Gulfstream Giuliani

The Smoking Gun has decided to bookend the weekend with Rudy Giuliani tidbits. On Monday, The Smoking Gun printed parts of Giuliani's 1993 "vulnerabilities study" which, among other things, offered suggestions on how to answer questions about the former mayor's marriage to his second cousin. Today's installment is Giuliani's tour rider for speaking engagements. At $100,000 for one hour Giuliani time (45 minute speech, 15 minutes of Q&A), one also has to provide certain hotel and travel accommodations. The Smoking Gun writes, "We've previously posted the tour riders of Dick Cheney and John Kerry, but those two pols look like pikers compared to the high-rolling, diva-like Rudolph Giuliani, wannabe Republican presidential candidate." Why is Giuliani a diva? He needs at least a Gulfstream IV! And he doesn't like "direct, on-camera flash bulbs," either, but we can't blame him on that count - they do make him look more ghostly.

The rider was released by Oklahoma State University, which had to shell out the $100,000 speaking fee, plus "$47,000 in jet expenses." An OSU alum, Eric Money (hee!), who arranged for Rudy to speak at his alma mater told the Washington Post, "He cost a lot of money, obviously, and some people were surprised at that, and a little taken aback. But he's a big name and was a possible presidential contender, and in the end, I thought his whole leadership message was very appealing."

The NY Times looks at the history of former mayors winning the presidency and other obstacles Giuliani might face.