Rudy's Flop Shows '9/11' Can't Win Anymore

Of all the words Rudy Giuliani used in his Florida concession speech last night, '9/11' was not one of them. 

The omission of his signature leitmotif from his only major televised speech was not an oversight, but a harbinger of big change in American politics.  Finally, after 7 years of Republicans exploiting 9/11 to win elections and pass policies, Giuliani's failure in the Presidential race will likely put that that strategy to bed. 

Thank goodness for small miracles.

At first,  Giuliani's '9/11' campaign theme seemed to be working.   Repeating '9/11' over and over again, he raised more money than other Republican candidates and shot to the top of the polls.

But then Giuliani's prospects went sour as the media and voters soundly rejected the strategy.

No single moment is to blame, but there were incidents that seemed to sum up the depths of Giuliani's cynical use of 9/11.

At one point in his campaign, Giuliani's had so thoroughly saturated his message with talk of 9/11 that his supporters organized a 'Donate $9.11 to Rudy' effort.  Rather than creating momentum, news of Giuliani exploiting 9/11 to raise money and win votes was the beginning of a long stretch of criticism and ridicule.  That stretch never ended.

Curiously, by moving 9/11 to the center of his campaign bid, Giuliani invited journalists and citizens alike to comb through his record with excruciating detail--more so than for any other politician including George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

What emerged was not pretty.

While claiming status as the hero of 9/11, Giuliani was slowly transformed into the man whose policy decisions most likely cost lives. Even worse, the more Giuliani campaigned on 9/11, the more rescue workers and families of survivors began to express their public discomfort and anger towards him.

In the end, Giuliani's decision to make 9/11 the one and only distinguishing feature of his presidential bid failed to transform him from a mayor into a statesman.  Instead, Giuliani became recognized by many as the man who cashed in on the greatest tragedy in recent American history.

As a direct result what Giuliani did in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, '9/11' became the punchline in political humor--the ultimate one-liner about the depths a politician will plunge to scare people into supporting a candidacy. 

Giuliani's omission of '9/11' from his concession speech in Florida, last night, brought a well-earned respite for the memory of those who died and suffered as a result of the attacks seven years ago.

Right-wing pundits will no doubt continue to cash in on 9/11 by using it as political fodder on talk shows and in political books.  But it is unlikely that 9/11 will ever again become the theme for a winning political campaign.

I suppose we have Rudy to thank for that.

(cross posted from Frameshop)

Comments

[TomR]

Don't forget the impact of the best line used so far in a 2008 presidential campaign by Joe Biden about Rudy Giuliani:

"There's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- a noun, a verb, and 9/11."

- Tom

[ajax2]

If Rudy can get another dime out of 9-11, he ain't finished.

[desertdweller]

With all due respect to the victims of 9/11 and their families, this infamous day in American history has been played out as a political prop.
Anyone foolish enough to re-cycle it in the future does so at their own peril. Kind of like Bob Dole still prattling on about WWII during the 1996 election. Give it a rest already.

[Spookcatcher]

Thanks alot. just when we were all starting to enjoy the Fascist liar's silencio on the reference, you have to illuminate it and put it back in the stream. Personally, I was thinking it was nice that without Girliani running around the country getting press coverage, finally, we wouldn't have 9/11 for Him to kick around anymore :).

[atty1chgo]

Rudy Giuliani was exposed as the fraud of 9/11; Rudy told Peter Jennings of ABC that he was "told the World Trade Center was going to collapse" and lied about it later, and surely didn't warn anyone at the WTC when he received that information, which caused the loss of many lives; Rudy destroyed the crime scene that was Ground Zero and shipped the evidence to China, even though as a former U.S. Attorney he knew better; Rudy's sweetheart deals with Motorola for the fireman's radios that never worked caused the loss of NYFD's finest and bravest firemen; Rudy, who profited from the Iraq war through his bagman company, Giuliani Partners. Good riddance to that lying loser, may he never disgrace the American political landscape again

[BobC46]

"'9/11' Can't Win Anymore",-UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

[ProfessorDuh]

Fear! Marked down! Priced to sell! It's a clearance sale! All fear-mongering and terror-baiting must go!!!

[speakyourmind]

Can we all just say HOOOO-RAH!

[StanTheManic]

Donating a paltry $9.11? That's where Rooty went wrong. That's a Dem strategy. He shouldda asked Repube's for $911,000. Hell, they've got it!

[DietrichMoody]

Heartily Disagree on substance but you are right in a superficial kinda way. 9/11 has already won, it just can't be played out anymore in theme. Rudy Guiliani manipulated 9/11, in a way that the numbers, or envoking it left a bad taste in everybody's piehole.

However, 9/11 HAS WON in many ways: Congress' tepid actions towards the President of the United States, the public tacitly giving Bush the go ahead to invade Iraq, and keep up the war; the "appearance" that Bush is unfavorable but with the heartland of America and the a lot of people still going along with his ideas. The population is confused and on edge, and does not know what is going to happen next, that "my friend" is a result of 9/11.

9/11's message is: the world is changing get use to it; no amount of bombs can fix problems, you cannot pretend to be isolationist when millions of dollars are spent and many bases are overseas, and your economy effects the world.

I don't get in the habit of quoting President Bush, but we are in a war, a war of ideas against 100's of millions of people,some powerful, and not all are Muslim but just dislike the US. Why it has to be this way, who knows? Invading Iraq EXACERBATED the problem.

Now trying telling the Clintons, who are using people and blocs as tools, manipulating. Not a good idea for a Country wanting to WIN the "War of Ideology, and "Ideas" with the world. Dividing and conquering , IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY? and during a time of WAR?

While, 9/11 united the US, as a country, in opposition to the terrorist - and this country needs it if it's going to win the war of ideology and ideas, the Clinton's are dividing it just so they can win a campaign. Just "pretend it didn't happen." Take a valium, go see a movie, buy a car. Well Amigos, welcome to a third world country way of thinking, welcome to Argentina!!

[DietrichMoody]

Heartily Disagree on substance but you are right in a superficial kinda way. 9/11 has already won, it just can't be played out anymore in theme. Rudy Guiliani manipulated 9/11, in a way that the numbers, or envoking it left a bad taste in everybody's piehole.

However, 9/11 HAS WON in many ways: Congress' tepid actions towards the President of the United States, the public tacitly giving Bush the go ahead to invade Iraq, and keep up the war; the "appearance" that Bush is unfavorable but with the heartland of America and the a lot of people still going along with his ideas. The population is confused, what is going to happen next? that "my friend" is a result of 9/11.

The power behind 9/11 is that it left united states a message: the world is changing get use to it; no amount of bombs can fix problems, you cannot pretend to be isolationist when millions of dollars are spent and many bases are overseas, and the economy effects the world.

I don't get in the habit of quoting President Bush, but we are in a war, a war of ideas against 100's of millions of people,some powerful, and not all are Muslim but just dislike the US. Why it has to be this way, who knows? Invading Iraq EXACERBATED the problem.

Now trying telling this to the Clintons, who are appearing to use people as tools and continuing to manipulate the people, This is not a good idea for a Country wanting to WIN the "War of Ideology, and "Ideas" with the world. Dividing and conquering , IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY?

While, 9/11 united the US, as a country, in opposition to the terrorist - and this country needs it if it's going to win the war of ideology and ideas, the Clinton's are dividing it just so they can win a campaign. Just "pretend it didn't happen." Take a valium, go see a movie, buy a car. Well Amigos, welcome to a third world country way of thinking, welcome to Argentina!!

[EvilJunglePrince]

The lessons of 9/11 include that there is nothing sacred that vultures and hyenas like Bush and Guiliani won't exploit to the point of making a terrible tragedy as plainly trivial as it is now to the American public. Let's not forget the Republican National Convention in New York City in 2004.
May every goddamned one of them choke on the bloodsoaked ashes they stirred up in their cynical little dance.

[saxmaniac]

Hey,Smarteypants, be very careful about what you predict -- or actually plan -- because under the new wiretapping rules, if something does happen, you're directly in the crosshairs. That's only one of Bushco's legacies. The main one is that with oil at almost $100 a barrel, the Saudis are very happy NOT to attack us, because Bush delivered -- oil at almost four times the price it was when he came into office. As for Rudy, don't be surpised to see him on the ticket with McCain.

[Wilson33]

Oh please, this had nothing to do with 9/11 like you libs so desparately are clinging to. It was because he not a true conservative, he is for abortion and other social issues that conservatives are against. The media stopped paying attention to him once he went to Florida and he simply screwed up by putting all of his eggs in one basket.

It had NOTHING to do with his use of 9/11 and everything to do with his money scandals, liberal on social issues, etc.

[LawrenceL]

Well expressed, Mr. Feldman.

Let's hope history proves you right.

It was astute of you to notice the "$9.11 for Rudy" campaign as being a turning-point, which galvanized public opinion that Rudy might be exploiting 9/11 for personal gain.