OK, OK, I admit it, yesterday's "support" for the thrice married former governor of NYC, Rudy Giuliani, was meant as an April Fools day joke. If there is one candidate running for President in '08 that I oppose more, he has not declared yet. I can only hope that my little prank was not taken seriously by anyone and did not do more damage than good. In today's post I would like to take a minute and briefly outline the many reasons I am against Rudy and why I feel you the reader should be as well. I am sure this is only the first of many such anti-Rudy rants.

First off, I think it is fair to say that, no recent candidate that I can think of has benefited from such positive press and subsequent positive mythology than has Rudy. Of course the biggest reason for this is he was lucky enough to win the 'perception lottery' by being the Mayor of NYC on the day that changed America forever, September the 11th, 2001. One can only imagine that Rudy has it in his playbook to ride that 9/11 train all the way to the White House. We all need to make sure to look past this mythology, and take a critical look at the September 10th and before Rudy, as well as the September 12th and beyond Rudy. Any fair assessment of a man (and especially a political candidate) needs to be viewed in full. Remember this: even George W. 30% Bush had an 88% job rating in the polls right after September 11th.

OK, so what he is his 9/11 image to his advantage? What smart candidate wouldn't? What are the substantive reasons behind your dislike of this candidate? Well, I am glad I asked myself that question. First off there are the three marriages, and before I get attacked for being hypocritical of caring about his personal life and not the personal life of Bill Clinton, let me explain. I believe his fist marriage to his second cousin (for 14 years, thankfully no kids), his numerous reported affairs (was forced to move out of the Mayor's mansion during one), and his abandonment of two wives and two kids (no mention of them on his website) show some major character flaws. You can be critical all you want of Clinton and his moral misgivings, but when faced with adversity (self-inflicted no less) in his marriage, he was able to work things out and keep that marriage and relationship with his daughter together. Rudy on the other hand seems to me to be a person that, when faced with adversity, decides to run the other direction. That is also evidenced in his aborted 2000 run for Senator of New York when he was being beaten badly in the polls by the other Clinton, Hillary. I am not too sure this trait makes for a good leader of our country.

Why else do I not like him? Well, there is his early support from the crazy Neo-Cons of the world; James Dobson, Fox News, and the like. These are the same people who brought us Dubya. I think this shows he will just be nothing more than a continuation of Dubya. There is his connection to Citgo Oil. There is his failed attempt to cancel elections in NYC for Mayor after 9/11 so he could go on to a third term. There is his support for mafia-tied Bernark Kerik and current felon Russell Harding. There is his deplorable actions as Mayor of NYC leading up to and resulting in some of the failures on 9/11, as well as some major lapses in judgement afterwards (human remains possibly used in filling NYC potholes?!). There is his circumnavigation of participating in the Vietnam war. Again and again he has shown little reason to be worthy of the highest political office in our country. Then again, neither did Bush.

For lots more good information on Rudy, check out this leaked memo on thesmokinggun.com listing his vulnerabilities, or this book which aims to demystify the 9/11 Rudy, or just do a google search and find some stuff out on your own. Just please, whatever you do, don't blindly take the word of a political simpleton who says 'everyone loves Rudy', or 'Rudy is a liberal Republican', or 'Rudy is a proven tough leader', etc, etc, without first arming yourself with some facts.

Thanks for reading...