White House press secretary Josh Earnest said he feels "sorry" for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and cited President Barack Obama’s closing State of the Union line as proof that he does really love America.
There were five questions in Friday's press briefing regarding the former mayor's comments. Earnest reiterated the line, "I feel sorry" for Giuliani and said he has "tarnished" his legacy after he said Wednesday: “I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America.”
Earnest referred to the closing line of Obama's State of the Union as proof of the president’s love of country.
“There are a number of ways the president has said exactly that,” Earnest said. “The most high-profile example I can think of was actually the last line of this year’s State of the Union, in which the president said God bless this country.”
Asked during the briefing, “Do you think Rudy Giuliani has lost it?” Earnest responded, “I don’t know.”
“But anytime there is someone who has attained a certain level of public stature and even admiration in some cases, to see that person so tarnish their legacy, it’s sad,” Earnest said. “The fact is, I think what people are feeling is sorry for Rudy Giuliani.”
Pressed on Obama in 2008 calling his predecessor George W. Bush’s increasing the national debt “irresponsible and unpatriotic,” Earnest said that was different.
“I think what the president was doing was questioning the wisdom of that decision,” Earnet said.
