Yesterday, the official City Hall portrait of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was unveiled. Giulaini joked, "You wonder why it took so long for my portrait to get painted. I'm superstitious about portraits. They're for dead people. I have this whole superstition. So [wife Judi] talked me into it. And you unveiled the portrait, I'm still here, I guess the superstition doesn't work." But he wasn't joking when he discussed 2012 with a reporter.
Politico's Maggie Haberman chatted with Rudy after the unveiling, "He said he won't think about anything until after the November midterm elections, and that he gets encouraged by people as he travels. I asked, 'So the door's not closed?' and he replied, 'The door's not closed.' I'd heard from some Republican donors and insiders that he's discussed the possibility with them in recent months as well." Hmm—maybe if he runs in 2012, he'll decide to actually campaign in more than a few states... but there's still that "weirdness" factor.
Back to the joking: Mayor Bloomberg said of the portrait, "Why didn't you paint him in a Yankees hat?" Later, Bloomberg also remarked, "Rudy Giuliani was somebody who really made this city immeasurably better than when he found it."
