During big speech, Giuliani answers the call of the wife
WASHINGTON - For a presidential candidate whose messy personal life has been an issue, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani made it official yesterday: Wife trumps gun lobby.
Giuliani was in the middle of an important speech to the National Rifle Association when his cellphone rang.
He glanced at it - it was his third wife, Judith, he said - then answered: "Hello, dear. I'm talking to the members of the NRA right now. Would you like to say hello?"
It appeared not, since Giuliani did not put the phone up to the microphone. He chuckled, then said, "I love you and I'll give you a call as soon as I'm finished, OK? OK, have a safe trip, bye-bye. Talk to you later, dear. I love you."
The call was not planned, said campaign spokesman Jeff Barker.
Giuliani also took a call from his wife during a campaign rally in June. That crowd cheered and applauded his loyalty to his spouse.
The NRA crowd was more interested in gun talk. They sat quietly as Giuliani finished his call, then clapped and chuckled politely as he commented on the blessings and curses of technology.
SUSAN MILLIGAN 