March 5, 2007

"My Dad the Dud."

That's the way The Daily News paraphrases Andrew Giuliani. The actual quoted statements -- from a TV interview -- seem more pro-mother than anti-dad: "I got my values from my mother," "She's a strong influence in my life," "She's a strong woman." And also: "I have problems with my father," "But it doesn't mean he won't make a great President," and "we are both working on our relationship."

If Rudy Giuliani's campaign is any good, we should see a nice father-and-son presentation immediately.

UPDATE: Rudy's response:
"I believe that these problems with 'blended families' are challenges, and challenges are best worked out privately," he said.

Giuliani said his wife was not to blame for the family feud, and it was not her job to fix it.

"I believe the responsibility is mine," he said.
This probably is a better response than what I was asking for -- the parading of the son in public.

37 comments:

KCFleming said...

Dad hurt him. Now he's swinging back in a way he knows will hurt alot. Ouch.

People who seek political office repeatedly are, as Althouse pointed out in the Eagleton thread, a bit suspect to begin with. High-achieving business, law, medical, and university types have the same problem. These are wholly political lives, and they are rather destructive to normal family life (Golf game? There's a meeting tonight. Sorry!). The ego must be fed, so spouse and child become just part of the backdrop.

Does this tell me much about Giuliani? Yes; he's a politician, and merely a man. "Twice-divorced" says much the same thing as "Dad and I have problems". Ascending the pyramid is far easier emotionally than maintaining a relationship, because the former can be done without any emotion at all. Not so the latter. Different "skill set" entirely.

It's alot easier to stay at work than raise a child.

Simon said...

"If Rudy Giuliani's campaign is any good, we should see a nice father-and-son presentation immediately."

My instinct would be precisely opposite: That's precisely what he shouldn't do, IMO, because this, too, is a trap. If he responds here, it establishes his willingness to march to the media's drumbeat. It cedes control of the agenda: by reacting to this non-scandal ("divorced parent has occaisionally strained relationship with son; dog bites man, film at 11"), he'll be forced to react to future non-scandals or be held up to this standard. Some manufactured scandals demand an answer, but even assuming this is one of those, he should find a way to wrest control of the story back or to turn it to his own advantage.

hdhouse said...

Am I confused or don't I remember Rudy announcing his separation at a press conference...that being the way Hanover found out about it..or was "officially" notified.

I'm sure Andrew remembers that pretty well.

AllenS said...

I'm not sure why this is important. Perhaps these questions need be answered by Chelsea Clinton:

Which one of your parents gave you your values?

Which one is a strong influence in your life?

It seems to me, that all you're doing here is taking someones child, and putting them on the spot. There will be no good answers.

MadisonMan said...

Perhaps these questions need be answered by Chelsea Clinton

Why? The young Clinton has always struck me as a blend of the best of both her parents (How'd that happen?). I'm sure she'd credit both of them.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

If Rudy handles this well with the press, will it be "discounted" as mere politics? What if the son's remark is really a beginning of a reconciliation for them? Wouldn't that be nice.

Anonymous said...

He ain't no child. He's a senior meaning he is 21 plus or minus a year or two. He's eligible and would be a fine officer in Iraq.

He's a champion polo(?) player?

He ain't no child.

Stop patronizing him and/or layoff when the adults refer to our kids in Iraq.

Anonymous said...

It's alot easier to stay at work than raise a child.

Hillary did pretty well.

So did Rick Santorum. I mean, granted, he fleeced PA out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in doing so, but that sort of grafy is noise compared to the corruption of the Bush Crime Spree and the Abramoff Republicans.

KCFleming said...

RC, in bringing up Iraq and Rudy's son, I detect a vague threat on his life which, as you so helpfully pointed out in a prior thread, must be fully repudiated.

And so I do.
Heh.

MadisonMan said...

Santorum's kids are not yet of legal age -- I think the oldest is 16? A little too early to tell how well they've been raised.

J. Cricket said...

So Pogo, let me get this straight: the war is supported here at Chez Annie but just for other people's kids. Even asking whether any of these these big war supporters are willing to have their own kids go to war is unfair and demands repudiation.

Kinda makes me wonder whose kids you think should die for this great cause.

hdhouse said...

and this thread has to do with chelsea clinton how?

this is about rudy and andrew...

don't cloud the issue with your agenda or wishlist. Rudy Rudy Rudy

Joe Giles said...

Oh please, the "kids go to war" canard again.

Last I checked, this isn't a Children's Crusade. Adults go to war.

And most parents struggle with getting their minor children to do what they want, let alone ordering your adult children to do something.

Anonymous said...

I wasn't saying they will not turn out to be overinflated, bigoted, patronizing, hypocritical taxpayer defrauding godbags just like dad, just that I believe the Sanctimonius Santorums did kinda sorta stay involved with their brood. Yes, they moved them all to Washington and then got PA to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to edumacate them....

I mean, hell, they even took the little miscarriage along in its own bell jar.

Anonymous said...

I was mistaken, he is 21, but he is a sophomore.

And he says he supports his father for Pretzeldent:

"I have problems with my father, but it doesn't mean he won't make a great president," he said. "He was a great mayor. He did great things - terrible, yes, but great - for New York and would be very effective as a president. He is a great leader. He has vision, and he is willing to stand up for what he believes in."

Anonymous said...

Threat? Suggesting he enlist?

Haven't you heard pogo, it's safer on the streets of Baghdad than in many American cities. Suggesting he goto Baghdad will make Andrew more safe, not less.

I don't know how you can possibly compare a suggesting that one enlist in the Army with a invitation to murder. That's truly disgusting, just like McCain's "wasted treasure" remarks. Don't you support our mission? Don't you support our troops?

What a flip-flopper and yellow bellied lizard you are!

KCFleming said...

RC
I am mocking you.
I'm not making any sort of argument at all, about anything at all, just mocking you.

And it is good.

Beth said...

Perhaps these questions need be answered by Chelsea Clinton

And MadisonMan asks, "Why?"

Because, when faced with possible criticism of a GOP candidate, office holder, or policy, some conservatives have no other thought other than "What about Clinton!" This will continue, apparently, until an entire generation of GOP voters dies off.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

[Eliza]Beth: For the record, this conservative wondered where the heck the Chelsea Clinton question came from, too.

KCFleming said...

Re: "...until an entire generation of GOP voters dies off. "

Beth, you know in RC's world, that can be perceived as a threat. =P

But I agree. Any bad behavior on the right will raise a Clinton question. Meh. Chelsea's irrelevant. I. Don't. Care. Neither do I care about Giuliani's boy, whether or not they're bestest buddies or bitter rivals (see the Civil War and Am. Revolution for far worse comparisons).

It's a circus manuever by the MSM. It shows they're unserious.

MadisonMan said...

It's a circus manuever by the MSM.

It's a circus maneuver by the NY Daily News. Big difference.

KCFleming said...

I thought they were center-left.
Or did you mean they're too small?

Unknown said...

I might be wrong but it sounds to me like Andrew Giuliani's comments are a lot more tame than what Patti Davis said, and did, back in the day.

Reagan ended up having a couple of decent campaigns anyhow. Children are more interesting to the media than to voters.

MadisonMan said...

Does anyone outside NYC metro even read the Daily News?

Finn Alexander Kristiansen said...

Andrew's comments are vitally important to how we analyze this campaign and the extent to which we must heed... wait, is this little pudgy Andrew who, Drew W reminds us, couldn't sit his little butt in a chair long enough to hold his farts in during his father's swearing in?

Oh nevermind.

What Andrew should really do is write a book about how to be successful in golf and call it, "Rich Mom, Poor Dad," and then give lots of interviews that make his dad look like a moron.

Revenant said...

"Perhaps these questions need be answered by Chelsea Clinton"

Why?

Presumably because Hillary Clinton is also running for President? She'd probably just say something gushy about her mom, though, so I doubt anyone would get much political mileage out of it.

I don't see Andrew's comments hurting Rudy much either, though. Nobody wants to listen to some rich kid complain about how daddy doesn't love him enough.

Anonymous said...

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer 17 minutes ago

WASHINGTON

"Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask, what you can do for your country." With those words today, spoken outside the Washington D.C. Army Recruiting Station, Andrew Giuliani enlisted in the infantry. After training of approximately six months, Mr. Giuliani is expected to be sent to Iraq where is MOS is explosive ordinance disposal.

"When I come back from my one year tour, I expect to take a place in my father's campaign -- disposing of explosive ordinance placed in traps by Democratic and Republican opposition research operatives.

Until then, I pledge my life towards my country and my fellow troopers."

When asked about his golfing career, Giuliani said what struck him was the Global War on Terrorism and said that as a young, able-bodied American, America had to come first. "I know where my priorities are."

Polls today showed Giuliani with a commanding 18 percent lead over his nearest competitor, Governor Mitt Romney.

In related news, Barbara Bush has entered rehab with Britney Spears.

Maxine Weiss said...

This just proves that boys are easier for Moms to raise than girls.

Girls are a nightmare for Moms.

Most moms would just love to throw their girls back.

Whatever goes on between Fathers and sons, boys are far easier for Moms.

Peace, Maxine

Revenant said...

But supporting the war on terror and not enlisting is not okay.

What's even more amusing is that those who DO enlist and voice support of the war are then accused of using intimidation tactics, undermining democracy, or simply being under orders to lie.

So you can't support the war if you don't enlist, and you can't support the war if you DO enlist.

KCFleming said...

Re: 'So you can't support the war if you don't enlist, and you can't support the war if you DO enlist."

That's pretty much it.
And?

Well, the only appropriate support for the war remains among those who voted for the war but then voted against it, or only supported it because they wuz lied to. Then it's okay. All else is verboten.

Excpet you can still support the troops, but not the war they're fighting. and the troops have to shut up about the war. Unless they're against it.

hdhouse said...

Maxine Weiss said...
This just proves that boys are easier for Moms to raise than girls.
Whatever goes on between Fathers and sons, boys are far easier for Moms."


Partially right maxine. i do agree with you and as a father of both my daughter, who is the light of my life, has come closer to strangulation than anyone on earth.....

However, the problem here isn't the kids. They are fine. the problem is Rudy who was screwing his mistress at home.

Clinton had oral sex.Rudy had a whore. I mean that as it reads. Didn't this broad know he was married and with kids at home? Is this FIRST LADY material?

Rudy has the moral sexual fiber of a dog in heat. He also is adept at finding bitch dogs.

Craig Ranapia said...

*sigh* Well, I feel very sorry for Andrew Giuliani - because I don't think he knows exactly what kind of door he's opened with the kind of sniping most children of divorce have with their parents in private.
Now he's made himself a public figure by granting an interview to ABC, it's pretty hard to argue he's got any expectation of privacy when hit the Duke Campus to see whether Andrew *ahem* was an active participant in the college lifestyle.

Craig Ranapia said...

hdhouse:

Nice to see there's no gutter fouler than your mouth - been taking lessons from Ann Coulter, have you?

hdhouse said...

ohhhhh craig...what do you think of a first lady who openly goes to gracie mansion with a married guy whose kids are home and wife is "out of town" to screw?

first lady material? presidential?

how does your hyprocrasy suit fit tonight?

Revenant said...

ohhhhh craig...what do you think of a first lady who openly goes to gracie mansion with a married guy whose kids are home and wife is "out of town" to screw?

Sounds like hot stuff. Is there a videotape? :)

Craig Ranapia said...

hdhouse:

Gee, you are taking lessons from Ann Coulter: Back up your vulgar abuse with faux outrage and total hypocrisy (while calling everyone else a hypocrite), and lie about people who call you on your b.s.

Does the Coulter-drag and bad blonde wig make you feel like a princess, hdhouse?

Craig Ranapia said...

And, FYI, the linked response from Rudy was the work of a man who looked a lot more Presidential than hdhouse. (Though that can come across as damnation by faint praise.)