Flashback: Rudy Said He Would Personally Marry His Gay Roommates

From the New York Times, 8/4/01:

For the past two months Rudolph Giuliani has been coming home at night to one of the happiest marriages in New York.

That's how long the mayor, in flight from his own marital wreckage at Gracie Mansion, has been a frequent sleepover guest at the home of Howard Koeppel and his partner, Mark Hsiao. Mr. Koeppel, who is 64, is a Queens car dealer who has been both a close friend and prodigious fund-raiser of Mr. Giuliani's since 1989. The 41-year-old Mr. Hsiao is a Juilliard-trained pianist who works at the city's Department of Cultural Affairs. They've been together almost 10 years -- are registered with the city as domestic partners -- and in happier times for the Giuliani marriage, double-dated with the mayor and Donna Hanover on New Year's Eve. Now they are doting hosts to Mr. Giuliani as he juggles his raucous divorce, his recovery from prostate cancer treatments, his waning months in office, his romance with Judith Nathan, his post-public-life future and, last but hardly least, his search for an affordable Manhattan apartment rental of his own.

The mayor's progressive record on gay civil rights notwithstanding, he has not endorsed same-sex marriage. But, says Mr. Koeppel, ''He did tell us that if they ever legalized gay marriages, we would be the first one he would do.'' Mr. Koeppel and Mr. Hsiao are in favor of the right to marry -- which, among other things, would give gay couples the same protections as heterosexual couples in legal and fiscal matters ranging from immigration and adoption rights to veterans' and Social Security benefits.

Comments

[marklee]

Vote for him. I am also looking for a gay for friend for partner. You can contact me via gaymalecenter.com. I am online now.

[Truss]

There was nothing sadder than listening to the Private All White Male reFUGlican Club debate/denegrate each other and probably the majority of Americans with their sweeping generalizations, pandering, and spin on past records. Rudy Guiliani is about as gutless as they get. That room really musta stank of stale old white man energy when they finally passed all their gas, the stinch only a true values voter could enjoy.

[mierda]

let's add that Guiliani's father spent time in jail-- Read Wayne Barett's book on the former mayor-
Does the apple fall far from the tree?

[MoreMoxie]

Giuliani is totally consistent. He said he'd marry his male gay roommates as soon as gay marriage is legal. But it won't be legal because he will have it banned in the Constitution if enough states decide they want it. Note, he said first it was not an important enough problem to ban it in the Consitution. Now he says, well, if states want it, then it's a problem, and we'll ban it. Hmmm... Gets to be on two sides of the issue: reassure gays and fair-minded people he won't push it now, and reassure nuts that he will make sure it never happens and will strike when it has become accepted in several states to wipe out state laws on marriage. Good guy.

[fact finder]

Just a toe tapping pancake.

[johnmorgan]

Oh. My. God.

This photo should pretty much destroy Rudi's chances of getting elected president.

All the Democrats have to do, is put this photo on billboards all over the deep south.

[talkingdog]

It had better be a halloween party!

It's not flattering.

[Maxx61]

This guy wants to be Milton Berle so much it's killing him.

[Zentomato]

Julie Annie!

[JennyThinksSo]

I watched the republican debate for the first time last night. They all need to "flip flop" their past positions. Republicans cannot seem to be honest about their beliefs, because deep down they know a lot of the social democratic positions are correct. It's a battle with their conscience versus their bigoted followers.

[Backcaster]

And Republicans are questioning Hillary's ability to be Commander in Chief?

[olivia]

Those who insist on voting Republican now have a clear choice:

a flip-flopper or a flip-flopper

[StillAmused]

8/4/01?

Hmmm... let's see -- that was just about a month before...

(the tension builds)

(drum roll rises)

(please, this is killing me!)

NINE - ELEVEN!

Y'know, Rudy, the day your plummeting career got a reprieve on the backs of three thousand innocent New Yorkers.

The day you opened your "security consulting" hot dog cart.

The day you became a counterterrorism "expert" with NO RECORD.

Here's your nine-eleven, whore...

[Bobleblah1]

WHAT HAPPENED ON 911 ???
WHAT HAPPENED ON 911 ???

OH I FORGOT; SHUT UP! DONT ASK QUESTIONS! ACCEPT WHAT YOU ARE TOLD! YOU SHOULD FEEL SHAME FOR ASKING QUESTIONS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO WORLD EVENTS.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

So..what does your Chinatown tirade have to do with Guliani--arent you a bit off topic on this board? Too dumb to be able to figure out which button to click to post on a Clinton related story?

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Will Repug hypocrisy never end? New Yorkers:there has to be an interesting back story (so to speak) on this one. Perhaps the drag community knows something? Can someone research and reveal? In particular, did he do drag all by himself (taking several hours which has interesting implications in and of itself) or did another Drag Queen "do him". I remember when he appeared on SNL in drag, maybe more than once. This must be a regular thing with him? At any rate, I hope that every time he makes an anti-gay proclamation to boost his campaign with the right wing bigots I hope the media publishes a pix from his drag photo album right along side of it!

[ErnestineBass]

I haven't seen a makeup job that thick since Tammy Faye's heyday!

ARRRRRRGGG­HHHHHHHHHH­H!

(and how come Rudy's Adams Apple is less pronounced than Ann Coulters?)