When George W. Bush took office, he and his wife quickly set about reversing what they saw as a glaring wrong committed by the Clintons. They restored a sense of "tradition" to the role of first lady. In other words, Mrs. Bush would steer clear of important policy decisions, and present a genteel, non-threatening presence to the American public. Gone were the much decried days of "two for the price of one," in which the first spouse was suddenly catapulted into a leadership position on front-burner issues such as health-care reform.What so rankled many voters, liberal and conservative alike, was the fact that while the nation took pains to scrutinize the candidates for president, it believed it need not do the same for their wives. Who was being elected, after all?
Well, "two for the price of one" has come a long way in six years, and it's not just Hillary who's singing the idea's praises.
...Rudy Giuliani said that if elected president, he would have no problem allowing his wife Judith Giuliani to sit in on cabinet meetings, "If she wanted to. If they were relevant to something that she was interested in. I mean that would be something that I'd be very, very comfortable with," he said.Update and more, after the jump.So just who is thrice-married Judith G.? The always reliable Wikipedia, paints the following portrait of Rudy's Judy:
-Got married to a medical supplies salesman at Vegas's famous Chapel of the Bells (marriage #1).
-Was re-married to a wallpaper salesman 5 days after her first divorce was finalized.
-Is a Roman Catholic.
-Her specialty is infectious diseases.
-Took up with Giuliani sometime while he was still married to Donna Hannover.
What does it all mean? Who knows. But one wonders how the twofer suggestion will play with those Republicans who so reviled Mrs. Clinton for the active role she played in her husband's administration.
UPDATE: I guess Rudy has reconsidered.
Late Friday, the Giuliani campaign issued a statement in which the former New York City mayor suggested that would not be the case. "Obviously, she [Judy] will not be a Cabinet memeber or attend most Cabinet meetings, if any. But she will pursue a campaign to educate Americans on preventing illness and promoting overall health."
There, there Judy. Take Laura's lead and teach the nation how to floss.
Reader Comments ( Page 10 of 11)
136. We need a Presidential candidate that EVERYONE can respect. That does not include Rudy and his wife.
Please people, get a grip on what FAMILY Values represent for future generations! The Clintons are a laughing stock so nix on them. We have viable respectable people to choose from who are also strong, knowledgeable and capable of bringing our country together. I for one want to have a reason to stand behind our President. The shadows of the past reflect on the future of America.
cj parke at 6:48PM on Apr 1st 2007
137. At least Guiliani's policies will be better than the Clintons.' Also, at least he's not a hypocrite -- the Clinton's marriage is a sham and we are all part of the charade. I'll take the adulterer I know over the calculating politician who makes decisions based on polls any day.
Besides, who really still thinks that politicians know or care about morality -- going back to Harding and before!
rebecca at 8:11PM on Apr 1st 2007
138. These people whom give lip service to the public just to create hate among the Dumb American peopleneed to go back to school and learn what and how to give advice. All this tommy rot about the candates is a containuation of what is happening to our President Bush, This man was elected by the people to do a job , the other half of these people wont let him do what is necessary to put a plug in the dike. The holeis to big now to stop the leak with your thumb. Lets call a moreatorum for a year and a half and see what we can do to eradacate this mess we are in We The People Put ourselves in this mess, Now it is time for We The People to come together and correct the problem we have caused OUR President since entering into this Mess, He cannot run in this election so help him to turn over a plan that someone else can work. One that wont be a disastor. A-Men Marvin Howell
Marvin W. Howell at 10:41PM on Apr 1st 2007
139. Rudi is a scumbag!! He has no self respect or he would not have move his"Judy" into his home when he was still married to his 2nd wife. She was smart to expose him for his "HIGH MORALS" the Republicans are always professing. His children should never speak to him again for the disrespect he had for THEM and their MOTHER.Once a cheat always a cheat,We know if he is a cheater he is also a liar that is his lifestyle(personally I do not see anything that would attract a woman) He says he is only 50 something.WOW. Whats' to say that he isn't already playing with wife #4? His prostrate surgery really was a success !!!
Betty Sadler at 10:06PM on Apr 1st 2007
140. If the rumor is that one of the reasons why John Kerry didn't win the past election if because no one wanted Theresa as a first lady. I highly doubt it that America wants a "mistress" (and that is being nice) as a first lady.
Its like a plot from the movie pretty woman, except Guliani's wife is ugly and well somehow the prostitue in the movie, had class.
Hope hollywood does NOT immitate life!!!
"-Her specialty is infectious diseases."
Umm ... yeah more like sexually transmitted diseases, since she likes to sleep around even if its with married men and while still being married herself.
Isabel at 11:26PM on Apr 1st 2007
141. And here we go again....let me see if i got this right? Name-calling, blackmailing, public affairs, what else? I'm sure the list could go on, but these are just the beginning of the recipe for another lovely Presidential Election. Can't we all just get along? I know that may sound so DAMN HARD, but for the luv of pete people? Don't you think that this country gets laughed at enough because OUR OWN PEOPLE CAN'T AGREE ON SHIT? No wonder we are getting bombed!! Too bad someone couldn't get paid to print out ALL of these comments and ALL the other posts about our President, upcoming Presidents, and the fate of this country. Then maybe, JUST MAYBE, we, as a nation, could actually sit and look at how immature ALL of us are and wonder why other nations who can't speak or live freely want to take what we have away and that is our freedom.
I am 31 yrs. old and have NEVER seen this country torn apart this much. I don't care when it started or how it started. Somebody seriously needs to step-up to the plate, admit faults, and fix this shit. I am tired of worrying about this bullshit in Iraq. We shouldn't be over there, we should be looking for the person who started this shit and that was on September 11th. Are we even still looking for the SOB or not? Do you people think them men and women over in Iraq could give 2 shit's less what the new Presidential Hopefuls have done in their own personal life? There is no morals or family values left in this country. Went out the window years ago and no it didn't start with Bill Clinton. So now that those things are gone, could we at least try to keep what we do have and please, if someone could tell me what this is because I don't even know anymore.
No, I do not condone affairs, but when their is no morals or family values left in this country, then don't sit there and bitch about someone who doesn't show them. Bush has no moral or family values because if he did we wouldn't be in Iraq. We would be trying to find the SOB that killed all them fine people that made Rudy famous. I just don't see how GWB can sleep at night...wait, I know, a pillow I paid for and it's probably satin sheets that he sleeps on as well and here half our country can't even get a blanket. There's some morals and family values for ya because some of them people who can't get a blanket are children.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm sick of paying for someone who doesn't pay me back. Give all the money you can for our troops, but leave the rest to us because it's apparent that even money can't keep us from fighting. Seems to me the more we give and take away from us, the more this country gets shit on and don't know about you, but i'm fucking sick of it.
Allyson at 1:51AM on Apr 2nd 2007
142. I want a good person for president, just like everybody else... I DON'T WANT THE CLINTON'S or some guy from CHICAGO whose middle name is OSAMA, and if that leaves Giulliani, so be it!
Raquel C Rodriguez at 3:21AM on Apr 2nd 2007
143. The only thing that saved Rudy from political obscurity was, unfortunately, 9-11. Prior to 9-11 Rudy was what he is, a corrupt politician. He's about as far from a conservative as Bill Clinton is (I would have said Hillary Clinton but Hillary is far more liberal than her husband). The bottom line is that Rudy is neither fit to be president nor is he qualified. My only question, given he knows his own moral make-up, what made him think he's in any position to govern us?
Kyle Baxter at 4:20AM on Apr 2nd 2007
144. What can be said about Rudy, Americas Mayor. Riding very high on 9/11 and milking it for all it is worth, flogging that horse as far as he can take it, standing on the bones of those that died just for his polictical gain. Had it not happened this guy would be be a sorry footnote in the chapters of NYC polictics. This a man that is one of the best examples of an opportunist if ever there was one. Ran for mayor an promised the NYPD good raises and then gave them nothing, caused them to be the lowest paid in the tristate area, the teachers and their union forget it, everythimng was tied up in court and endless battles with the city workers getting little and bearly providing for their families. Less we forget this the man that fired everyone who got more press than he did. There can only be on KING. Then came RUDY the art critic, threatening to cut funding to a museum for displaying art he did not approve of. i thought art was one of those things that was up to the artist and freedom of expression, if you like you like if you don't you don't. calls himself a good Roman Catholic GEEESH LOUISE it turns my stomach THE NERVE OF THESE PEOPLE, WHAT IS A BAD ROMAN CATHOLIC THEN. For all it is worth Bill and Hillary did not have a messy marital affair as front page new as Rudy did with Donna , Rudy Disgusts me. if you can disrespect the mother of your children in the media and flaunt your WHORE in public and marry her after the nasty divorce, you are of low moral character and are capable of anything.
This is not the kind of person i wish to see as the leader of our nation.dont expect ME to accept this as ligitimate and play it down like uit means nothing . Say what you want about Bill Clinton but he would not have gotten us in this mess we now know as IRAQ abusing our military and making us hated throughout the world and he would not have us so deep in national debt that our my childrens children will be paying it off, and say what you want about Bill, but he would take a more diplomactic approach to the Middle East. God save our great country. Give me a Clinton any day of the week. Eight years of prosperity any lowered national debt vs. Eight years of debt war and risk.
David Bruce at 6:15AM on Apr 2nd 2007
145. What happened to the ranting and spewing about morals?
Why all of a sudden do morals not matter and it's politics as usual?
We have a TV minister that was cured of gay sex and drugs in 3 weeks. How amazing!
He needs to share his secret cure with all mental health professionals.
We have one candidate that has been married 3 times but a well known religious leader has sworn he was just going through a little "moral-breakdown" and he is all cured now.
He was a good fellow because he smeared Clinton during his own moral breakdown but his sins are all forgiven now.
We have another 3 time loser but he's a good fellow now and a pilar of society, even though his children have shunned him.
It has to be his children's fault of course.
We have another candidate who made public that his wife's cancer reappeared.
When he went to be with his wife, instead of handing her a divorce summons when she was in the hospital, people shouted that he was only using it for sympathy to be president.
He is not someone I would vote for but what is it people are actually looking for?
Do morals blow in and out like the wind?
Where are all those "so called" moral people now and why are they not speaking out about getting a decent candidate for president?
We have had one for 6 years that talked to God and God told him to go out and kill people by the thousands.
Now that is, thou shalt not kill, unless it's selective killing.
Our prisons are full of people that only killed one and claim that God told them to kill too.
Frannie at 7:15AM on Apr 2nd 2007
146. I have been real interested in politics as i've grown older.My husband was and he kept up with this before he died. The way I see it and the way he would have seen it now is that Newt Gingrich is as intellegent and maybe smarter than any of these who are running. He also has failed marriages.Every one is saying that is thier personal life.And it is.We need A man not A woman to head our Goverment. I strongly believe he is the Man. " Deloria"
Deloria at 3:11PM on Apr 8th 2007
147. Would someone tell me what WCP means?! Let's write off the Guiliani's right now! Morals are still important, especially in the most powerful position in the world. I find the comments related to Bill Bratton/Bernard Kerik interesting (and news to me). Also, did he really marry a 2nd cousin? That is "freakin weird".
If he's the best the Republicans can come up with, may God help us.
Sandra Aden at 8:10AM on Apr 2nd 2007
148. Why don't you all grow up. Who named you the morality police. We are a nation of continuous guilt ridden immigrants! Won't we ever get over being the people that european countries banished to the new world and get our own morality straightened up?
Linda at 8:21AM on Apr 2nd 2007
149. It is a pitty that we spend time not reviewing Giuliani's performance as mayor, in a city that is bigger than some countries. The way he was able to make the streets of New York, safe enough to walk in at night. A town where tourists fealt safe to come back to. I am not sure when this country took the turn down the path of partner bashing. I guess we are looking for scandles were ever we can find them.
ryanmarkey at 8:30AM on Apr 2nd 2007
150. I don't have a problem with a person being divorced. Some people are divorced through no fault of their own. However, the way, Rudy Guilani went about his divorce shows a real lack of character. To be living with his girl friend while still married and to not even inform his wifef that he was getting a divorce before announcing it were both very disrespectful behaviors to the mother of his children. To have a marriage that lasted years annulled shows he has more money than character and a selfish use of power. We need a President with personal character and not one to abuse power.
Marjorie Lloyd at 2:58PM on Apr 2nd 2007