Rudy Skips Speech
At the end of a topsy-turvy week, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani stepped out of the spotlight Saturday, canceling a campaign appearance and spending much of the day mulling his medical options as uncertainty hung over his Senate campaign.
His campaign manager, Bruce Teitelbaum, said that as of Saturday Giuliani had not made a decision about whether to proceed with the campaign and wouldn't do so until he had more time to consider his medical treatment. Giuliani was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"I don't know what he's going to do," Teitelbaum said.
An announcement about whether the mayor plans to stay in the U.S. Senate race against Hillary Rodham Clinton could come as soon as Sunday or Monday, according to a person knowledgeable about Giuliani's discussions with political advisers who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Giuliani spent Friday closeted with his top advisers, questioning whether he can salvage a Senate bid against the first lady and weighing his health and marital problems.
A person very knowledgeable about the mayor's discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that as the conversations proceeded, Giuliani seemed increasingly discouraged about the prospects for his campaign.
The source said that state of mind was reflected in "the type of questions that he's asking and the kinds of comments he's making after we give him answers."
The source cautioned that the situation is extremely fluid and that the mayor was going back and forth in his thinking about whether to stay in the race.
A Republican source in Washington said Friday that Giuliani and Rep. Rick Lazio, who is seen as a possible replacement for Giuliani as the Repubican contender for the Senate seat, have been trying to set up a meeting but have been unable to work out the timing.
The mayor initiated the idea two weeks ago when Lazio called him about his prostate cancer, according to this source.
Two days ago, he disclosed he was seeking a legal separation from his wife of 16 years, Donna Hanover. Hanover responded by dropping her own bombshell, alleging that their marital woes began several years go over his relationship with a former press aide, Cristyne Lategano.
Several Republicans have indicated they might be willing to step into the race if Giuliani does quit. They include Lazio and Rep. Peter King, both of Long Island; Wall Street financier Theodore Forstmann; and state Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, among others.
Giuliani made it clear that his health was the first priority when he talked about possibly canceling a few events next week, including several fund-raisers.
"If some things are canceled, that's the reason they're being canceled," he said. "There are things I couldn't do this week that I'm going to have to do next week."
According to Giuliani's campaign office, a fund-raising trip slated for several cities in California next Tuesday and Wednesday as still tentative, but could easily be rescheduled, said campaign spokeswoman Juleanna Glover Weiss.
By MARC HUMBERT