Stephanopoulos Admits Oops With Giuliani's 9/11 Amnesia

After former mayor Rudy Giuliani remarked on Good Morning America yesterday, "We had no domestic attacks under Bush. We’ve had one under Obama," newly anointed GMA host George Stephanopoulos was criticized for not calling him on it. Stephanopoulos later admitted, via a blog post, that he made a mistake.

Giuliani, who has been happy to question President Obama's toughness on terror, oddly made no mention of the September 11, 2001 attacks during the segment. Hours later, Stephanopoulos blogged about the caveats Giuliani's spokesman gave him:

Through his spokesman, Rudy Giuliani has clarified the remarks he made this morning on GMA regarding terrorist attacks on the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama.
The Mayor’s spokesman says that the remark “didn't come across as it was intended” and that Giuliani was “clearly talking post-9/11 with regards to Islamic terrorist attacks on our soil.”

Whatever the Mayor meant, it’s not what he said. All of you who have pointed out that I should have pressed him on that misstatement in the moment are right. My mistake, my responsibility.

However, the NY Times points out, "[Stephanopoulos] did not say whether he would address the misstatement in a future television program."

Stephanopoulos' ABC News' colleague Jake Tapper notes, "Some might argue, however, that even with this quite significant clarification, Giuliani is ignoring some other acts of terrorism" though Giuliani's spokesman later said that "he was referring to what are known islamic terrorist attacks."

As for GIuliani himself, he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "This is so silly. I did omit the words 'since Sept.11.' I apologize for that. I should have put it in. I do remember Sept. 11. In fact, Wolf, I remember it every single day."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 9, 2010 12:05 PM

Comments [rss]

inoyourider

Giuliani jumped the shark when he dropped out of the Senate race.

Give it up, man.

chuzzlewit

wow jen - back on the job! are you already splitting stovewood and hauling water too?

Jen Chung

I'll be posting occasionally when possible!

And, yes, SP, I'm learning I can blog while pumping breast milk.

SP

The great thing about blogging is that you can do it while tending to the children in the kitchen, barefoot.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

John Stewart has the guts and the brains unlike Georgie Stephanouloouisusujajakduioow who looks like a hairy troll.

NannyState

He looks like George Dukakis's "Mini Me".

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Yep.

FutureMan83

"Yes, Wolf, I remember it every day, except it doesn't serve my agenda at the moment, so I chose to omit it."

interlard

And a pointless war in which hundreds of thousands of civilians are killed, kidnapped and tortured DOESN'T count as terrorism? While the US put itself in charge of Iraq, I think that counts as "our soil".

Bush is responsible for more civilian deaths than Bin Laden and Hussein put together.

If only the Republicans could shove their heads a little further up their asses, we wouldn't have to put up with this crap.

dgeee

I'm sure Rudy remembers the last woman he f*cked who wasn't his wife.

tsk_tsk_tsk

Isn't his current wife the last woman he fucked that wasn't his wife at the time? DAHHHH

NannyState

Diminuitive little ass-licker.

Spirit of 76

Hey, you take that back. He was still once the Mayor... oh, you meant the other guy.

Mordicai

"No, now, don't judge me by what I SAY judge me by what you think I might have secretly meant to say. Duh. Just because I flagrantly distort the facts, you think you can CALL me on it? So petty."

At least Stephanopoulos clarified on air during a highly viewed segment. Wait he apologised on his blog? Well, good to know that Guiliani's core supporter will never see it. Its on that there arugala eatin' series of tubes.

Stewart

Does anyone ask tough questions anymore? All of these shows are starting to look like Larry King. Why not just sell tv time to the guests and let them rant?

SP

The assassination of Doctor George Tiller by Scott Roeder was an act of terrorism, incited by Bill O'Reilly and other right wing propagandists. The shooting at the Holocaust museum were also an act of terrorism. Those two occurred under Obama's watch, but we didn't hear the GOP huff and puff about those acts of terrorism, because they are complicit.

Dead Himmler

Moral equivalence FAIL. There is a difference between a mad man doing a singular act from an act of terrorism sponsored and coordinated by a group.

SP

Brain FAIL. George Tiller had been targeted by a would be assassin in 1993 and survived. Operation Rescue was harassing him for YEARS. Bill O'Reilly repeatedly called out for acts of violence against him. This was an act of terrorism. The shootings at the Holocaust Museum were carried out by a man who frequently posted on Free Republic, and his actions were encouraged and condoned by the participants of that blog. Both of those acts were sponsored and supported by a "group" that group being right wing extremists, who have their own media outlets and financing structures.

Guest

Rudy also forgot about the Anthrax Attacks...

JacqueMehoff

it's only terrorist attacks when done by non-Amurricuns.

how can people forget the "shoe bomber" I pictured him flicking his bic trying to get a light going. sort of like lighting a one hitter.