I don't care about Rudy Giuliani's family values, or lack thereof. And as I wrote recently for ABC News, neither do conservatives. They only pretend to care as a front to hate gay people.
The right-wing base is chock full of people who are divorced and have terrible relationships with their kids. Why? Because they're normal Americans. Divorce is rampant in America. And does any family get along perfectly?
So, no one cares that his son hardly talks to him and says he will not campaign for him. It just makes the video up above a little more uncomfortable to watch.
How he gets along with his family or how many times he's gotten divorced doesn't have any bearing on how good a president he will be. The only part that bugs me about the whole thing is the general Republican stance on family values.
They pretend to be for family values and then don't bother to do anything that actually helps families. Then, they go on a bender about how homosexuals are ruining the sanctity of marriage.
I am told homosexuality is a sin because God said so. God also said adultery is an abomination. I don't see the Christian right going on and on about adultery. How come the Defense of Marriage Act didn't mention anything about adultery?
Rudy's ex-wife, Donna Hanover accuses him of "open and notorious adultery." Hanover is the woman in the ad above. Oops. Giuliani admits he was with Judith Nathan before he divorced his second wife. Aha! Abomination!
Giuliani is leading by a mile right now among Republican voters. I guess they were just kidding about all that Bible talk.
Anyway, Giuliani is not that bad on gay issues. And except for the uncomfortable ad above, he hasn't run his campaigns on family values too much. So, I am willing to give him a little bit of a pass on this (though this post might not leave that impression). But he better not talk about family values and the sanctity of marriage during the campaign because then we have a giant hypocrisy stick with his name written all over it.
Now, just for fun, one more video.
The Young Turks
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Clinton was doing Monica in the oval office ....
and you're worried about Rudy....get a grip !!
Karen Lyles at 6:40PM on Mar 8th 2007
2. I find it amusing that the idea that all Republicans are not Christian Evangelicals frightens people on the far left so much. I'm a Republican and I'm pro-choice/pro-gay marriage. Rudy's the perfect candidate for me. Ya know what? If you don't base your vote on family values, you make it on other issues where the Repubicans often win. That's why the Democrats are frightened of Giuliani. He is a shining symbol of the real issues that matter most to people and they can no longer point to gays/abortion to get their voters.
Mel at 6:49PM on Mar 8th 2007
3. Mr. Uygur, are you a simpleton, or what?
You were obvilously deprived of ever developing analytic skills. Or in logic, for that matter
Boone Caudill at 6:57PM on Mar 8th 2007
4. Conservatives hate gay people? I think that's a bit of projection. In fact here is proof from a gay man. What do you think of your party now. How sick and hypocritical.
Capitalist Infidel at 7:59PM on Mar 8th 2007
5. I guess this site doesn't allow links. Anyway here is the post in full:
Was I totally clueless? When I stepped forward to talk about an anti-military bias at Columbia of course I knew my life would come under some scrutiny. We hear it everyday, with the universality of the internet, it’s impossible to have privacy. We have all done things no one wants to be advertised, but the truth is most of us aren’t important enough to rate more than a bit of gossip from a snubbed co-worker or some derision from an embittered rival. For most, life is fairly routine, but for those rare few who dare to be different, it can be a lot more harrowing.
Being Hispanic, a 100% American flag-waving red-blooded Reagan Republican, and living in New York City, I sometimes think of myself as a progressive: my views started off liberal but I progressed to conservatism. People constantly ask “How can you be a conservative, they’re so hateful.” Obviously, these poor souls have never received a Jeanne Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award from a Conservative Political Action Committee like I did this weekend.
Let me step back a second, because most of you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about. In September 2005, I complained about military bias at Columbia University—New York City’s finest institution of higher learning (and I truly mean that). My fellow veterans were proud of me, happy that someone had finally spoken out. It is unfortunate Salon.com and most liberal blogs and media chose to ignore this issue. In fact, it’s even more unfortunate that ONLY conservative (traditional for you O’Reilly fans) were interested. Given the left’s constant talk about equality, discrimination, minority rights and systemic oppression, I thought appearing on CNN or MSNBC would have been a media no-brainer, a great way of spreading the non-partisan word, but so much is political today—even the double-standards have talking points.
It was a cold morning in Manhattan and I was late for classes, despite being a bit groggy from studying for my midterms, and working full-time at a marketing firm where I just made partner. I don’t drink coffee and in my morning haze, I didn’t notice the mounting messages on my obsidian Blackberry. I couldn’t distinguish the spam from the hate mail.
We all have a tendency to want to hate the enemy; I suppose that’s why Ann Coulter got applause when she used the term ragheads (that was the last Coulter scandal, or was it the Jersey Girls?) I also suppose that’s why I got so much invective when bloggers posted decade-plus pictures of me that I knew were still around, but simply chose to ignore. Did I think I could become a “public figure” without some scrutiny? Of course not! Am I so craven for attention that I’ll stop at anything to get it? I’m the first to admit that I want to be heard, read and taken seriously, but some issues really are simple and some are more complex. I always hear the complaint of information reduced to sound bytes and of the lack of depth in public discourse. Well, porn is porn; self-explanatory and of little depth. The pictures do pretty much all the talking, and in an age when pictures are so abundant, they don’t say much. I’m concerned many will feel inadequate, as a conservative, I like to insist on equal opportunity even if some start off with more than others.
I don’t like porn, it reduces the mind, flattens the soul. That’s not hypocrisy talking, that’s experience. If I started off with liberal leanings, being on a gay porn set should have been heaven. In porn, everything taboo is trivialized and everything trivial is projected. How does a conservative trace his roots to such distasteful beginnings? Like all followers of a cult, it’s tough to figure out when you stopped believing in the party-line, but I can tell you that by the time I finished my summer tour of the major studios, I was pretty disgusted with myself. It was an emotional low, and the people who surrounded me were like drug dealers only interested in being with the anesthetized in order not to shake off the stupor of being high. Why did I become a conservative? Just look at what I left, and look at who is attacking me to today? Let’s face it people, you’re all cynical enough to know that if I had espoused liberal causes, spoken out against the military, got a liberal award for courage and then outed with a porn-past, you’d be clamoring for my memoir, and nominating me for a diversity ticket with Barack Obama. Instead those who complain about wire-tapping reserve the right to eavesdrop on my private life for political brownie points. Sure, I took a picture with Ann Coulter, I don’t endorse what she said, but anyone in the military would defend her right to say it. I realize that sounds prohibitively phony, but gee it’s really true!
The right to say things is precious and like so many others, my decision to serve after September 11th is even a more salient point of my past. I feel I’m duty bound to help out my fellow veterans in any fight, both foreign and domestic. The issue of anti-military bias on campus is enormous and the CPAC was correct to recognize the gravity of the situation and award those who act for change. With so many experiences since the last George Bush was in power, you’ll have to forgive me for not listing a summer job in my resume, so many years later. It’s just a part of my past, and like anyone who reflects on the past realizes, it contributes to who I am today. No apologies, just recognition. No running away, just moving forward.
I’m not clueless, I saw Jeff Ganon at the CPAC. I didn’t speak to him, and had never met him, but he seemed fine to me, despite the minor media scandal last year, or was it the year before??? It’s hard to keep track, in fact, so many scandals come and go in such a rapid cycle, like the 24 frames it takes for one second of film to give the cinematic illusion of reality. I wonder if I’m just being blasé or the readers really think the tit-for-tat sport of political “gotcha!!” amounts to something more than a Mc’Opinion: easily digested and effortlessly spewed as another “I hate those people!” anecdote. I learned a lot at the CPAC, mostly that I’m not as right-wing among the true believers as I feel in a place like New York, where people glibly promote diversity unless you don’t agree with them. I also learned that there are noteworthy citizens in this country who are dutifully engaged in public discourse and intimately committed to the autonomy of the individual. I accepted my award and spoke with great pride.
I am embarrassed to say, I thought my fellow conservative friends would distance themselves when this news came out, and I’m touched that the opposite has happened. I’ve been asked to give my point of view, invited to speak at various functions, invited to back on TV and most people have gone out of their way to give me their vote of confidence and avoid a rush to judgment. That’s really nice, I appreciate the support, but some conversations are worth having, and I’ve achieved a major victory with changing Columbia’s policy toward the military. Columbia University will build a war memorial to alumni who fell in battle from the War of Independence to the War on Terror. Now, that's the progress I've been demanding. Anything else is just another blip on the blogosphere.
Posted by Cpl. Matt Sanchez at 9:18 PM
Capitalist Infidel at 7:59PM on Mar 8th 2007
6. I only have one response to your insipid article, Young Turd: Giuliani in 2008. BTW, as a prosecutor Giuliani helped smash the Mafia in New York, and as Mayor cleaned up the mess "family man" David Dinkins left behind. You are not a Turk, you are a Jerk. Actually, I think Young Turd is more apropos: hot and steamy and offensive to the senses.
JohnnyT at 8:24PM on Mar 8th 2007
7. I would think that AOL could get someone that would be a stronger representative of the left than Mr. Uygur. I am new to this site, and I am loosing interest fast. Mr. U is getting his clock cleaned and I am not even sure he realizes it.Come on can't the representatives of the left have an honest intelligent debate with these guy's from powerline? If this is the best the left can do this is pathetic . Mr. U is not even capable of an honest debate let alone an intelligent one.I realize the left is mostly driven by how they feel about issues, and that isn't necessarily bad, but it sure is a weak basis for debating issues. Maybe I am being unrealistic to expect anything more from the left that what Mr. U has been able to deliver. I hope not.
dave taylor at 8:39PM on Mar 8th 2007
8. That's the religous right hypocrisy for ya!! They get their panties in a twist when DEMOCRAT Bill Clinton committed adultery then Rudy does it over and over again and they turn a blind eye because he is REPUBLICAN of course!! All of a sudden it is no ones business about a politicians personal life right?? How could I guess that some idiots will bring up Clinton to make them feel better about voting for a cheater like Rudy. Gotta love those republican values LOL!
TC at 8:55PM on Mar 8th 2007
9. Let me get this straight: Adultery is not an issue with a Presidential candidate? Then I want the BILLIONS OF DOLLARS this country spent on Ken Starr and impeachment hearings BACK!
SLOUCH at 10:02PM on Mar 8th 2007
10. Dear Slouch and TC, Adultery is not the issue. Giuliani never perjured himself over any of his affairs. Clinton perjured himself every time he opened his mouth, and still does. I also happen to believe Giuliani would have a LITTLE more respect for the Oval Office than to bone his interns on the desk. All hope is not lost, though, guys. If Hillary wins (ugh!), you can be sure the White House will be plenty well stocked with cigars and stain remover. I'm sure Willy learned his lesson on the dress thing. Then again, at the risk of sounding Christian, I quote a Bible verse: "As a dog returneth to its vomit, so a fool to his folly." The big question is, will a dog returneth to the White House?
JohnnyT at 3:26AM on Mar 9th 2007
11. JohnnyT get your head out of your ass. Stop thinking your precious republicans are some kind of saints. You guys are the biggest loud mouthed hypocrites. Talk about flip floppers! Rudy was doing it in the mayor house, his own kids dont respect him. That's those lovely conservative values we have all grown to love being shoved down our throat by bible humpers. They tell us all to live moral lives or else, then do the complete opposite. You people think you have the balls to be judging anyone elses life LOL, what a crock.
TC at 5:02AM on Mar 9th 2007
12. I guess everyone forgot how so many despised 'ol Rudy...prior to his 9/11 celebrity...the reasons for the latter being more than just his bold and depraved lack of character in the handling of his sleazy private life. Strange...how this country get's it's heroes....the rest of the U.S. suffers the horrific loss of our sense of security and safety...and Rudy does what anyone in his position could have done just as well...and becomes the only one to benefit from the tragedy... sadly... it turns out...at our expense in his present quest for the presidency. One question here....if no one cares anymore whether our president is moral or has an extreme lack of character...that's damn scary. If we can't trust this guy with a marriage vow...why in hell should we entrust him with his vow to "save the day" as he will surely claim. He loved his wife at one point..so if he can treat her and their children as shabbily as he did...how is he about to treat the rest of us...who he doesn't give a damn about? Rewind to the years when the Towers stood....and shout to the rest of the country what the New Yorkers knew of him and his "ways"-- then surely the facade will fall as those buildings did on that fateful day. This country cannot withstand another president whose creed is "my way or the highway"....especially one who has a track record that speaks out loud and clear. Just maybe you folks... and Mr. Columnist here....can find something in that...to deter you from making a huge mistake...because a lying, cheating snake and his adultress in the White House will be a walk in the park compared to the price we'll pay for making another fatal mistake in judgement.
ellen at 9:01AM on Mar 9th 2007
13. I guess everyone forgot how so many despised 'ol Rudy...prior to his 9/11 celebrity...the reasons for the latter being more than just his bold and depraved lack of character in the handling of his sleazy private life. Strange...how this country get's it's heroes....the rest of the U.S. suffers the horrific loss of our sense of security and safety...and Rudy does what anyone in his position could have done just as well...and becomes the only one to benefit from the tragedy... sadly... it turns out...at our expense in his present quest for the presidency. One question here....if no one cares anymore whether our president is moral or has an extreme lack of character...that's damn scary. If we can't trust this guy with a marriage vow...why in hell should we entrust him with his vow to "save the day" as he will surely claim. He loved his wife at one point..so if he can treat her and their children as shabbily as he did...how is he about to treat the rest of us...who he doesn't give a damn about? Rewind to the years when the Towers stood....and shout to the rest of the country what the New Yorkers knew of him and his "ways"-- then surely the facade will fall as those buildings did on that fateful day. This country cannot withstand another president whose creed is "my way or the highway"....especially one who has a track record that speaks out loud and clear. Just maybe you folks... and Mr. Columnist here....can find something in that...to deter you from making a huge mistake...because a lying, cheating snake and his adultress in the White House will be a walk in the park compared to the price we'll pay for making another fatal mistake in judgement.
ellen at 9:04AM on Mar 9th 2007
14. Dear TC, They're not MY precious Republicans! They're ALL scumbags as far as I'm concerned. I have no confidence in American politicians, who seem more concerned about what lies they can tell to stay in office as opposed to doing what's right for the American people. Maybe if you pulled YOUR head out of Bill Clinton's ass long enough you'd realize that. Personally, I think you should run for office. You'd fit right in, head and all.
JohnnyT at 3:58PM on Mar 9th 2007
15. Rudy has some pretty weird family values... the right wingers will be circulating his "drag queen" videos to conservative voters (scroll down to see videos): http://www.solidpolitics.com
Bill at 9:31AM on Mar 12th 2007