, it's a given. This is going to be one of the nastiest and dirtiest Presidential Election fights we've seen in decades, I'm afraid. The collateral damage is already occuring, and it's not just Presidential Candidates who will be crashing and burning.

Look for additional prominent media figures to come under fire as well, and the demise of some well known political consultants. Expect this to hold true for prominent pundits in the Blogosphere from all sides of the spectrum. No one will be immune in the political warfare this time. The Democrats have set the tone for this over the past six years. They're insane for regaining complete power, and utter destruction of their enemies and opponents is the ultimate goal so they never lose power again.

Strap in, folks, it's going to be a hair-raising ride....but oh what a thrill this one will be for sure!

Posted by dwyvan | June 20, 2007 4:11 AM

Being from SC, I remember his "values based" campaign for this office. He ran many ads touting his strong family values and commitment to our state financial situation. This has been a real eye opener.

It again shows how almost to the person, our elected officials can't be trusted. They will say anything to get elected, and then it seems their goals change. From that point on it is all about getting re-elected. They will do anything for their own districts, even to the detriment of the country, thus ensuring they get re-elected.

I never would have thought this would happen to him though. Shows how easily we are all duped.

Posted by dwyvan | June 20, 2007 4:39 AM

I also feel I must impose some fairness in the realm of the coming dog fight we call elections.

I have seen many comments about how low the democrats are going to be this year in order regain total control of the government, and keep it is their column for years. I remember the senseless belittling of decorated a war veteran (Max Cleveland), a constant attempt to re-name every democrat as a liar, baby butcher, or lacking in any kind of morals or family values by the republicans the past 12 years or so.

It seemed they couldn't get any lower, but they did. Bush broke one of the republican commandments, thou shall not speak bad about other republicans. The things his campaign said about McCain during the '00 election put a whole new category of low in the books.

And Bush has gotten worse every year. If we would all see the faults in our own party instead of always portraying the opposite party as evil, we could all get a better government out of it. But as long as we continue pushing the worst of the candidates to the top because they are the most vocal against the opposition, we will all suffer for it.

I apologize for the rant. But sometimes you have to find the slot to interject a point when there are so many false claims being thrown about.

Posted by joe | June 21, 2007 8:16 PM

Given Rudy's support for Bloomberg during the NY mayoral election, isn't Bloomberg's switch back to the democrat party yet another bad story for him?

It certainly reflects on his judgement, and makes me doubtful about his eventual cabinet choices.

Wasn't his pick for Homeland Security head also caught with his hand in the cookie jar?

Posted by joe | June 21, 2007 8:19 PM

Given Rudy's support for Bloomberg during the NY mayoral election, isn't Bloomberg's switch back to the democrat party yet another bad story for him?

It certainly reflects on his judgement, and makes me doubtful about his eventual cabinet choices.

Wasn't his pick for Homeland Security head also caught with his hand in the cookie jar?

Posted by aileench | July 5, 2007 9:50 PM

While the U.S. government and media keep focusing on defense policies and the war in Iraq, 1.2 billion people in the world continue surviving on less than $1 dollar a day. We should not forget the committment the U.S. made towards the U.N. Millennium Goals (a pact of ending extreme world hunger by the year 2025) in 2000. According to The Borgen Project, an annual $19 billion dollars is needed to end world hunger by the year 2025. To my sense, it is almost unacceptable to have spent so far more than $340 billion in Iraq only, when we have more than war immunities to change the world and eliminate poverty.