Judith Giuliani & collapse of Rudy’s campaign?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
When Rudy Giuliani decides to look around for reasons why his presidential campaign went nowhere, he might not have to look any farther than the pillow next to his.
Here's the lead line in a New York Daily News article today called "How Judi killed off Rudy Giuliani": "She brought enough political baggage to fill a Louis Vuitton trunk." Ouch.
The piece goes on to say that Judith was a major reason for the collapse of the campaign. One expert suggests that Rudy wanted to head up the "family values' party," yet she didn't fit that label. Even worse was his estrangement from his kids.
Some of the low notes of Judith's role included the use of taxpayer-funded NYPD detectives as chauffeurs while she was still the mayor's girlfriend, revelations of a secret past marriage, and her interrupting Giuliani's speech to the National Rifle Association with a cutesy cell phone call to say "hi."
There was also that Barbara Walters interview where Giuliani said if elected, he'd let his wife sit in on cabinet meetings. He later retracted the comment about Judi's potential role. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that she was a graduate of a 2-year nursing program with no college degree.
With the exception of the last few weeks in Florida, she wasn't even on the campaign trail that much. That went against what the campaign had earlier suggested, when it claimed she would be a big asset and "one of our key surrogates."
Here’s my question to you: What role did Judith Giuliani play in the collapse of her husband's presidential campaign?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Annie writes:
Rudy killed his chances all by himself. It wasn't Judith who used New York City's funds, it was him. And she wasn’t the one who decided to ignore the citizens of six states in favor of only those in Florida, as far as we know. He was on top in the national polls and blew it, with a lot of ignorance and arrogance. Reminds me of how President Bush blew it after 9/11 by invading Iraq. We certainly didn't need another one of those.
John writes:
Judith who? If anything it was his deciding to take the Fred Thompson path towards the nomination. That is sitting back and not showing that he wanted to be there. Also, as people are sick the race card being played, many are sick of the 9/11 card being played.
John from Johnston, Iowa writes:
It's a cop-out to suggest that Judith had much of anything to do with the collapse of Rudy's campaign. Whatever baggage she may have brought into their marriage and life, Rudy had trunks and suitcases full-to-overflowing of his own 'issues' with his name attached.
Mark writes:
Was she the one who advised him to skip the early primary states and concentrate on Florida? If not, then blaming her for his campaign's collapse is ridiculous. More than any of his baggage, his risky decision to skip the early states caused his early demise, not anything his wife may or may not have done.
Jim from Prosperity, South Carolina writes:
Who held a gun to the philandering mayor's head and made him cheat on his wife? Judith didn't play any role in Giuliani's failure; he did it to himself!
Floyd from Johns Creek, Georgia writes:
Jack, We shouldn't talk bad about the politically-deceased!
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Plenty. Everytime I saw him signing his signs she was running her mouth. No one wants to her her. She is a goose and I am glad he has taken Queen Judith and is going back to doing whatever he does best.
RUDY CAN TAKE FULL CREDIT FOR HIS DISMAL FAILURE AS A PRESIDENTAL CANDIDATE. SAME AS HIS RECORD FOR BEING A GOOD HUSBAND.
She didn't play a role. He showed everyone how NOT to run for president. His campaign will be discussed in political science classes for years to come.
Ben
She was "the contribution factor" in the collapse of his campaign. As a woman, you cannot indulge in a wife and mistress at the same time in the same house. You may have your cake, and eat it to, but the cthe onsequences to be paid are high. It is the result of the price he paid for the life he choose.
everything, she should have told him the truth, Rudolph, you don't have a snowball chance in hell of wining.
of course he's looking at a cabinet position, say, attorney general.
bowling green, mo.
Nothing at all. The Republican canditates wives are all practically invisible. Do they even have positions on any major political topic? For that matter, does our present first lady have any opinions? Unlike the Democratic wives, the Republican wives are just there to smile and wave. They critisized Mrs. Clinton for being too involved and would be leveled against Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Edwards. It seems that Democrats marry wives who are involved and intelligent, but Republicans marry wives for eye candy.
Haven't got the foggiest. He simply mismanaged his campaign. I think he ran because she wanted to be First Lady and he couldn't wait to get out. Otherwise, he is just a "Fireman Manager".....only good in a crisis, otherwise a "boob".
Jack, in one word, nothing.
None, I think he pretty much did it on his own!
None. He has only himself (and his strategists) to blame. Rudy was once the front runner, ... sporting a double-digit lead. Now it's 50 million dollars wasted for one delegate. Not even Judy could have screwed up to that extent. Geeze!
Not much Jack, Giuliani is too smart. Even if he is no longer a part of the race for a Presidential candidate, we haven't heard the last of him; seeing him stand with McCain and Schwarznegger is proof of that. The race isn't over yet, and in a brokered convention, expect to see more of him, whether as a running mate or a member of the Cabinet should the GOP take the White Houlse.
Unless it was her idea for him to bet everything on the outcome of the Florida primary, then she did nothing wrong.
Uh... she, uh... who?
What campaign? Mister noun, verb, and 9/11 never had a shot. His cost per vote in Florida was $200 for each vote that he got. I'm sure that his importance in the Republican Party and his massive endoresement will gain Mr. Bridge to nowhere a great advantage in November. It will be interesting to see the final financial numbers and how much money he has left in the bank for future trips to Florida. As for his wife, Judy, I think she must have found a good spa in Florida and wanted to spend most of the winter there.
TLC from Texas
Jack
Dont you think that when Rudy was mayor still married to Donna living in the mayors mansion and having an affair with Judy had something to do with his fall from grace ?
Not much, Jack, Giuliani is too smart. He gambled that the voting public would tire of McCain, Romney, and other hopefuls suck as Huckabee, and the public would flock behind him. If this didn't happen we still haven't seen or heard the last of him; today, watching him in California standing next to McCain and Schwarznegger may be proof of that. I look to the GOP convention to be brokered, and he may appear as a candidate for Vice President, or in a Cabinet should the GOP take the White House. Who knows, if McCain and Romney make some fatal mistakes, he may appears as the Republican candidate for President.
Judith Giuliani I think was just along for the ride. I doubt she helped or hindered much. Tell me Jack, would you rather spend 2 months from the first part of December to the end of January with a pretty fat essentially free ride budget in the Northeast, or in Sunny Florida. Of course you'd have to give a speech now and then.....Maybe he considered it a sabbatical after all those 9/11 days he mentioned endlessly.
NOTHING;RUDY DID NOT RUN AN AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN FROM THE START;
This is like blaming Laura for George.
Don't know, don't care. I never liked Giuliani anyways.
Indiana
Rudy's campaign was the Titanic and Judith was the iceberg.
I heard Judith was over in Kazakhstan selling uranium to Iran. How could she have been a factor?
nothing. people could try to find as many possible reasons why gulliani failed, but in the end there is only one sound explanation... he f-- up. let's face it, like eveyone has been sahying, he needed to at least have competed in one of the early states rather than throwing all his eggs in the florida basket. unless someone can prove that the tactic of concentrating on florida was her idea, this woman had little to do with his failure. he made a wrong choice to not compete and expect to win.
Jack, Mrs. Guiliani didn't have a role in this. St. Rudy blew-up St. Rudy all by himself. Sen. Joe Biden had it right when he said that St. Rudy's claim to fame was "a noun a verb & 9/11". St. Rudy had nothing really more to offer. Instead of taking care of his family during 9/11, he was cheating on his wife in a pent house, between photo-ops. That's may be the only claim to fame this Mrs. Guiliani has as well, she cheated with St. Rudy on his wife.
Jack, I think the demise of Giuliani in the electioneering campaign is not anyone’s fault. Rudy, as a matter of fact couldn’t convince the populace about what he can do for this nation. All he talked about in his campaign just like his McCain counterpart was War War War, when America is yearning for peaceful ways of addressing global issues. It’s quite anachronistic to vote a person with such mentality as the leader of this nation. He reduced the position of the president to nothing but a warlord and a battle arena. That was basically his downfall. Whoever his political adviser was is part to be blamed knowing all the facts about the Iraq war yet callously advocating for war as the nucleus of his campaign message. Beside, critical minded people who are abreast with policy issues know that Rudy has gained a lot of unwarranted glory during his time as a mayor. He did not change NY police department instead Michael Bratton did…Any interested person should refer to the Assertive Policing document for the facts. People talk about 9-11. The question is what did he do? If he was so good a leader why couldn’t he prevented the successive attack after the first plane hit of the twin towers? He needs to go out!!!
I don't think she made his campaign collapse. She' is all that kept Rudy going through this process.
Jack,
In a society where the media is more completely fixated on the pathetic entropic failure of Britney Spears' life than on issues pertinent to the lives of everyday Americans; is it any wonder that the reasoning behind Giuliani's loss in Florida has shifted to whether or not his wife sabotaged his campaign and not whether Florida voters liked or believed what he was saying? This is tantamount to blaming Betty Ford's bottle-loving binges for Gerald Ford going ass over teacup down the steps of Air Force One.
I think Guiliani and his wife share equally in the downfall of his Presidential bid. He tried to run his total campaign on a 9/11 platform, he has no relationship to speak of with his children, and he hasn't been honest and forthcoming with how his "visits" to his now "wife" then "mistress" were financed. If he can't manage his personal life, how good of a manager will he be for the country? His wife, well she is the "other woman" and that doesn't bode well with women in this country. She also seems to be the reason for his lack of a relationship with his children as it seems it all started to fail when she entered the picture. She also seemed to be too much involved; for example, calling him on his cell phone when he was on speaking engagements. Bill and Hillary can learn a thing or two from the Guiliani's. It is okay for Bill to support Hillary but he needs to stay in the background and only respond when asked too and in short answers.
What nerve he had running for President given his moral conduct prior to his marriage to Judith! I don't blame her, but she too should have had the wisdom to know one does not publically flaunt a relationship with a married man with a wife and children sitting at home. They deserve one another but she better watch out! He's pulled this now three times, what's to stop him the 4th time? I've found most people, mostly men, are creatures of habit!!!!!!Neither of them showed discretion during their adultress affair, guess the old saying "You pay to play" still holds water!!!!!
Judith didn't play any role in Rudy's demise. Rudy did all that himself with the fingerprints of his political team etched into his back. You can go out and kiss all the babies you want and glad hand every person you come in contact with but that does not change what you are or where you came from one bit. Rudy made his bed a log time ago and perhaps if he had thought of any higher political ambitions years ago it would be different but he did not. No one is to blame but Rudy. No one.
It played a large role due to the extent of which the media exploited his personal life. Many Americans would prefer to hear a celebrity gossip story than listen to political beliefs and philosophy. However, maybe the media wouldn't have focused so much on his personal life if he had a deep political history. Lacking true experience, the media had very little to attack him on in reference to his political record. With this in mind, there was only one thing to attack him on, and that was his personal life; it couldn't be more fitting.
I didn't even know she existed. Big help.
She kept calling him in the middle of his speeches. And of course, since 9/11, Rudy HAD to answer the calls to reassure her he's safe. Well, she won't have to "worry" about him anymore.
What I would like to here? Not another lie tha's for sure. Just why should I vote for either one of them instead of a republician. I am so tired of all the mud slinging. They have all told more than their fair share of lies that it is really getting sickining, and heaven help us, it is only gettiing started.
Judith Giuliani didn't kill Rudy's campaign, Rudy did! He is the one who decided to end his marriage in a way which caused a deep divide with his children, he is the one who decided to make detectives available to her, he is the one who answered his cell phone, he is the one who said he would let her sit in on meetings, he is the one who couldn't break the habbit of bringing up 9/11 in every other sentence, and he is the one who kept running to Florida every time it became apparent he wasn't going to win a primary.
Why is a wife often blamed for her husband's downfalls, but not often given credit for the contributions and sacrifices she makes when her husband is successful?
the article said it all..
None at all. No one told Rudy to cheat on his second wife. No one told him to marry Judith with all her baggage. He is the one who shot himself in the foot. Now he can go back to his multi-million dollar speaking career. I don't feel sorry for him one iota.
It could be that she was his fouth wife. That's just me, however.
the article said it all...HE had too much baggage.....
Barely any role, probably none at all. Due to how the media builds up these early primaries, Giuliani's campaign strategy was destined to fail from the start. He had the entire campaign in the bag, and he decided to wait for far too long. With the pressure off, McCain, Ron Paul, Huckabee, and Romney were able to build up and outlast Giuliani.
Put the blame on Rudy, that's where it belongs. It was his poor planning and lack of a message beyond fear that, thankfully, sank his campaign.
Jack,
if you look at the timeline of Rudy's decline, it really all started when the "Driving Ms. Judy" story broke. I think after that, people started to realise the man's total arrogance and I doubt even Republicans wanted the possability of another 4 years of arrogance in the White House.
His campaign was so badly managed. Is it fair to blame her? I think Rudy was a "Fireman manager"....only good in a crisis. He sure didn't care much and needs a course in stragetic managment. He shoud have gone through the field like a locomotive in heat.
Judy is a hottie. She probably helped get him votes. Rudy was the adulterous idiot that blew it with his noun, verb, 9/11 and "put all your eggs in Florida's basket" tactics.
Rudy didn't share his party's basic values and the most obvious proof of that was his wife, well, this wife. Did he honestly expect the GOP nom?
I know that it's very popular among men to blame their wifes for their problems. In this case, it probably does not matter who caused his collapse. He's out and I feel great about it!
Jack, Judith's personal baggage, Rudy's hostile children and the campaign stratagy, to focus only on Florida finished Rudy. This combination proved fatal, in the high profile arean, of presidential politics. If Rudy ignored my state, in the primaries, I wouldn't vote for him either because he'd ignore my state, as president.
Who cares !!
While it doesn't pain me to see the Rudy and Judy show canceled, I don't think Judy ran his campaign into the ground. It was just plain Rudy himself – warts and all. She just happened to be one of the warts.
Practically nothing - she's not the one who kept saying 9/11 in every other sentence when they spoke.
I think she added to the growing Giuliani image, that image being one of sleeze. As the voters got to know Giuliani better, his sleeziness really showed. His wife and the whole story behind their relationship only served to strengthen this image of sleeze.
I think Rudy did amazingly well considering he was a complete one-trick pony. Imagine what you would be saying if Tancredo had made it this far.
Rudy might as well have cut Judith's head off and hang it on the wall in his study. Jack, your mention just a 2 year nursing progam. Without LPNs, our hospitals would fail. Shame on you!
Dale ===> Indian Country
I haven't the slightest idea who she even is. Mayor Giuliani killed his own campaign, with his idiotic strategy to ignore the election. I wasn't aware that this was the correct way to go about campaigning for the presidency.
Did Judith hold a gun to Guiliani's head and force him to cheat on his wife? Judith is blameless. Rudi did the deed all on his own and bears the responsibility for all his failed campaign!
Jim
Prosperity SC
The man of the family values party? Why would you think that the woman now married to him would have anything to do with his demise?
Is it because she is the type of woman who lives as she did in the NYC Mayor's Mansion while he was still married to Donna who was also living in same said mansion with their two children?
Maybe the Republican voters where afraid that he would share his bed in the White House with the next bimbo a la Giuliani while Judi was left alone in the other wing. Maybe a little more embarrassing than a blow job in the oval office.
She didn't have much to do with Rudy's collapse. Rudy's problems included poor campaign management,too many marriages,cheating on your wife,juggling the books,Bernard Kerik,profiting off of 911 and so many more too numerous to mention. But,don't worry about Rudy,he's going go back to his real business of 911,911,911,911!
I don't think people care about Judi Giuliani enough to let her matter. Rudy's campaign fell apart because all he did was tell people that they were in danger of being a terrorist target. We already know that terrorism exists. We want someone who can do something about it. All Rudy can do is watch baseball.
Rudy killed his chances all by himself. It wasn't Judith who used New York City's funds, it was him. And it wasn't her that decided to ignore the citizens of six states in favor of only those in Florida, as far as we know. He was on top in the national polls and blew it, with a lot of ignorance and arrogance. Reminds me of how President Bush. blew it after 9/11 by invading Iraq. We certainly didn't need another one of those.
Oh Jesus Christ! Rudy dug his own grave. He was the one who thought it was going to be a good idea to only campaign in Florida where are not delegates at stake. Sounds like a good plan to me if you want to fail.
I am just glad he is gone. We are all humans but never above the LAW, and not better than other people. If we do wrong than we own up to it.
Family values, hah. Rudy and Judy were both to blame, maybe Rudy more for bringing her into Gracie Mansion while his family lived there. Now we'll see if John McCain can keep his wife Cindy's drug use and theft covered up. If it was a Democrat's wife who stole drugs from her own charity it would be all over the news. She did go to court on the charge but I believe her husband's contacts and her millions went a long way to keep this under wraps.
As a french student I can say that we have the same issue with Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Brunni. I think it could have been bad for him, especially toward the conservatives, but it doesn't explain his collapse.
It's a cop-out to suggest that Judith had much of anything to do with the collapse of Rudy's campaign. Whatever baggage she may have drug into their marriage and life, Rudy had trunks and suitcases full to overflowing of his own 'issues' with his name attached. What some seem to consider to be errors in Judith's judgment are all examples where Rudy, had he wanted to show some real leadership skills, could have made decisions or conducted himself differently, yet he chose to 'let things be'. Rudy obviously knew all too well of Judith's checkered past, and her use of taxpayer-funded guards as chaffeurs and similar missteps all could have been avoided had Rudy not given them a green light.
Rudy's campaign failed because of Rudy. Naturally, his campaign manager bears a certain degree of responsibility as well. But when push comes to shove, Rudy fell on the sword of his own choosing. May his political career 'rest in peace'.
he did it to himself...he and his advisors. he should have studied history and franklin roosevelts words "we have nothing to fear but fear itself" we are tired of the fearmongers.
Please ask someone who cares.
Kendall Hewitt
Mr. Giuliani has enough baggage himself – cheater, dysfunctional father, hiring people without checking their backgrounds, etc.. Outside of 9/11, which most of us were tired of hearing about, he really did not have much else to talk about that would make one want to vote for him.
That was an o.k. article but I really take an exception
to the comment about Judith having been a 2 yr nursing student and no college degree. That is not relevant and really makes you an educational snob. It wasn't necessary.
She didn't.
Her presence only tells me one thing, he must take a lot of Viagra.
He has a wife...?
This is a relevant question? Who cares? Really...
His campaign's collapse comes as no surprise. Do we really want two home wreckers in the White House?
This is the first time I've heard of her. Guess that shows how much of an effect she had.
She didn't have anything to do with his collapse. His big mouth did that all on his own!!
Was she the one who advised him to skip the early primary states and concentrate on Florida? If not, then blaming her for his campaign's collapse is ridiculous. More than any of his baggage, his risky decision to skip the early states caused his early demise, not anything his wife may or may not have done.
Guiliani's collapse has less to do with Judith and more to do with the fact that he ignored every state up until Florida.
Tim
Hopedale, IL
I agree with Ann two comments above mine. He never had a serious chance in my opinion; it was just a matter of time before someone started aggressively questioning his "colorful" background – especially the other candidates.
Plus, the Marilyn Monroe cross-dressing thing was a little creepy because it happened so many times...
Jack, we shouldn't talk bad about the politically deceased!
Floyd
Johns Creek, GA
Who are we to say what her role was? Why are the American people such criticizers of political marriages? It happened with Clinton and now Guiliani. People need to just let it go and realize maybe Rudy is one step ahead in making sure his wife is on par with everyone else as his teammate. Rudy was never the right candidate for office, with or without Judith.
Oh I don't know. I think Rudy did it to himself when he first kicked his wife and kids out of Gracie Mansion and then was seen with Judith walking the streets of New York as while still mayor. Of course, the photos of their wedding, her complete with tiara, also further tarnished their lovey-dovey image.
Judith WHO??–Ron, Tampa, FL
I don't think she had anything to do with it. I would venture to say skipping out on every primary so far except Florida was the number one contributing factor to his campaign's demise. Its like telling the whole rest of the country you don't matter as long as I can win the states that give me the most votes.