Giuliani Insults Obama, Embarrasses GOP

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright February 21, 2015
All Rights Reserved.

             Now an embarrassment to the Republican Party, 70-year-old former New York mayor Rudi Giuliani insulted President Barack Obama, saying he didn’t love America.  “I do not believe, and I know this is horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America,” Giuliani told guests at a private GOP dinner in Manhattan, showing the kind of tone deafness to political correctness that best leaves him retired from politics.  After losing to former Massachusetts Mitt Romney in the 2008 GOP primaries, Giuliani lapsed into obscurity for good reason:  He no longer commands any appeal in the Republican Party.  Once a popular New York mayor while directing emergency services after Sept. 11, Giulian’s vitriol no longer resonates with mainstream voters but, more importantly, has no relevancy since Obama isn’t running for re-election in 2016.

             Giuliani got into the headlines not because he raised important or foreign policy issues but because his embarrassing comments got on TV.  “He doesn’t love you.  And he doesn’t love me.  He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up or I was brought up and I was brought up through love of this country,” Giuliani told the GOP audience,  including possible GOP White House contender,  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker,  gasping quietly at how he could make such offensive remarks.  Taking a cheap shot at Obama shows just how far down hill Giuliani has come since his past presidential ambitions.  While there’s plenty to criticize in Obama’s foreign and domestic policy, there’s no place to impugn the president’s character.  New York real estate mogul and GOP oddity Donald Trump tried to do it in 2008 with the bogus “birther” claims, insisting Barack was born in Kenya.

             Giuliani and the GOP have a real problem running for national office, focusing on issues like attacking abortion and same-sex marriage.  “With all our flaws, we’re the most exceptional country in the world,” said Giuliani, blaming Obama for not trumpeting U.S. moral superiority while hosting a global terrorism conference at the White House.  Obama has been criticized for omitting the term “Islamic” while dealing with “violent extremism.”  Concerned that painting extremists as “Islamic” invites more recruitment worldwide, the White House refuses to dignify “violent extremism” with an Islamic label.  “I’m looking for a presidential candidate who can express that, do that and carry it out,” said Giuliani, referring to trumpeting the American brand.  Unlike past Republican administrations, Obama’s been reluctant to pound his chest on the world stage for good reason.

             As the 2016 presidential campaign heats up, GOP candidates need to focus less on Obama than possible Democratic opponents.  Obama’s termed out and passing the baton to new presidential contenders.  While most think that former First Lady, U.S. senator, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will toss her hat into the ring, Walker and other possible GOP candidates need to keep their eye on the ball.  “That’s the kind of elitist, government-knows-best, top-down approach we’ve had for years,” Walker told Fox News’s Megyn Kelly, referring to Obama’s leadership style.   “We’ve had an Ivy-League trained lawyer in the White House for six years who’s pretty good at reading off the TelePrompter but has done a pretty lousy job of leading this country,” said Walker, citing nothing specific.  Walker doesn’t praise Obama for turning the Great Recession into economic recovery.

             Dropping out of Marquette University in 1990 at age 22 with a 2.59 GPA, Walker should be the last person calling a Harvard Law graduate an elitist.  Walker’s in no position to rip Obama’s academic credentials, pandering to a less educated crowd for backing.   If Walker runs for president, he’ll be going against folks in his own party with comparable credentials as Barack.  Like Giuliani, Walker has nothing good to say about Obama, believing voters somehow forgot how bad things were before Obama became president.  Romney tried but failed to attack Obama’s economic record that cut the federal deficit by a third and added 8 million private sector jobs since March 2010.  Agreeing with Giuliani, Walker showed that he won’t go to far in the GOP primaries.  Walker’s biggest claim-to-fame is surviving a Democratic recall election in Wisconsin June 5, 2012.

             Giulian’s recent remarks show he’s become a loose cannon to the GOP.  If the Republican Party has any shot at convincing voters they’re ready for the White House, they have to stop the pettiness that leaves mainstream voters shaking their heads.  Candidates like Walker should think twice before assailing candidates’ academic credentials when he has none.  Giuliani’s expectation of hearing past presidents act like cheerleaders shows how far he’s drifted from the mainstream.  Voters want to hear about jobs, opportunities and a better future.  Ignoring Obama’s tangible accomplishments—especially about the economy—only makes voters more skeptical of GOP criticism.  While there’s much to criticize, the country is certainly better off than it was six years ago.  If the economy holds up, the GOP better find some other compelling issue or watch another Clinton return to the Oval Office.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma


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