The Giuliani Paradox
A few months I noted how odd it is that Rudy Giuliani is treated like an expert on issues of foreign policy when he has zero experience dealing with such issues and doesn't even seem to understand them all that well:
Because of his intimate connection with the events of 9/11, Rudy Giuliani is always treated by the media as some sort of foreign policy heavyweight. I've never understood this. Yes, Giuliani was a competent mayor, and he was a reassuring presence on television in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 (I remember; I was there). But he was a mayor. His political experience consists of working with city council members and negotiating labor disputes. He has no more experience grappling with foreign policy issues than Howard Dean or Mark Warner (and considerably less experience than just about anyone who has served in Congress).Well, maybe I was just ahead of the curve, because some conservatives are starting to notice the same thing. Here's Rich Lowry today at The Corner:
Not only that, but I've yet to hear Giuliani say anything even remotely original or insightful about any foreign policy issue. Rather, he can always be counted on to regurgitate whatever the current GOP talking point is on the subject at hand, whether it be Iraq, Iran, or terrorism. He's not even particularly eloquent or tactful about it. . . .
[Giuliani] strikes me as more than a little out of his element when it comes to foreign policy. And that's supposed to be his strength. So I ask you this, particularly if you are a potential Republican primary voter: what exactly is it that Giuliani brings to the table when it comes to presidential politics? What would be the point of his candidacy? I just don't see it.
One thing I noticed last night was that almost all the questions were on national security—people consider Rudy the national security guy. But his answers on foreign policy and military affairs aren't deeply informed to my ear, making for an odd disconnect.Yes, indeed. If Giuliani is serious about this whole presidential thing, it might be worth his while to actually study these issues a little and get to a point where he can talk about them without always sounding like he's trying to recall some memorized talking point. His image as the 9/11 mayor is only going to get him so far. If you put him on stage with Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama right now, he would be reduced to a stammering fool in short order.
posted by A.L. at 3:38 PM
5 Comments:
If you put him on stage with Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama right now, he would be reduced to a stammering fool in short order.
You mean like our chimperor - you know - "want to buy some wood?"
You fail to recognize the driving forces behind this all - an AWOL alcoholic cocaine addict was fraudulently hoisted into the pResidency as our "war president."
If they can put lipstick on that pig - they can do the same with giuliani - after all, he is the last neocon that can continue to exploit the lies of 9/11.
Don't kid yourself - if those that own the MSM, "catapult the propaganda", and control the political dialog in this county want to annoint him the next pResident, they are fully capable of doing it under our current dysfunctional voting systems.
You are barking up the wrong tree - this is what makes the entire sham possible.
Well my comment was supposed to start like that "stammering fool" in the White House and continue from there. But I think the anonymous first commenter covered everyting.
Anonymouslib, i dont recall anything great giuliani did during and after 9/11. except predictingg the buildings would fall.
i dont know how he is regarded a hero. it was just a propaganda for something in return
"Stammering fool"? Compared to the overcalculated, nuanced, mendacity of Hillary or the I-have-no-foreign-policy Obama? I very much enjoy your posts generally AL, but when you write about Giuliani you go off to some logic-free fantasy land where all of his good qualities disappear and he becomes some sort of idiot thug with no talents or electability. On Giuliani you write more about what you wish were true rather than what actually is true.
"Stammering fool"? Compared to the overcalculated, nuanced, mendacity of Hillary or the I-have-no-foreign-policy Obama?
Um. Yes. Say what you want about Hillary or Obama, but they're both very intelligent and have both given a lot of thought to these issues. Giuliani, on the other hand, does not appear to have really thought about these issues in years, and it shows on the stump. He's a smart guy and I'm sure that if he puts his mind to it, he's capable of more informed discussion of these issues, but right now, he's clearly in no position to do that. I'm not the only one who's noticed this.
As for this:
I very much enjoy your posts generally AL, but when you write about Giuliani you go off to some logic-free fantasy land where all of his good qualities disappear and he becomes some sort of idiot thug with no talents or electability.
I don't think that's fair. I think Giuliani is intelligent, is competent within at least some spheres, and would be a formidable general election candidate. I think he has some obvious weaknesses, though, ones which might well prevent him from securing the nomination. I think he's got a temper problem, is extremely arrogant, is willing to lie if it suits him, tends toward cronyism, and has a predeliction toward abusing his power. I worry that a President Giuliani would continue the pattern of cronyism, corruption, and abuse of executive power than Bush and Cheney started.
And just to prove this isn't a Democrat/Republican thing, I generally do not have the same concerns about John McCain (thought I have others).
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