Media Largely Ignore Rudy's Claim That He Waterboarded Mafia Suspects

Horse's Mouth:

I really don't know what to make of this. As faithful TPM readers know by now, over the weekend Rudy reacted to a question about extreme torture techniques by saying the following:

"Now, intensive questioning works. If I didn't use intensive questioning, there would be a lot of mafia guys running around New York right now and crime would be a lot higher in New York than it is. Intensive question has to be used. Torture should not be used. The line between the two is a difficult one."

If you watch the video of this you can see that Rudy was perfectly serious. Which means that Rudy either was saying:

(a) He literally used such techniques on mafia suspects; or

(b) He actually thinks that there are similarities between waterboarding/extreme interrogation techniques and the questioning of suspects he conducted as U.S. Attorney, in the sense that he sees extreme interrogation as little more than an extension of lawyerly cross-examination.

In a sane universe, either of these interpretations would be seen far and wide within our journalistic and political establishment as so beyond the pale, so completely whacked and out of touch with reality, that either would make it overwhelmingly obvious that this fellow is completely unfit for the Presidency. Either interpretation should make it startlingly clear how unfit this guy is to be anywhere near the nuke button.

Read the whole story: Horse's Mouth

Comments

[poopdeck]

This issue was discussed on Oddball today. I learned that Giuliani never "interrogated" any of the indicted Mafia members. He was the prosecutor in these cases and not the interrogator. It's too bad that our noses do not grow longer after every lie because Giuliani would then need an extra long limousine to travel around.

[STParker]

Maybe he's referring to Abner Louima?

[larry278]

I long to see Rudy, Preacher Pat & Pope Benny, the whatever, on the same balcony. Pope Benny should be proud of Rudy despite Rudy's habit of getting married while the previous wife is still alive. There is no question of Rudy not having a high opinion of marriage since Rudy has been married 3 times.

[NoToWingNuts]

Ghouliani had his mayoral records sealed up under his corporation Ghouliani Partners. Why is the media NOT REPORTING THIS?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/26/AR2007102601808.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

"Giuliani's record on government secrecy, too, is hardly moderate. Liberals today routinely attack President Bush's refusal to divulge information about his domestic wiretapping program and his 2001 executive order claiming the power to close presidential papers. But they rarely discuss an equally autocratic move that Giuliani made: cutting a deal with the city as he was leaving office to assign control of his mayoral records to his own private company so that he could decide who could see them."

[desertdweller]

Rudy & Pat, strange bedfellows indeed....

Robertson (and his porcine pal Falwell) very publically blamed pagans, abortionists, feminists & gays and lesbians for bringing on the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Did I forget the Clintons?

Rudy Giuliani seems to be the sole beneficiary of those attacks, that is, if you don't count the 9/11 widows, who, at least according to Ann Coulter, have parleyed that tragedy in to a gold mine of publicity.

Rudy has gone down to the crossroads and made a deal with the devil.......

[desertdweller]

Could it be that Righteous Robertson is fishing for the VP nod?

What about Brownback? Could he be sucking up to McCain for the same reason?

Both Rudy and McCain have little or no credibility among the so-called values voters. While slightly tempting for Rudy, choosing Robertson as a running mate would be political suicide. Either way, you can bet that a Giuliani White House will be crawling with more Regent University pukes like Monica Goodling.

[TWOSHORT]

I don't trust the MEDIA!MSNBC-ABC-NBC-CBS-CNN-FOX THIS IS WERE THE TRUTH LIES!THE INTERNET GIVES US A WAY TO TELL EACH OTHER HOW WE THINK ABOUT THING'S WITHOUT MEDIA HACK'S DOING THAT FOR US![POLLS] THE NEW SOAP BOX OF AMERICA IS THE INTERNET.I LOVE BEING AN AMERICAN WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOO SPEAK OUT HERE IN THIS GREAT LAND OF OUR[I LOVE BEING A BLACK AMERICAN HOPING ONE DAY WHITE AMERICAN WILL STAND UP FOR ME AND SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

[desertdweller]

Pat Robertson is such an astute judge of character. Maybe that's why he was caught in bed with, and laundered money for, Samuel Taylor, the corrupt former president of Liberia, a UN-indicted war criminal, who, at one time, had harbored members of Al Qaeda responsible for the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. So, it would appear that Pat's recent embrace of a thug like Giuliani is entirely consistent with his self-serving past collaborations. Somewhere out there, there is a bolt of lightning with Pat's name on it. Let's hope Rudy is standing nearby when it strikes.

[desertdweller]

Tell me again, because I'm confused....which one is Satan?

[TWOSHORT]

What choices do we have?Those who would end the world or those who just want to get along!Our choices on election day.VOTE!GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND VOTE THE JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANY MORE.

[bushdoescrack]

rudy fucking guilliani, americans are taking his bait, hook line, and 9/11. i doubt there has ever been a bigger fool, other than bush, to run for president. the man is an ex mayor, nothing else, 9/11 made rudy cream his panties, at last an opportunity to rescue himself from obscurity. rudy has self promoted himself to hero status, fact is, he was a scared little man, parading around new york with glee in his eyes on 9/11. i'm hoping for a mafia style "wack" on this phoney little freak.

[outnow]

I watched 9-11 on TV. I should run for President. I promise to invade, torture, and appoint justices to the Supreme Court who will turn the clock back to the Dark Ages. I will promote the interests of the very wealthy and the MIC through the MSM. "Il Duce" will be proud. Welcome to fascism USA.

[SeaOats]

Strange, strange bedfellows.

[Meah]

Now THERE'S a pair! Robertson and Giuliani. Which one is the Mad Hatter? It doesn't matter. They are both looney tunes. At home in Wonderland. It wasn't until Rudy started talking about waterboarding his New York citizens that Pat got excited! NOW we have his endorsement. I can see them both waterboarding someone like Hugo Chavez of Peru. The Republicans are in complete meltdown. Our country has taken such a hit in the last 7 years, and I am not talking about 911. The lunatics running the asylum.

[BrokenMirror]

The kiss of death, if you ask me. Yet another reason, if you needed another one, to NOT vote for Rudy.