John Avlon is an author, historian, commentator, and one-time political analyst for CNN. The former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast, Avlon is the author of “Lincoln’s Search for Peace,” “Washington’s Farewell Address,” and is a former chief speechwriter for Mayor Rudy Giuliani — Before the Fall.
In a recent article in The Atlantic, Avlon wrote:
Giuliani lit his reputation on fire for Trump. His sycophancy has left him disbarred and broke. But no man should be judged entirely on their last act. History will remember his leadership on 9/11 long after the wild-eyed, hair-dye-dripping accusations are forgotten. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that his sordid actions on behalf of Trump have made the real-world effectiveness of his policies less accessible to current and future mayors.
If there is a cautionary coda, it is this: Rudy Giuliani would have been an even greater man if he had tried harder to be a good man.
In this episode, he joins me to discuss Trump's UFC cage, Rudy’s fall from grace, John Cornyn's scorpion fable post, and the central role that character plays in a democratic society.
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Happy Tuesday.
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Some highlights of my conversation with John Avlon
It all comes down to character.
What happened to Rudy Guiliani? How did he lose his mind?
The partisan economy destroys character.
