False sainthood of @RudyGiuliani is media’s original sin

Bask in the glory while standing for nothing. That’s “America’s Mayor” Rudy Giuliani.

Growing up in Manhattan, we all knew Rudy was a crook.

But what happened to the crook after 9/11’s premeditated attack on America? All sins forgotten, all mistakes forgiven.

That was then.

Knowing what we know today—fecal spray during lie-filled “testimony”; enabling fellow NYC mobster who accidentally got installed to destroy us—Rudy’s media-created fake veneer is a fig leaf that just blew away in a stiff wind.

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My best gift to you on 21st anniversary of September 11th is a convergence of then-and-now fraudulence of Rudolph Giuliani.

Then: “Don’t blame me” for moving NYC command center to World Trade Center (he was to blame)

Now: “Don’t blame me” for fake electors (he helped orchestrate them)

All those lies are, today, bounced checks on the account of national media, desperate for heroes and short on truth-telling.

Then: “Lazy Democrats” are to blame for terrorist attacks (Rudy ignored 1993 bombing completely; Bush ignored bin Laden memo)

Now: “The Democrats are stealing elections” (both he and The Former Guy had multiple, active ops to steal 2020 election)

Then: “I knew the most about Arafat” when investigating 1995 Achille Lauro murder of Leon Klinghoffer (Rudy’s ginormous lie contradicted by then-DOJ official Victoria Toensing)

Now: Rudy & Vickie Toensing conspired in numerous ways to advance the mob and steal elections

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Rudy Giuliani and donald trump are identical streetcorner hucksters: Carnival Barkers repackaged and re-platformed by media as adult stewards of government. All those lies are, today, bounced checks on the account of national media, desperate for heroes and short on truth-telling.

Village Voice’s Wayne Barrett was not among them. My myth-busting post stands on his shoulders, as Wayne’s “Five Big Lies about 9/11” was the dousing of cold water everyone needed at the time it was written in ’07.

In the end, though, Barrett’s reporting was long forgotten when media went to work rehabbing donald: Trump had Mark Burnette’s “Apprentice” and BILLIONS in free media. Giuliani had years/decades of false “hero worship” braggadocio that, if scrutinized for a half-second, would collapse like a house built on Styrofoam.

So if you’re in media reading this: do better. Do a LOT F*CKING BETTER so we don’t falsely coronate emerging heads of criminal enterprises in the future.

‘Morning Joe’: preeminent, petulant launderer of Trump’s reputation in 2016

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Will Pollock is a perpetually crabby New York City escapee based in Midtown Atlanta. He’s a freelance multimedia journalist, media analyst and author of two books (award-winning Pizza for Good & Leaving Triscuit), with more on the way.

In 2001, Will earned his Masters from The Medill School of Journalism, graduating with highest honors from the magazine sequence. As permanent member of Journalism’s National Honors Society, he’s been active in monitoring, writing and blogging about media and journalism ever since he graduated.

Obsessed with good storytelling and journalistic excellence, Will uses snark, humor and reason to distill dumb shit and make it fun. He’s a seeker/maker of non-consensus news, and helps you cure crankies by finding the nut in every story.

As for-profit media continues to fail us, it’s more important than ever to find reliable sources. Authentic storytelling exists—you just have to look for it. On this blog you’ll get ideas, not ideology. Sass with class. Reporting with rapport. Evidence with a touch of evil. You get the idea.

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