Rudy's Wiggle Room

In an interview this evening with Rudy Giuliani for a story for tomorrow’s paper, I asked him whether he would participate in Wednesday’s debate in California.

“We are going to California,” he said.

That has been what the campaign has said all day. When I asked Giuliani’s senior political analyst, Tony Carbonetti, this morning whether Giuliani would participate in the debate, he said, affirmatively, “We are going to Florida.” I took that as a yes.

Giuliani then said the same phrase a few times himself today in press conferences and while shaking hands in diners. It became clear that this was the campaign’s way of not answering the question.

So in the interview tonight, I pressed him further, asking yes or no, whether he would participate in tomorrow’s debate.

“We are going to California,” he repeated with a laugh.

At that point, his wife Judith, who had walked in carrying a pair of “I Love Rudy” t-shirts said, “Good try, though.”

So Giuliani is at least leaving himself the possibility of not continuing to participate in this election, at least not as a candidate, if tonight’s returns go the way they're expected to.