The Chicago Tribune's Pre-emptive Strike on Rudy Giuliani (petty smear by MSM)

Real Clear Politics ^ | February 08, 2007 | Richard Baehr

[bilhosty]

The Chicago Tribune seems to fancy itself in the role of kingmaker when it comes to knocking candidates out of political races, and helping hometown politicians it favors to win. Its latest effort has targeted Rudy Giuliani, who all but officially entered the race for the Republican nomination for President in 2008 this week. Within two days of his announcement, a lengthy "investigative" piece appeared on the front page of the paper trashing Giuliani for his high speaking fees and some questionable business clients in the years since he entered the private sector. The hit piece authored by Andrew Zajac was obviously a long time in the works, waiting to be released at the right moment to derail the Giuliani boom before it ever gets going.

[bilhosty]

As a smear attempt after reading the article it is laughable. But, you know the great man by the enemies he has. And with the Tribune company and the NY Times out to destroy him that speaks well of him indeed.

[1rudeboy]

I'm still moody about the Trib's hatchet-piece that gave us Alan Keyes as a Senate candidate in Illinois last time around.

[xcamel]

Try this next time...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;s=Chicago%20

[weegee]

Does this have Hillary's fingerprints?

[Khepera]

I suppose they reminded their readers how anti gun he is.... oh wait this is Illinois, nevermind!

[Candor7]

When Dem hatchets happen to the newly converted, as Giuliani is, and one who has filed his presidential nomination work WITHOPUT ANY PARTY AFFILIATION SO HE CAN RUN AS AN INDEPENDANT TO SPLIT THE REPUBLICAN VOTE, well then, I applaud such a smear.

I hope they smear him so badly that he is scraping it off his semi bald pate for years to come!

[don-o]

read later

[OMalley]

LOL

[msnimje]

At least he is not a Mormon..../s

[msnimje]

...filed his presidential nomination work WITHOPUT ANY PARTY AFFILIATION SO HE CAN RUN AS AN INDEPENDANT TO SPLIT THE REPUBLICAN

Boy, that would be a good story if it were true.

He left that blank on the exploratory committee paperwork last year but filed to run as a Republican on his "statement of candidacy."

[beltfed308]

As a smear piece I agree. But then again if they went after Rudy for being pro-gun control, abortion, gay unions and going to court to prevent immigration enforcement to name a few what would that do? Make Dems look bad?

[Rennes Templar]

The Trib's darling is Obama. Anyone in the way is fair game for smear, regardless of their politics.

[Beagle8U]

"I hope they smear him so badly that he is scraping it off his semi bald pate for years to come!"

BTTT

[BurtSB]

The Tribune is the Daley machine and vice versa.
Anyone recall when the Tribune somehow got a hold of Daly flunky judge who opened up sealed divorce papers on the Repub candidate who was ahead in the polls against all candidates . And smeared the hell out of him so the Daly flunky Obama could win !

[mkjessup]

Rudy better get used to this, because it's only going to intensify.

I believe he is personally able to withstand any attack, and give as good as he gets, but the real target of this smear attack is the American electorate, that is who the Chicago Tribune is trying to influence. They know Rudy is probably not going to pull out of the race once he's in, so their objective is to trash him early, and keep on trashin' him.

Meanwhile, the only way the Trib would say anything even slightly negative about Barack Hussein Obama would be if the junior one-term Senator burned an American Flag and personally declared jihad against the United States.

Even then, the Trib would squawk about Obama's 'freedom of speech' rights, and (of course) "speaking truth to power".

Gawd, I hate that cliche'.

[Clemenza]

Considering the fact that it was New York DEMOCRATS who voted him in in the first place and that, other than the NY Times and Village Voice, the media loves this third rate a-sclown, I really don't see any bias against a pro-gay, anti-gun, mental midget, greasy, corrupt Noo Yawk liberal Republican.

And for those who say that Giussolini is a "fiscal conservative", then how come NY remains a socialist HELLHOLE largely populated by Third Worlders outside of the Limo Liberal bastions of Manhattan?

[ShawTaylor]

The Hitlery smear merchants and puppet masters giving their marching orders to their liberal media puppet vermin?
So what's new?
It's not working.

[OldPossum]

I gather that you do not particularly like Mr. Giuliani.

[ShawTaylor]

"Considering the fact that it was New York DEMOCRATS who voted him in in the first place "

New York Republicans voted against Rudy?
When was that?

"other than the NY Times and Village Voice, the media loves this third rate a-sclown, "

Yeah?
For your information, practically all the liberal media in New York, including New York magazine, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and the other hundreds of publications in New York have been and are still anti-Rudy. About the only major publication that has supported Rudy to any extent has been the relatively conservative, strongly pro law and order New York Post. That Rudy won twice in big Democratic majority city like New York is testament to what a good mayor he was.

[Clemenza]

New York is 5-1 Democrats. Noo Yawk (not an American city btw), DEMOCRATS voted for him. There are only three RINOS on the City Council out of 50 members, I believe.

There are no REAL Republicans in New York. New York Republican=Democrat in AMERICA, New York Democrat= Marxist Leninist.