America's Mayor, America's President?: The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani

by Robert Polner (Editor), Jimmy Breslin (Preface)

Rudy Giuliani’s admirably flinty response to the horrifying events of 9/11 made him a national hero, positioning him for big things to come — a run at the highest office — in the nation’s political life. However, the outpouring of praise for his performance after that grim day has obscured many uncomfortable facts about Giuliani, one of the most polarizing figures in the history of the Big Apple. America’s Mayor, America's President?  collects original articles and reporting by some of New York’s most perceptive authors and reporters on Giuliani’s two terms as mayor. This revised and expanded edition includes such luminaries as Michael Powell on Rudy and race; Greg Sargent on his presidential chances and what kind of leader he would be; and Richie Steier discussing the messy Bernard Kerik affair. These, and nine other articles, have few illusions about Giuliani’s turbulent reign, offering an informative and entertaining corrective to today’s simplistic celebration of this complex, troubling figure.

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2005

About the author

Robert Polner is a public affairs officer at NYU, and a former reporter for New York Newsday. He is coauthor of The Man Who Saved New York (winner of the Empire State History Book Award) and Three Men in a Room.

Reviews

[Richard]

Rudy Giuliani’s admirably flinty response to the horrifying events of 9-11 has made him a national hero, positioning him for his ultimate quest, the White House. But the outpouring of praise for his performance after Sept 11, 2001 has obscured many uncomfortable facts about Giuliani, one of the most polarizing figures in the history of a great and frenetic city.

This book collects the original essays and reporting of some of New York’s most perceptive authors and reporters on leading Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. The writers have few illusions about Rudy’s turbulent reign, offering an informative and entertaining corrective to today’s simplistic celebration of "America’s Mayor."

Includes contributions from:
* Jim Dwyer (Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, author of Subway Lives, and New York Times Reporter) writes on the mayor’s Joe McCarthy-like penchant for the Big Smear.
* Tom Robbins (award-winning reporter for the Village Voice) on the myths and distortions concerning Giuliani’s Mafia-busting prowess.
* Luc Sante (Low Life) on how Giuliani drove him out of the city by attacking the things about New York he held dear.
* Susan Jacoby (Half-Jew) on Rudy’s maddeningly hypocritical crusade for civility.
* Kathleen Brady (biographer of Ida Tarbell and Lucille Ball) on Giuliani’s $12 million command center “bunker” at the World Trade Center.

[Nicko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rudy Giuliani sucks. Essays about his stint as mayor pre-9/11.