Stumbling onto Giuliani's Open Secret

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani's personal life has been a mess for quite a while. No one needs to go dumpster diving to learn the details; they're all out in the open -- three marriages (including one to his cousin), repeated extra-marital affairs, left his second wife by way of a press conference (he told reporters before telling his spouse), estranged from his kids. "Family Man of the Year" he is not.

Apparently, though, no one is supposed to talk about this. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D), a close Hillary Clinton ally, had the audacity to allude to reality during a TV interview this week, and all of a sudden, our suddenly-scandal-averse press corps are all a flutter.

Rudolph W. Giuliani's marital history seeped into the presidential campaign yesterday, a day after a supporter of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton drew attention to Mr. Giuliani's personal life in a television interview in New York.

Mr. Vilsack told New York 1, the cable news channel, that voters in the rest of the country would come to know details about Mr. Giuliani's life that people in New York have known for years.... Pressed for details, Mr. Vilsack replied: "I can't even get into the number of marriages and the fact that his children -- the relationship he has with his children -- and what kind of circumstance New York was in before September the 11th and whether or not he could have even been re-elected as mayor prior to September the 11th."

The Giuliani campaign swiftly linked the remarks to Mrs. Clinton. "It's not surprising the Clinton campaign is going negative and personal so early," a statement from the Giuliani camp said.

Maybe someone can explain this to me. Rudy Giuliani is willing to march in a St. Patrick's Day Parade with his mistress -- an acknowledgement of infidelity so audacious that an NYC columnist compared it with "groping in the window at Macy's" -- but in the midst of a presidential campaign, it's wrong to suggest that Giuliani has a messy personal life?

Who wrote these rules? And why didn't they apply in the 1990s?

Even Giuliani said at a recent GOP debate, "The reality is that I think someone's private life, someone's family life, is something that you all look into to determine how are they going to conduct themselves in public office."

With this in mind, why do reporters want us to believe that Vilsack did something wrong by alluding to accurate scandals that the media already knows about?

Comments

[Rescisco]

I don't care about Rudy's personal life. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to doubt his fitness for the presidency. The guy is a political train wreck and a public policy disaster in motion. If elected, it won't be his personal life that brings what's left of the country down.

[Maschine]

If the republicans can attack military men and then go on the offesive by passing a resolution agaisnt attacking military men, what makes you think they can't win the presidency. I get a feeling Rudy and the repugs are going to win the next one. Incredible how the dems are rolling over.

Begala's blog was dead on the money, why isn't that in the media. I guess we know who controls the media, and it isn't huffpo

[Qbear]

Rudy...not known for a quiet temperament, can be goaded into going POSTAL...I think that's the plan for his defeat.

[Qbear]

I KNEW Clintons (through a suragate) would body slam Rudy, as soon as Rudy did that MoveOn attack ad. Clinton's playbook is all in Bill's memoirs, An Attack ad by Rudy, was manna from heaven, then Clintons can pull out the long knives, and merely look like they are defending themselves.

silly drag queen, you aren't playing with the BUSH leagues.

"Bush Leagues" has a nice generic anti Repig ring to it.

[JABean]

Rudy just doesn't think the same rules he applies to others, apply as well to him. Of course he's narcissistic. That's how he justifies all his bad or dishonest behavior. Essentially, he's a bully.

[Ivyfree]

IOKIYAR.

For those who aren't aware, that stands for, "It's OK, if you're a Republican."

[sculptor]

I don't think the press has the guts to point out the only thing Rudy is actually good at is being a politician. His bizare behavior as NYC mayor was as strange as what anything Nixon ever did in the Whitehouse but I'd be amazed if any of it will be covered by the mainstream media.

[mierda]

Giuliani is hated by many-even most- New Yorkers. I live in Manhattan--I think Rudy has a personality disorder--narcissism. He's very smart and a cut throat--so you have to have someone much smarter than him as the Democratic nominee. Hillary, are you ready?

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

Rudy's relationships with women, as well as his commitment to the integrity of the gene pool, is very unsettling and will ultimately be his undoing. I can't wait to see him discuss his family values in the Bible belt. But then again, the cousin thing may just play well there...

[remason]

"why do reporters want us to believe that Vilsack did something wrong by alluding to accurate scandals that the media already knows about?" Because the media represents corporate interests, not the news, and Hillary is less useful to them than "Buffalo Rudy 9/11."

[Dunnage]

People already know about G's wives and children. So I think it is best not to write about it.

Hell, the guy is a nut: play that card.

[Yaa]

Some people already know about Rudy's wives and children. All the people should be in the know so we must keep on mentioning his disloyal, atrocious behavior toward his previous wife, Donna, who is the mother of his children.

Rudy is a worm!

[enoughalready]

Beacuse the media is bought and paid for by the right wing of the GOP.

I listen to the BBC to get the real scoop on so many issues.

For Pete's sake ask the media why they refuse to report on the issues that would actually expose the Bush Administration for what they are?

Good journalists do not exist in our country anymore. We have readers - news anchors read the script. Brokaw, Jennings, Rather, Kronkite, Murrow, etc. They are gone and I'm scared to think we will not see the likes of them ever again. I will make one exception, Helen Thomas. She has the guts to ask the questions if they call on her.

Free speech and the power of the press kind of sticks in ones craw, now doesn't it????

[Malarcus]

Why? Probably for the same reason that the headlines this week read "Democrats fail to accomplish anything" as opposed to "Republicans continue to obstruct everything."

Whatever THAT reason is, I cannot be sure.

[CriminallySane]

Rude Rudy only wants headlines on his terms. Simple as that.

And be careful around him - the most dangerous place I know of to stand is between Giuliani and a television camera!

[peterg76]

In case you didn't notice, "reporters" are biased. Republican candidates aren't held to same standards as the rest of us in reality.

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

Republicans hold up different standards for behavior than do normal people. The Repubs get blasted more for their hypocracy than their actual deeds. You have to admit there IS a difference between the openly gay Sen Frank and the series of outed Repubs who adorn their closets with wives, false values, and self-righteous harangues about how others should live.

[benskull]

I agree. Its insane. Any pro bush I argue with always brings up Clinton and his BJ. What a dumb argument, when people are being killed over a frivolous war, surrounded in secrecy and lies. How the Repubs can even begin to attack this release of personal info is insane. They spent millions to railroad clinton over his infidelity. A joke.

[dadw5boys]

The Republicans spent those Millions investigating Clinton to STOP HIM FROM OPENING THE OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS WHERE BUSINESSES HIDE PROFITS FROM INVESTORS.
In a speech Clinton said he would open the offshorce accoutns where profits were being hidden by American Companys from Investors.
Soon after someone opened a door allowing Monica access to a hallway she had no pass to enter.
Monica had been removed to the Pentagon because of bad behavior and had no White House Pass at the time.
They knew the old boy like Big Hair and Big Boobs.
Question is how was she able to get past the SECRET SERVICE the first time to get inot that hallway?