Huh. I would have surmised that he got kicked off because he's such an asshole no one else could stand to be in the same room with him.

See? Just shows you shouldn't jump to conclusions!

make up for his lack of foreign policy credentials

But, but, he's America's Mayor. He was THERE on 9/11.

I'm surprised they bothered now.

He was there, but didn't seem to care what happened to the people who worked on the site afterward. I wonder how many people will die early because of his indifference to safety at Ground Zero.

Rudy's too busy being impressive to do anything impressive.

but, regardless, sorry. Edwards has pretty hair and Hillary's husband shot Vince Foster. that's all you need to know about who to vote for in 08.

"Amazing. This has been common knowledge for months, but this is the first time I've heard about it."

Kevin, apparently you're the only one in America who cared about who served on the Iraq Study Group. For the GOP's conservative base, Guilani's decision not to be on it is probably a plus in his favor.

...and Hillary's husband shot Vince Foster.

C'mon, cleek, get your facts straight! Everybody knows that Hillary shot Vince Foster because he threatened to go public with their affair. And Hillary's a lesbian.

Or something...

"Amazing. This has been common knowledge for months, but this is the first time I've heard about it."

Kevin, apparently you're the only sentient being in America who cared about who served on the Iraq Study Group. To the GOP's conservative base, Giuliani's decision not to be on it is probably a plus in his favor.

Apologies for the double post accidentally hit post instead of preview and thought I caught it in time.

Have to agree with Chico. This is a plus for Rudy. Snubbing the Iraq Surrender Group will be only serve to help his cause.

Heh...Giuliani ducks civic duty to bring in some big speaker's fees.

I guess the idea of Republican leadership is all about looking the part and saying the right lines...When it comes to doing the work of leadership, there's usually something else to do.

chicousnsel is right. here is part of an e-mail Jonah Goldberg pasted on The Corner:

Hey Jonah,

So Rudy quit a panel that, in the end, advocated a complete surrender in Iraq and for us to get on our knees to Iran?

This is bad why? His mistake was not to quit. His mistake was not to fail to attend meetings. His mistake was to ever have his name attached to this joke of a commission in the first place.

As you correctly imply, Kev, one would think that the guy being lauded as a hero for his actions on 9/11 and using it to make millions would actually give a damn about the way to defeat the supposed terrorists that were (but actually were not) involved.

"So Rudy quit a panel that, in the end, advocated a complete surrender in Iraq and for us to get on our knees to Iran?"

I didn't read that part. You got a quote you could share?

advocated a complete surrender in Iraq and for us to get on our knees to Iran?

Must have missed that page. Or I didn't have the King Rush Version.

Didn't you know that those who refuse to buy into W's neverending war are advocating a complete surrender, David?

cancel my last comment

The other question is what his qualifications even were for getting appointed to the Iraq Study Group in the first place. He has no relevant knowledge of the region, of foreign or national security policy, of history, of military affairs, etc. etc. So what exactly did they expect him to bring to the table???

As this article makes clear, none of the presidential hopefuls is wondering where their next meal is coming from. If only common people still had a chance of achieving the highest office in this great land. What makes Combover Giuliani particularly repulsive, however (besides his hairdo), is his willingness to tolerate political corruption and his complacency towards racist attitudes, as this article makes clear.

no relevant knowledge of the region, of foreign or national security policy, of history, of military affairs, etc. etc.
sounds like the perfect MO for a bush appointment

Sort of like how Fred Thompson, he of the 1.33 terms in the Senate, decided to burnish his credibility after 9/11 by going back to "Law and Order".

The other question is what his qualifications even were for getting appointed to the Iraq Study Group in the first place. He has no relevant knowledge of the region, of foreign or national security policy, of history, of military affairs, etc. etc. So what exactly did they expect him to bring to the table???

His calm, encouraging instruction, "Everyone south of Canal Street, begin walking north!" is all the foreign policy, national security or military affairs experience anyone will ever need. And yet you naysayers and nitpickers keep demanding more, more, more.

Speaker's fees weren't the issue. Giuliani did not want to commit himself with the Study Group's analysis and recommendations -- he needs "flexibility" for his run ... finger to the winds, etc..

Maybe he saw the group for what it was- useless. I would be more inclined to vote for him because he walked away from it.

Rudy is a hero not because of 9-11, but because he beats do no gooder liberals over the head with their own stupid policies. The fact his, he whipped a buch of snotty nose liberals (inlcuding the the welfare pimps, the race hustlers, and the unionist) into place here in NYC for 8 straight years and the City is far better off for it. And anyone with an ounce of itellectual honesty will admit this(this excludes liberal bloggers and their sycophants of course).

The moonie blogosphere despises Rudy because they fear him (and his accomplishments in conservative government), they know very well that if it comes down to Hillary V. Rudy in 08 that Rudy will win - easily. This is the reason behind the rush of the mooniesphere (from Sullivan to Drum) to try an elevate these non stories to a big deal.

How long before we hear the 9-11 communication center BS in this thread? 3,2,1 ...

The moonie blogosphere

conservative savior and Wash Times publisher, Rev Moon has his own blogosphere, too?

Ah, Kevin.

May I remind you that Bill Clinton, husband to the Democrat frontrunner canidate, also has a lucrative speaking career which has netted the Clintons about $50M after his presidency.

But we never hear you talk about that, huh?

Yeah, egbert, that Clinton really let his speaking career interfere with his role on the IRaq Study Group, didn't he? Just like that Giuliani.

Sheesh.

Rudy is a hero not because of 9-11...

That will come as news to Rudy.

It is a factual history of New York City…. and how Giuliani saved it….mhr at 4:17 PM

"Prince of the City," by the way, is published by a conservative publishing house, Encounter Books. And Fred Siegel -- the supposed "liberal Democrat" author -- is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Pardon me if I don't accept the book as serious scholarship as opposed to hagiography.

know very well that if it comes down to Hillary V. Rudy in 08 that Rudy will win - easily.

Yeah, just like Rudy beat Hillary in 2000 when he ran against her for the Senare race in New York...oh, wait. That didn't actually happen, did it? Right, right, Rudy was so scared of the shellacking Clinton would have given him that he cut and ran.

Seriously, if Rudy was too frightened to face Hillary Clinton how is he ever going to stand up to Osama bin Laden?

in NYC for 8 straight years and the City is far better off for it

And all those criminals were so scared of Rudy the crime rates started dropping during Dinkins Donuts' last year in office because...

As a white suburban guy within train tourism distance of NYC, Rudy still has me wondering how many black doctors, lawyers and accountants had to be pulled out of their cars and pushed facedown to the pavement by the NYPD to make the city safe for the likes of me.

If Rudy gets so much credit for being Mayor during 911, why does Nero get the same credit for the burning of Rome?

Seriously, if Rudy was too frightened to face Hillary Clinton how is he ever going to stand up to Osama bin Laden?

Ha! That's pretty good. We need to start using that one.

Why didn't Rudy's ditching the ISG for the lecture circuit make the news? Because the majority of the TV pundits and other news media headliners are in the same racket. To them, earning a few million in speaking fees isn't unusual, it's enviable. Browse the lineup of this outfit: Washington Speakers Bureau. You might recognize a few faces.

Hee. Rudy's South Carolina chair has been indicted for allegedly selling crack.

How many big pay slots are there for honest journalists?

It is widely thought that avoiding the Iraq Study group will hurt Rudy.
And the fact that Mike Bloomberg, viewed a great mayor, may run as an independent presidential candidate with Chuck Hagel...
Which will pull votes from Rudy and expose and juxtaposition the two mayors' successes...guess who will fare worse

For the GOP's conservative base, Guilani's decision not to be on it is probably a plus in his favor.

The GOP conservative base won't vote for Giuliani anyway because he supports abortion, so the point is moot.

Stefan writes:

He has no relevant knowledge of the region, of foreign or national security policy, of history, of military affairs, etc. etc. So what exactly did they expect him to bring to the table???

Right. So why exactly should anyone vote for him for President?