This is the headline in the Washington Post: “After backlash, Giuliani cancels Ukraine trip meant to ‘meddle’ in investigations to help Trump.”
As a lawyer Rudy Guilaini has no official position in the Trump White House the way Attorney General Bill Barr and White House Counsel Pat Cipilione do. He is one of Trump’s personal attornies, and obviously the most visible and news hogging one. His unhingededness and need to be in the spotlight comes close to that of his boss though nobody in Washington comes close to the zone the president inhabits.
On the 10 scale of angry irrational ranting Trump is a 15. Rudy is a “lowly” 10.
I doubt Rudy will ever beat the meme that should be inscribed on his tombstone:
Here are the gems from his explanation for cancelling his trip to Ukraine.
They come from his interview with the New York Times’s Kenneth P. Vogel and with Fox News’s Laura Ingraham.
“So I’ve decided ... I’m not going to go to the Ukraine. I’m not going to go because I think I’m walking into a group of people that are enemies of the president, in some cases, enemies of the United States." (to Vogel)
"We’re not meddling in an election; we’re meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do,” (to Vogel)
“This isn’t foreign policy; I’m asking them to do an investigation that they’re doing already and that other people are telling them to stop. And I’m going to give them reasons why they shouldn’t stop it, because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.” (to Vogel)
“I guarantee you: Joe Biden will not get to Election Day without this being investigated.” (to Ingraham)
“The reality is this has nothing to do with the election of 2020. The election of 2020 is a long time from now, and if I wanted to meddle in that election, which I don’t, I could have held this for a year and dropped it before the convention." (to Ingraham)
“What I’m pushing for — don’t let the crooks bury the case for the second time — it’s all part of a corrupt arrangement between United States political officials of the Democratic Party and Ukrainian officials to dig up dirt on Republicans. I’m going to make sure that nothing scuttles the investigation that I want.” (From another Washington Post article)
The topper was his telling Kenneth Vogel the following just before his “this isn’t foreign policy” statement:
“There’s nothing illegal about it. Somebody could say it’s improper.”
What I wonder about is why Trump hasn’t fired Rudy. I don’t see any upside for Trump to having him as either a spokesperson, emissary, investigator, political guru, or legal advisory. The only reason that makes sense for Trump wanting to keep Rudy around is that they spend time together and have rage venting sessions.
It’s possible Trump has considered firing him, that he really wants to do so, but can’t find a face-saving way to do so.
What do you think?