Rudy Giuliani Watch: Los Angeles Times Hits Rudy’s “Prickly Style”
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Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and his wife Judith, right. pass a cluster of photographers and reporters as he tries to leave the Palace theater in Manchester, N.H., Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007.
Los Angeles Times: Giuliani plays it close to the vest
New Hampshire may be uniquely suited to the promise and perils of a Giuliani presidential run.
His profile — permissive for a Republican on social issues, conservative on fiscal matters — is well tailored to a state where Republicans tend to be moderate and independents can vote in the GOP primary. “Anybody who’s been to New York in the last few years can’t help but be impressed,” said Charles Arlinghaus, a longtime Republican activist and head of a free-market think tank in Concord.But Giuliani’s famously prickly style could be a problem. New Hampshire voters expect a highly personal touch, not the kind of imperious display the Giuliani camp put on Saturday. As the ex-mayor was being swept into an SUV outside the Palace Theatre, a man pushed his way forward and threw an arm over Giuliani’s shoulder, posing for a picture. A burly security guard lifted the man’s arm off, like a piece of bad meat.
“He’s only been exposed to rock star audiences up here,” said Andrew Smith, the state’s top political pollster. “What happens when he’s asked not tough questions, but annoying questions? It will be interesting to see how Giuliani deals with them.”
The good old MSM spin and bias. And then the pick-up.
Rudy had a good trip but he hasn’t decided yet if he is running.
Rudy had a good New Hampshire trip but he is too moderate on social issues to be nominated by the GOP
Rudy has a “prickly style.”
Hasn’t this reporter ever heard of security?
And from the folks I have heard from in New Hampshire, Giuliani was not disconnected from the voters but was mobbed.
And such courting began a few minutes later across the Merrimack River as the Giulianis just happened to pop into Blake’s Family Restaurant for an afternoon bite with a handful of customers and a dozen or so waiting journalists.
“What should we have?†Judith Giuliani asked a few diners.
Chicken fajitas, she was told.
So it was chicken fajitas and a bacon cheeseburger for the New Yorkers (they shared) as they dove into the nitty-gritty of New Hampshire retail politics.
“Eating in diners three times a day, meeting people, that’s the easy part,†Giuliani said with his broad smile.So, for the umpteenth time, is he running, or not?
“The reality is we’re getting closer and closer,’’ Giuliani said.
If the Los Angeles Times wants to anoint Hillary – go ahead and do it on the editorial page.
But, Flap supposes it is understandable. After all, you reporters have to “SUCK UP” to the new FOB (Friend of Bill) owners of the Times – or you are out.
Right?
Captain Ed sees some bias with the Gray Lady treatment of Giuliani in the New York Times.
This is nothing but a silly attempt by the New York Times to damage Giuliani’s well-earned reputation for leadership. They’re trying to paint him as vacillating and indecisive, when the entire nation watched Giuliani during the aftermath of 9/11 and saw for themselves his ability to make decisions and take responsibility for them. In doing so, they try to claim that his decision not to run against Hillary Clinton for her Senate seat in 2000 had more to do with political cowardice than with his diagnosis of prostate cancer and the effect that would have on his ability to campaign aggressively against her.
Sam Roberts loses sight of one important fact: it’s only January 2007. In years gone by, candidates wouldn’t have even begun putting together teams or forming exploratory committees at this stage. It would have waited until the summer, while they spent the winter and spring traveling, making speeches, and taking the temperature of places like Iowa and New Hampshire to see whether a Presidential run had any chance of success.
In fact, Giuliani has been doing all of the above, and he formed his exploratory committee ahead of most other candidates. Was Barack Obama being vacillating and indecisive because he formed his committee in January, after Giuliani did? I don’t recall that being part of the Gray Lady’s warm reception of Obama’s entry into the race.
We know the NYT’s editorial board has a long record of detesting Giuliani. It seems obvious that their attitude has infected their news division as well.
Indeed……
Stay tuned……..
Update:
Kavon W. Nikrad over at race42008 adds his personal observations of Rudy Giulian’s “Prickly Style.” Which, of course is NOT PRICKLY at all.
Former New York City Mayor and possible Presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani (L) and his wife Judith Nathan (C) greet delegates and guests at the New Hampshire Republican convention in Manchester, New Hampshire January 27, 2007.
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