Giuliani claims little interest in attorney general job, but touts his superior qualifications
Photo of Rudy Giuliani from lev radin / Shutterstock.com.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says he doesn’t have much interest in becoming attorney general. Or does he?
Giuliani’s name has surfaced in several news reports as a possible Trump pick for attorney general. A partner on leave at Greenberg Traurig, Giuliani told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he isn’t much interested in the job. “You never say no,” Giuliani said, “but I’d rather help him find someone else who can do it. I’m very happy not being in the government.”
But Giuliani told CNN on Thursday that he doesn’t want the job unless “it really was just me and I couldn’t point to three others that would be just as good or better.” And who is better qualified? Maybe no one, Giuliani appeared to say. Politico and the Washington Post interpret his latest remarks as an indication that he is interested.
The Washington Post has the transcript of the exchange between CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and Giuliani:
CUOMO: “Do you have it in you to be attorney general? Do you feel that you have the energy?”
GIULIANI: “Oh my God.”
CUOMO: “Do you feel that you have the desire?”
GIULIANI: “I certainly have the energy, and there’s probably nobody that knows the Justice Department better than me”.
CUOMO: “So, nobody’s better than you. You just said—hold on. I got you. I finally got you. It took me 35 years. You just said, ‘If I couldn’t point to three other people who are as good as me, then yes, if it’s just me.’ You just said, ‘Nobody knows it better than I do.’ “
GIULIANI: “Well, I was an assistant U.S. attorney. I was the associate attorney general of the United States, third-ranking official under Ronald Reagan. I’ve argued in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. I’ve argued in almost every circuit. And I tried, as a personal lawyer and U.S. attorney, over 50 cases.”
CUOMO: “It’s a good résumé.”
GIULIANI: “So I know the bottom of the Justice Department, and I know the top.”
