The John McCain campaign seems to enjoy good luck -- attracting former members of rival Rudolph Giuliani's local circle.
During the New York mayor's cancer crisis in 2000, a some-time actor named Eliot Cuker was Giuliani's best-seen friend. Published accounts mentioned how Cuker talked the mayor into cross-dressing for that famous reporters' show, how his cigar-bar/restaurant was a meeting place for the mayor and his then wife-to-be, Judith Nathan. There were even reports that he introduced the couple - which he denied. (She told ABC's 20/20 last week that how she met Giuliani is "one thing I would kind of like to keep private.") Back then, Cuker spoke of the tears shed when Giuliani told him of his illness, and quoted the mayor wondering about the value of his run for Senate.
The friendship appeared to end abruptly that year. Last month, Cuker was spotted at a McCain event in Manhattan. Last week Cuker's wife, Noeline Cuker, a partner in her spouse's business, was named a co-chairwoman of New York Women for McCain. The Cukers did not return calls for comment.
Dan Janison
Another Women for McCain co-chairwoman is Annemarie McAvoy, a lawyer who teaches at Fordham Law School, and who was Giuliani's long-shot Republican running mate for comptroller when he coasted to re-election in 1997. Like others in the McCain camp, she still speaks positively of the ex-mayor, saying that, like McCain, he is "not influenced simply by what a political party wants them to do, and I respect both of them for that."
John Fleming, a former police detective who served on the mayor's security detail and is now executive assistant to Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone, also backs McCain while hailing what he sees as Giuliani's accomplishments as mayor.
Maybe it's no surprise that they share a fan base. Seven years ago, during Giuliani's Senate run, they appeared together at American Legion Post 694 in Northport, where McCain said: "I don't believe Rudy, like me, will be voted Miss Congeniality in the U.S. Senate. But I do think he'll be an instant star. ... I'm happy to be here with my soul mate." By that time McCain had lost the GOP nomination to George W. Bush, whom Giuliani at the time was supporting. But Giuliani called McCain "one of my heroes."
Comments (2)
If Cukor was the man who induced the then Mayor to cross drsss and make such a fool of himself in front of all those lovely rolling TV and press cameras, one would think that Guiliani supporters would be well rid of him. How will those photos be received by the conservatives? Maybe Mc Cain should think again. Or not. A pox on both their houses!
Yes Elliot is that dashing ex dancer with a penchant for nose candy. and cigars. He was used to calling Rudy early in the morning on his cell phone but who answered was Christine Lategano,
Rudy was with her while he was married to Donna H. Rudy was banging away while detectives kept on eye on him on... On overtime of course.