Rudy the Warrior

I don't fear a Giuliani candidacy for a number of reasons, one being that he's walking a fine line when he builds his case for foreign policy expertise on the general impression that he "owns 9/11". If he continues to remain a front runner in some of the polls (a position he has already relinquished in Iowa), the scrutiny of his handling of the clean up and rebuilding of Ground Zero will increase, and the results may not be all that flattering.

One exasperating facet of the Giuliani candidacy, though, is the pundit class' willingness to assign not only mythic status to his performance post 9/11, but to take that one step further, as John Harwood does here:

HARWOOD: Well look, Keith, I think those answers by both McCain and Giuliani help both men perhaps in the primary and in the general election for different reasons. McCain`s core message is toughness, and that I`m tough enough that I can go against my party on this issue. Why? Because I`ve been in combat. I`ve been tortured myself, as you mentioned.

Rudy Giuliani also has a bit of a claim to combat in a different way, because he was on the ground in 9/11.

That's just nuts on so many levels. An insult to those who have served, and a ridiculous appraisal of the events themselves.