The Sunday shows: Tough questions for Giuliani

It was former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani’s turn in Tim Russert’s hot seat Sunday, but the front-runner (in national polls) for the GOP presidential nomination managed to stay cool.

The host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” is inviting the leading presidential candidates for one-on-one hour-long interviews; Giuliani is the 10th to appear since the “Meet the Candidates” series started in January with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Russert does his homework: He asked Huckabee, for instance, about the Arkansas parole board's decision to parole a convicted rapist who went on to commit another rape and murder (the subject of Richard A. Serrano's article in Sunday's Los Angeles Times, which quoted parole board officials as saying that Huckabee was more involved than he initially described). Last month he pressed Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the current Democratic leader in Iowa, about his relationship with an indicted Chicago developer who had supported his campaigns and from whom he purchased part of a vacant lot adjacent to his Chicago home.

Russert's initial questions to Giuliani were relatively gentle -- current poll numbers and foreign policy. Then he moved to the tougher stuff, ...

including Giuliani’s connections with the consulting firm and the law firm that both bear his name; his recommendation of former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik – now indicted on corruption charges – as head of the Department of Homeland Security, and his use of New York Police Department officers to provide security -- including dog-walking -- for his then-mistress (and now third wife) Judith Nathan.

Giuliani laughed aloud when asked about his law firm’s representation of Citgo, the Texas-based oil company that is the U.S. subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil company. The head of Petroleos de Venezuela SA is the country’s president, Hugo Chavez, who has attacked President Bush as “the devil” and “a genocidal murderer.” Bracewell & Giuliani represented Citgo “just in Texas,” Giuliani said. “And then they stopped representing them.”

He appeared somewhat more defensive when discussing his security consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, and its controversial relationship with the government of Qatar. Members of Qatar’s ruling family, Russert said, have been accused of allowing Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who went on to become the chief plotter of the Sept. 11 attacks, to live in the country during the 1990s even though he was known to have terrorist ties -- and in 1996 they even tipped him off that the FBI was after him, allowing him to flee. According to a former CIA terrorism expert, Russert said, “you are taking money from the same accounts that protected Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.”

"That's, that's just totally wrong, and, and it's completely, it's completely distorted,” Giuliani replied.

He was also asked about -- and dismissed as inconsequential -- his firm's reported connections with a Hong Kong businessman with ties to North Korea's "Dear Leader," Kim Jong Il.

Given the questions that have been raised, Russert said, Giuliani's law firm and consulting firm could just release their client lists and end the speculation about what other embarrassments might erupt. No way, Giuliani said, citing confidentiality agreements.

As for Kerik, whom Giuliani plucked from the police ranks to serve as New York City’s correction commissioner and NYPD commissioner before recommending him for the country’s top security post, he said: “The reality is I made a mistake. I made a mistake in not vetting him carefully enough."

And the NYPD dog-walking for Nathan? She had received threats, he said.

“The reality is that it all came about because of my public position,” he said. “And the New York City Police Department has rules; they applied the rules, they applied them in exactly the same way as they always apply them. I did not make the judgment. I didn't ask for it. Judith didn't particularly want it, but it was done because they took the view that it was serious and it had to be done this way.” (It was his pal Kerik, by the way, who approved the security detail.)

Giuliani kept his temper under control -- although it was, perhaps, not the best day for the man who rode his 9/11 reputation to a commanding lead among the GOP candidates, then has seen that lead erode amid reports on the controversies over his personal judgments and business decisions. The Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary are less than a month away, and candidates want voters to focus on their visions for the future, not their past doings.

But he can be comforted by this: Next Sunday it’s former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s turn in Russert’s hot seat.

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Comments

[Oscar]

Guiliani looked like many of the people I have seen who were sociopaths: lacking conscience, empathy, yet superficially charming, and intelligent.

He is a truly dangerous man who must never be president.

[eNews Reference]

I think Russert got tough down the stretch and the candidates will get tough on each other in the closing weeks....

[Lance]

Security detail for his mistress at taxpayer expences? How can Rudy possibly think there was nothing wrong with that? Whether or not he requested it is insignificant. The fact that it would not have even been necessary had he not been having the affair to begin with is very significant.

[Terry S.]

Russert barely touched the surface regarding Giuliani's judgment and Kerik, what about the rest of the “Giuliani Crime Family”. I’d like to hear an explanation regarding his other corrupt appointees:

Fred Patrick - Appointed by Giuliani as Juvenile Justice Commissioner, also Deputy Commissioner at Correction Dept. and Criminal Justice Coordinator’s office. - JAILED - charges involved financial dealings and sex telephone calls

Anthony Serra - Repeatedly promoted (up to the rank of Bureau Chief - Dept. of Correction) by Giuliani administration after having worked on Giuliani’s campaign, also worked for NYS Republican Party - JAILED - charges involved theft of city property/services, political corruption

Russell Harding - Appointed by Giuliani as President of Housing Development Corp. Son of Liberal Party Chair who endorsed Rudy’s mayoral campaign - JAILED - charges involved financial dealings and child porn

Richard Roberts - Appointed by Giuliani as Housing Commissioner and Hospitals Chair - plead guilty in the Harding scandal

People who didn’t go to jail but were forced to resign in disgrace:

William Fraser (Correction Commissioner)

John Picciano (Police and Correction Chief of Staff)

Louis Carbonetti (Campaign staffer’s father - Giuliani appointee to Brooklyn BID)

Raul Russi (Probation Commissioner)

Louis Gelormino (Probation Deputy Commissioner - appointed over the objections of then Commissioner Jacobson to a newly created $95,000 per year job)

Note that Patrick, Harding and Serra all went to jail. Carbonetti, like Kerik plead guilty to charges. Fraser resigned in disgrace as a result of a corruption scandal and was fined by the Conflict of Interests Board for ethics violations. Russi and Gelormino resigned in disgrace after the Vellela prison release scandal.

Also note that Kerik (who achieved the rank of commissioner without ever passing a promotional exam), Fraser and Serra each worked for the Giuliani campaign and more than doubled their salaries as a result of promotions that occurred during the Giuliani administration.

Picciano who went on to work at Giuliani partners, also more than doubled his salary with a promotion outside of the uniformed structure (he didn’t pass the promotional exam) even after a complaint was filed with the NYPD that he had beaten his girlfriend and put a gun to her head. He also participated in a tax scandal for which others were fired or severely disciplined yet he was promoted and then went on to work at Giuliani partners.

Finally, Rudy fired two of the nations best law enforcement professionals; Ray Kelly and William Bratton.

How about getting him to explain the rest of this?

[Robert Silver]

Giuliani seemed to have thought that his almost maniacal laughter while Russert was asking the questions would be disarming. I found it a little frightening that he considered the issues to be so amusing.
I was not aware that the representation of clients was confidential, unless privately agreed to, It is the content of the representation that is, by law, privileged. Would he be as secretive if President?

[Darren Donahue]

Giuliani worked the old 'Jedi Mind Trick' at least 10 times on Mr. Russert. Everytime Russert put Giuliani in a tough position on his criminal behavior, Giuliani would smile and then say:

"The Reality Is" followed by Mayor Giuliani's new version of the truth. Go back and look at the interview, it is amazing.

I was waiting for him to slip and say, "These aren't the droids you are looking for".

[Stephen]

The best thing presidential candidates can do, today, to convince me of their character, judgment, values, and philosophy as a would be President, is to ANNOUNCE their key CABINET members and advisors. Over the last few years, Giuliani has been careless, and perhaps negligent in key team leaders.
It is through these selections that we as voters can learn more about how they would function as President and Commander and Chief.

Guiliani will protect us from terrorists? He's doing BUISNESS with terror supporters! See for yourself what ties to Qatar mean at http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/005981.php. Rudy does business with terror supporters with the right hand and asks for your vote with the left! If you wonder why he won't tell you who his clients are, well now you know. Just like so many other Republican candidates, he will be POISON in an election. The liberal media would LOVE to see him get nominated. Truth is, the Democrats want ANYONE but Dr. Ron Paul. Much as we'd like politics to be positive, it is in fact ruled almost entirely by negatives. For instance, what's the biggest negative the Republican Party is facing in 2008? Iraq - a staggering 70% of people favor IMMEDIATE withdrawl from Iraq. Who is the only candidate that doesn't have that negative? Dr. Paul, who advocates using those trillions of dollars to secure our border (perhaps against Saudis who were 20 of the 24 terrorists in 9/11) and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure which is far more worrying than the loss of Social Security. Hm, full employment, withdrawl from Iraq and a huge boost to our economy from rebuilding our infrastructure - what Democrat wants to run against that. Hence the behavior of known liberal biased network CNN, who wants us to nominate either Guiliani or Romney - both of whose negatives are so high the copy practically writes itself!

[Graham]

Huckabee, in 1992, thought aids victims should be quarantined. Nice enough guy, but completely off his rocker.

[Peter Ault]

A little hanky panky in the Oval Office is an impeachable offense, but having taxpayers money pay for trips to see the mistress is simply laughed off???
Does the hypocrisy ever end???

[J G E]

I guess I saw the interview from a differing perspective.

I saw a line of questioning that focused primarily on personal issues rather than national policy. To me, security being issued on behalf of a high profile politician is nothing to get upset over.

I would rather see focus on taxes, domestic spending, war in Iraq, immigration, economy, terrorism, etc.

A little more substance, a little less tabloid.