Grand Illusion

Rudy Giuliani is slipping, if not quite sliding away. In early polls he led Hillary Clinton and every Democrat and was pulling away from the Republican pack, having benefited much from John McCain's gracious decision to set himself on fire.

Back then the smart money--and it's a wonder they still call it that-- fretted that Hillary was 'unelectable'. Today she beats Rudy in every poll. Among Republicans he's again in a dead heat, this time with B-list TV celebrity Fred Thompson.

A poll's a sometime thing; as in college sports, it's rare in politics to debut at number one and stay there all season. But there's a darker cloud on Rudy's horizon than just some poll-- his record.

Our politics is such that we know more about Rudy's personal foibles than his performance in office: He's on his third marriage. He cut his second wife loose in a press conference. His children favor other candidates. Every other day it seems he blurts out something strange.

Rudy claimed he spent more time at Ground Zero than the rescue workers, prompting Salon's Alex Koppelman to tally up: 29 hours in 90 days, far less than the workers and, half the time he spent coming and going to Yankee games.

He told London reporters he was one of the "four or five most famous Americans in the world." It's a good thing he wasn't in Paris; he might have said he was Napoleon.

As mayor, Rudy was always popping off. When the mother of a Latino shot by police while lying on the ground called into his radio show, he talked over her, misstating key facts and blaming the victim's death on his upbringing.

Rudy hopes we'll accept his nutty truculence as the price you pay for a guy who can handle the terrorists. After 8 years of Bush's chronic distemper voters may go for the nice guy or gal, in which case he's toast. He needs an electorate fixated on terrorism so he can sell himself as sheriff.

The worst thing that could befall Rudy would be if every voter went out and bought a copy of Grand Illusion by veteran New York journalists Wayne Barrett and Dan Collins. The book is a meticulous deconstruction of Rudy's performance on his signature issue before, during and after 9/11.

Grand Illusion exposes Rudy's alleged core competency regarding terrorism as a fraud. It also mercilessly depicts the cronyism, poor judgment and cash and carry politics that were the hallmarks of his years as mayor. The book is no partisan screed, its authors being content to let the facts make their case. Some examples:

On 9/11, the heads of his police and fire departments were Bernie Kerik and Tom Von Essen. Kerik had been Rudy's driver; Von Essen a friendly union official. Between them they'd taken entry level management exams three times and failed each one.

The Office of Emergency Management was headed by another Rudy loyalist, Richard Sheirer. Sheirer spent most of his career as a fire alarm dispatcher. Along came Rudy. He was soon a senior manager in the fire department and ultimately top dog at OEM.

Rudy and his three musketeers spent 9/11 walking north from Ground Zero, searching for a command center. Over the objections of the city's public safety professionals, and prodded by Republican influence peddlers, they had put the city's emergency command center at the Twin Towers, a site deemed one of the likeliest targets of terrorist attack.

So on 9/11, Rudy and company had nowhere to go. Worse, they had no one to talk to. It had taken them two terms to select a new communication system to replace the city's 1960s vintage two-way radios. When they finally did, it was in a no bid contract with a politically wired supplier who sold them untested equipment.

The equipment never worked. On 9/11, all the firefighters had were radios the city had called "obsolete" and "totally inadequate" 11 years earlier. Rudy would later tell spellbound audiences that fireman in the towers ignored orders to evacuate. In fact they never received them.

Barrett and Collins found not one instance of Giuliani, Kerik, Von Essen or Sheirer issuing orders to anyone that day. But as Bush flew about the country, Rudy walked in plain sight and spoke defiantly. On those words and pictures his campaign rests.

Amazing as it may be, Barrett and Collins show that prior to 9/11 Rudy's interest in terrorism was virtually nil. It makes sense. How else do you end up facing catastrophe with no command structure, no command center and no communications system?

Rudy conflates terrorism with domestic crime, using his image on crime to burnish his image on terrorism. But the former is mostly smoke and mirrors. In New York City crime began to fall under Giuliani's predecessor David Dinkins. All over America crime fell throughout the nineties. The biggest drop came in the category regarded as least tractable: serious, violent, urban crime.

Demographics, economics and public policy all played a part. At a national level, Bill Clinton banned assault weapons, put 100,000 cops on the streets and used RICO laws to put away urban gang leaders. Rudy contributed, but his specialties were inflaming racial divisions after public emergencies and, of course, taking credit.

After 9/11 Rudy made a fortune billing corporations and government for "security consulting." His new company was little more than a turkey farm for Sheirer, Kerik and other hacks from his city hall days. Apart from some lobbying and PR strategy, what they sold was the chance to be identified with Rudy Giuliani, America's mayor, hero of 9/11.

Republicans desperately need new wedge issues to perpetuate their strategy of divide and conquer. Gay bashing is turning off younger voters. They've won as much of the abortion fight as they can afford to. Stem cells and creationism make them look like idiots.

In the nick of time they discover "Islamo-fascism" and just the candidate to sell it. It's a stark message: our safety lies not in vigilance or reason or rule of law or diplomacy or conservation but rather in an armed struggle so endless as to make the cold war seem like a matinée. Forget about corruption or lost liberties; they've made us an offer we can't refuse.

Hollow tough talk, ignorant ideologues, incompetence, cronyism, poorly equipped men and women putting their lives on the line-- sound like any president you know? Here's hoping Rudy falls early. It's too painful to imagine one grand illusion following another.

Comments

[FOXYLADY]

Rudy really screwed up when he accepted a cell phone call from his wife while speaking from a podium. If he thought it was cute/homey than he is more than stupid. This "too personal" approach of some of the candidates is ridiculous­....who cares about bad morning breath etc.....jj­jeeezzzzz

[cyberfarer]

So, let's see, Rudy or Hillary? Rudy or Hillary?

Hmmmmm. One wants to nuke Iran because he is nuts, and the other wants to nuke Iran to curry favour with other people who are nuts. One condemns critics of a lying general because he is a partisan fruitcake, the other condemns critics of a lying general because she wants to curry favour with partisan fruitcakes.

Yes, it is a tough choice.

Here is a little ditty:

A-Bombs keep fallin' on my head
And just like the Arabs who there ain't too many dead
Mushroom clouds abound
Those A-bombs are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

So I did me some talkin' to The Lobby
And I said I didn't like the way they got things done
Bombing everyone
Those A-bombs are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing, I know
The A-bombs they send to Allah I got to tell ya
It won't be long till nastiness steps up to belt ya

A-Bombs keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean the dust be
deforming little ones
Not on US TV
'Cause they don't exist in the minds of the nation
They don't exist - Not on US TV

[trumpet]

It won't be long till nastiness steps up to belt ya

A-Bombs keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean the dust will be
deforming little ones
Not on US TV
'Cause they don't exist in the minds of the nation
They don't exist - Not on US TV

[NewMexicoFan]

How long have we been electing images, and not people. How long have we accepted anything printed as fact, and not bothered to check for ourselves. I have gotten tired of expert opinons, and everyone analyzing everything by 100+ different people and directions. I worry about our Democracy. There was a wave of people that left after the 2004 election. I personelly am cleaning out my closets.If we cannot turn this around the next time, I will not stay here to be destroyed with the Middle Class. I am going someplace that has a National Health Care Plan and no war debt held by China. Rudy G. in no way represents the conservative base of the Republican Party. That he even leads amoung that group is amazing to me. He is an illusion. It is amazing what this country is even considering him. Is is time to pack. The Republican can have this country, without my middle class taxes to help. This is not the country that our forfathers envisioned. Good Luck with that Debt.

[daddysboy]

Are you saying good luck to the millions of poor and downtrodden Americans who will get to continue to suffer in poverty and ignorance or are you saying good luck to the folks in office that have more money than they need and all the access to educational institutions and the connections that they afford? I'm for sticking it out and helping where I can even if the ship is going down.

[bottomdwellah]

There is a joke here in NYC.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUDOLPH GUILIANI AND A FACSIST DICTATOR? A BALCONY!
As someone who has spent half my life in NYC over the last 12 years, and who was there at the scence on 9/11, and can say that Rude Guiani never misses an opportunity to pander to the powerbrokers and opinionmakers of NY. He would make a much better puppet than Little Bush.

[Dansden]

SensibleAmerican:

You nailed it, Friend! Your inimitable insight focused upon the real issue that drives this election season: TRUTH!

Americans are finally fed up with the 'Spoon Fed' mantra of our fascist regime who has commandeered our nation's house and have intimidated our nation's spirit! The issue is TRUTH! ......And RUDEY has had NOTHING to do with the TRUTH in his swaggering, brash, bungling and self-serving pwetulance! Does this sound familiar, AMERICA!!!???! like the CHIMP in the White House, like the CLOWNS in the Board Rooms, like the CROOKS in the PAID FOR appointed government and the COLLUDERS in the fascist governmental contracts and media moguls....­otherwise, America is not that much different than the 'Banana republics' we use to sneer at....

Am reminded of the old movie, "Rudy", but in reverse...­.when the people chanted from the stands for Notre Dame's 'walk on' real-life Rudy, Americans are now shouting from their disgust:
"RUDEY! RUDEY! RUDEY! Get OFF THE FIELD SO THE REAL LEADERS CAN LEAD!

[BrooklynC]

Let's not forget that Giuliani was handed a silver-platter chance to burnish his credentials on foreign policy with membership on the Iraq Study Group. Instead, contrary to his own staff's advice, he skipped meetings to make money by giving speeches. In typical Giuliani fashion, he now claims that he decided not to participate because with there being a good chance he would run for president, his presence on the ISG would politicize it. This is of a piece with his excuses for marrying his second cousin. A Roman Catholic Church annulment was granted in 1983 on the grounds that they had not obtained a church dispensation for second cousins once removed to marry; Giuliani later said he had believed they were third cousins.

Giuliani's entire past is subject to such dispensations, Papal or not. What counts is what he asserts on a given day.

[nebulus]

Immediately after 9/11 when Rudy was riding high (remember Letterman's gushing?)and Bush was scrambling to imitate him on the rubble of their own incompetency, I couldn't get my NYC friends to remember how much they hated him on September 10. I do hope Rudy fades, but my gut tells me he may well sell his snake oil and the nation will buy it. He'll put the steel on Bush's jackboots.

[Daniel66]

As you say, Rudy is slipping. He portrayed himself as "Captain America", the country's number one anti-terrorism fighter. But that was pretty well whole cloth and it has all started to unravel. Even the brave New York cops and firemen don't buy it. Rudy could still be the Republicans'nominee (does the party have a death wish?) but Hillary will wipe the floor with him.

[rst2536]

The WAR ON TERROR is uncivil,
As Bush and Cheney know so well.
The problem is their endless drivel
About how we must bid farewell
To freedoms that the Constitution
Now grant against our persecution-
Till we’ve become acclimatized
To what’s no longer civilized.
But won’t society thereafter
Be safer from a sneak attack
When terrorists are on the rack?
Imagine then bin Laden’s laughter
As he sees that his hit-and-run
Revitalized LEVIATHAN.

[Mariel]

He seems awful to me. But Clinton, although seemingly competent, has problems too. In this, the other candidates are getting lost. Edwards, Biden and more. Seems like a set up to me.

[Honest George]

I can't imagine why Rudys pictures in drag smoking a big cigar has not shown up much in the primaries.­This is a great article about a big loser. I will be greatly disappointed if the Dems don't capture it all in 08. If they don't the sleaze will continue to get much worse. Lee Arwater is gone but Rove is still around. Rove has as much nasty sleaze in his mind as any around. I can't believe Roody took two cell phones calls from his wife while on speaking engagements. One more at this number will be the same as the number of his EX-wives. Talk about family values. He sure as hell doesn't know anything about them.

[Purple Girl]

I really thought after this admins fiasco's the Repugnants had learned their lesson to pay a little closer attention and use a discriminating ear regarding their candidate. Rudy may not look like a 'Deer in the headlights '( my impression of W in '00), but he talks like one. There's not a brain cell amongst them- collectively.

[ScapeGoat]

I think he would be great to run against.

Just pound him on all his mistakes. Like putting the head quarters IN the world trade center and NOT in Brooklyn like his head of anti terrrorism wanted. Not giving the fireman new communications equipment. Not having the proper coordination on 9-11 because the headquarters got destroyed. Not making sure that the workers were properly protected from the caustic material at ground zero. Not wanting to give them any medical help now,

Just pound and pound on his mistakes and america will learn what a jerk he really is.

[soundoff]

Giuliani is a legend in his own mind. I heard him give a stump speech for Bush in the '04 Election run. He said: "we need this Iraq War, because it's a war against Global terror." He sounded like a Neo Con to me. By then it was common knowledge there were no WMD's and that the only terrorists in Iraq, had been drawn there by America's pre-emptive invasion and occupation of that country. I remember thinking what an incredible puppet of the Bush Administration he was then. Anyone who votes for him is in essence voting for Bush and more of the same: tax breaks for the rich, a wartime economy, feeding the Military Industrial Complex; and cronyism, piling billions of dollars into the pockets of Big Oil and Corporate America. I hope Hillary can beat him; because even though he's slipping now, there's a long way to go; and the Republican's are too stupid to put a legitimate candidate on their ticket like Ron Paul, who would garner support from both sides of the aisle.

[daddysboy]

Ron Paul said this; "Will she grow up in a poorer, more socialist, more militarist, more oppressive country? Or the free country you and I love?" This kind of phony gesturing is exactly what Rudy Giuliani is all about as well. If the American electorate is going to buy garbage like this right off the barge then there probably isn't any hope.

[ilikbshbtntgeo]

Why are americans so afraid? There's a million dead in iraq. Does that avenge 9/11?

[phyllba]

Harper's Magazine also had an August expose of Rudy,and it wasn't pretty. Kevin Baker analyzed Rudy's career, and we see as a result, an almost complete narcissist, willing to strike poses for the camera,desiring to have only those people around him who will not think but do his bidding.
That he's powermad almost goes without saying.