CNN The development of Rudy Giuliani’s story is epic. He was a well-known criminal who brought down mafia leaders and jailed crooks from Wall Street. He demonstrated that Republicans could still be elected as mayors of large cities by demonstrating trust and integrity.His empathy and authority on 9/11 in New York City made him an overall figure and an honest to goodness legend.Giuliani: The New CNN Original Series” “The Man Behind the Lies” looks at how that man, who used to get standing ovations every time he entered a room, became the conspiracy theory pawn of former President Donald Trump who spreads lies about the 2020 election. What has been going on with the city chairman of America?It is striking and depressing to compare Giuliani’s early success to his subsequent shame.John Avlon, a CNN political analyst who later worked for Giuliani’s presidential campaign and was Giuliani’s chief speechwriter during his second term as mayor, including on 9/11, was one of the series’ most important voices.The following are snippets from our conversation about Avlon’s perceptions of the series and the circumstances surrounding his former boss.A critical player in the Trump storyWOLF: Numerous of Trump’s issues center on Giuliani of today. Giuliani’s digging up dirt in Ukraine helped the first impeachment of Trump. Giuliani made election denialism possible, which led to Trump’s second impeachment. In your opinion, what role does he play in Trump’s political past?AVLON: I believe that some ardent Trump supporters will most likely attribute Rudy’s problems to those of Trump. That, as I would see it, is a work to keep away from Trump’s liability regarding the bedlam he caused.
However, you have to give credit to Rudy for being the first presidential lawyer whose actions led to not one but two impeachments. That possesses a novel situation in American history. Sadly, I believe that this tragic end will overshadow the very positive and constructive role he played throughout his life.I don’t think it’ll ultimately eclipse 9/11 and his organization on that day. However, in the name of Donald Trump, he destroyed his legacy, earning nothing but disgrace, ignominy, (potential) disbarment, and a decrease in his personal wealth.
He was also a hero, mayor, and anti-crime advocate.WOLF: I think many people will be surprised to learn about those earlier chapters. The prosecution of insider traders and mafia families is the responsibility of this prosecutor. He was the mayor who cleaned up the city. How did that man turn into a defender of fear inspired notions?AVLON: The documentary focuses largely on that issue. I think it’s important for people to remember that he was a prominent lawyer in his day who had a proven track record of success in taking on Wall Street and the mob.
Because of that, he would have been a significant figure in American politics today. His work as mayor, on the other hand, was truly remarkable. George Will claims that this is the most successful conservative government in the United States.I worked for him at City Hall during his second term as chief speechwriter. It’s amazing to just look at the data of what he did:He decreased wrongdoings by 56% and murders by 68%.He turned a $2 billion deficit into a multiple billion-dollar surplus.He decreased New Yorkers’ taxation rate.He improved things in life.I believe that urban America’s revival began with his policies. I accept that Rudy and Michael Bloomberg’s 20 years together in New YorkCity were instrumental in a general sense changing the city.
The man tried to defend his client in the court of public opinion by using the law to pursue a lie, believing that the law was a search for the truth. This is the tragedy; I deliberately use the term “tragic” because it is self-inflicted, but it is still tragic.He probably ended up in a right-wing echo chamber because he was so invested in a hyperpartisan alternative reality that they couldn’t even imagine losing fairly.So, in the end, they used a pretty obvious lie and no evidence to try to overturn an election and our democracy.I won’t attempt to determine how he has changed. However, the man I knew and proudly worked for is fundamentally flawed in my assessment.Is Giuliani a brand-new individual or has he already been found?
Despite the perception that Rudy has changed as a person, the documentary contains interesting moments that provide hints at the Rudy of today. We observe a 1992 police officer riot at City Hall in contrast to the riot at the Capitol. He made the suggestion in 1989 that votes had been tampered with, but he didn’t pursue it. Is it true that he has altered himself, or has he only been found?AVLON: Robert Caro wrote a great line about how power shows rather than corrupts. I’m more likely to believe the adage that people get older and become more mature. The documentary makes numerous attempts to create a narrative connection between January 6 and the police riot. Those episodes didn’t characterize the individual I knew and worked for consistently.
Character is crucial. One of Rudy’s strengths and weaknesses is that he taught me that being a hero does not require perfection. Rudy was not one of these politicians who invented justifications for their flaws.He was actively interested in determining his flaws and the factors that motivated him during low points, and he was aware of his flaws.He was someone who had philosophical views on politics.
If you asked him about his position on abortion, for instance, he would freely discuss St. Thomas Aquinas and the debate over when life begins.Likewise, he was the sort of individual who thought about turning into a cleric yet wound up functioning as an investigator. However, I believe he has altered his perspective.It is more likely that people will join the Trump circle if they are not at their most stable. His search for attention and relevance harmed Rudy’s legacy and reputation.Does legend adore change a person?
WOLF: Reflecting on how much of a national hero he was after 9/11 taught me a lot. How specifically, in your opinion, did that affect him specifically? You saw it.
AVLON: Rudy’s partisan misperception that he was deeply unpopular prior to 9/11 comes first. Measurements show that is not the situation.That doesn’t mean, however, that he wasn’t occasionally contentious and contentious. He would say that when turning a ship around at sea, you must throw your shoulder to the wheel.9/11 was an exemplary illustration of man and situation meeting. The New York Observer frequently criticized Rudy, claiming that he established himself as New York’s greatest mayor almost immediately.He came to be compared to Churchill in some ways due to his instinctive response to a massive attack that had never been seen before.It was also because of his sincerity and empathy. He was able to make positive use of his grief. He never wavered. He was a motivation to a world that was essentially shaken and sickened, pronouncing that the quantity of passings was more prominent than any of us could bear.Furthermore, it was remarkable. For months or even years afterward, he would be greeted with standing ovations whenever he entered the room.It appears to be excessively direct to say that infers that you will get that sort of treatment any place you go. However, I believe it highlights the tragic nature of the fall.
And he could have been a significant stabilizing force within the Republican Party, including on social issues, if he had maintained his credibility as a senior Republican centrist who was tough on issues that a lot of people care about, like fiscal discipline and law and order.He could have been a name for parks, statues, and streets all over the country due to his leadership role model on that day, which marked the pinnacle of his career. That demonstrated the individual’s true strength and character.
