Ghoul for President

I always feel a bit uneasy when I make jokes that involve 9/11. It was a horrible tragedy and I still sometimes get that horrible feeling that I felt that day as it unfolded. I'm sure I've never felt as sick or helpless as I did on that day. But I feel that it's ok to make jokes because I'm really only making fun of the people who exploit 9/11, and not actually making fun of the tragedy itself. So if anything, my jokes serve as a form of protection of 9/11; rather than exploitation of it. Yet still, I remain somewhat cautious about doing so and have actually refrained from writing things that were funny, but which may have crossed the line.

And that's one of the most disgusting aspects of Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign: His entire presidential campaign is about crossing that line and not looking back. Sure, the Bush Admin turned 9/11 explotation into an artform, but that wasn't their only game. But with Rudy, that's it. He's exploiting 9/11 and it's his only reason for running for president. Hell, it's the only reason he's still looked on so highly, rather than as the scandalous unemployed mayor he is.

As I've mentioned before, the top three GOP presidential hopefuls have split Bush's political persona into three pieces, with Giuliani picking the most foul and hated of the three: The Neo-Con Tragedy Exploiter. At least Bush was also the Southern Good ol' Boy Outsider with the Republican Establishment Credentials. But Rudy doesn't have either of those. His campaign platform is simply: 9/11, War with Muslims, Attack the Liberals, and 9/11. And he has no problem with milking that for all it's worth.

An Unfortunate Choice

And so it must be a huge embarrassment for him that some supporters are having a "$9.11 for Rudy" fundraiser on his behalf; where they'll raise money for Rudy in increments of $9.11. Or it should be an embarrassment, anyway. Apparently, his campaign has merely distanced him from the fundraiser and described it as an "unfortunate choice."

That makes it sound merely like bad luck, rather than a Guiliani supporter taking their lead from the big guy himself and making 9/11 the prime focus of the political campaign. I honestly thought the idea was a parody at first, solely intended to mock Rudy's ghoulish campaign. What's next? Will Rudy start offering faux 9/11 memorabilia to top contributors? A $1000 contribution gets you a copy of the suit he was wearing that day? $500 gets you a box of the same cigars he had in his emergency-bunker/lovenest? Perhaps he could throw in the monogrammed towels if your spouse contributes too.

And the whole thing sickens me. I'm actually glad that these doofuses are inadvertently exposing what a disgusting person Giuliani is for exploiting 9/11. And I hope that Rudy doesn't return the money and it helps him stay in the race long enough to bury him forever. If he bailed now, he might still somehow manage another political campaign at another time. But once a politician gets too close to the brass ring, they're tarnished for life and generally have to drop out of politics. That's what I'm hoping for Rudy. He is indeed an unfortunate choice.