No Thanks, Rudy

O.Henry once remarked, "If ever there was an aviary overstocked with jays it is that Yap town-on-the-Hudson called New York". Yes, New York, New York so nice they named it twice. Competition for the top jay, the stud duck, or whatever one would call that dubious honor has always been keen in NYC. Rudy Giuliani started off as a pretty good US attorney, parleyed that into a shot at the mayors office and the rest is history. His heroics during the 9/11 catastrophe should be a case study in executive efficiency, political leadership, and considerable grace under fire. Nine-eleven was not only the pinnacle of his career it was the logical culmination of administrative excellence that had honed a disparaged and demoralized municipal workforce into the cast of world class heroes they were on that infamous day. Giuliani began his first term as mayor like a combination of Wyatt Earp and Vince Lombardy. All laws had to be enforced. No more homeless people urinating on the streets, in alleys or any place. No peep show and no prostitutes on west 42nd street. No buildings in obvious disrepair. No jay walking and no littering. The New York of 9/11 was a far different city than the pig sty it had been eight years earlier. Then Giuliani was term limited out and like New York he declined. If he were looking for a real fight he could have taken on Kirsten Gillibrand and probably be a sitting senator or he could have taken on Junior Cuomo and been the governor.


No one begrudges Giuliani a well earned retirement but it would be nice if he would just stay retired instead of preening for top jay. Today's post on RPC tells us-really almost assures us that Rudy Giuliani is considering a run for the Republican nomination. A campaign run or ego trip? Yes he is still a popular figure in political circles and maybe the closest thing the country has as a national hero but he has already lost this race. He can surely hire a pollster smart enough to tell him his political views don't sell outside of New York state. It's not the man; it's the ideology. It's old, it's passe, and it is not the thinking of the future. It's a breed of northeastern provincialism that is quickly dying. We love you Rudy but please stay out.