I thought the world of Rudy during the early part of 9-11 disaster-bombing. But most dont seem to recall the infighting that occured over 9-11 victims’ fund, nor the footdragging about the rebuilding of the towers, the caving to the developer/owner, the fight with port authority never resolved amicably, the indictment of Rudy’s top cop and that cop’s prison sentence, nor the scenes in front of his child of bringing his mistress into the mayor’s mansion and his wife’s public escoriating about it all, and on and on.

Then, during Rudy’s run for presidential nomination, his [new] wife along with Fred Thompson’s wife, broke the mold for presentability/presidentiality… by photographs of them seeming to be dressing around cleavage. No problem there, but it appeared the party couldnt stomach the idea of women free to be themselves… in the whitehouse.

Perhaps Rudy would never have made the nom anyway… but his star was in the early days of 9-11, as it likely would have been for whomever was mayor then. The people of NY desperately needed a reassuring and connected person in the lead.

He always seemed like a personable guy, but this latest… mediocre snark… maybe there are chits being called in for favors given him long ago. Or perhaps like some old guys, he cant resist suiting up for a battle even though he no longer has the power of the sword.

Whatever it is, I’d rather remember him as the man who mourned New York’s finest with true grief, with true honor. That was the Rudy I knew. The Rudy I want to remember, and will. This other ‘temporary Rudy’… well, Rudy, wer’un hardly knew ye.