President Obama’s spokesman said Friday he feels “sorry” for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, after Mr. Giuliani accused the president this week of not loving America.
“It’s sad to see when somebody who’s attained a certain level of public stature — and even admiration — tarnishes that legacy so thoroughly,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “The truth is, I don’t take any joy or vindication or satisfaction from that. I feel sorry for Rudy Giuliani.”
Mr. Giuliani has defended his remarks after saying at a Republican fundraiser this week that he does “not believe that the president loves America.”
“[Obama] doesn’t love you. And he doesn’t love me,” Mr. Giuliani said. “He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.”
Mr. Earnest said Mr. Obama’s love of the United States is well documented.
“Many of you have been in the room when the president’s delivered speeches when he’s talked about his love for this country, or how the United States is a force for good in the world, in fact it’s the greatest force for good that the world has ever seen,” he told reporters.
Mr. Earnest didn’t address the former mayor’s additional remark that his criticism of the president should not be considered racist because Mr. Obama was raised by “a white mother.”
“Some people thought it was racist — I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people,” Mr. Giuliani told the New York Times. “This isn’t racism. This is socialism or possibly anti-colonialism.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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