Giuliani Shows What A Phony He is

Imagine one of the Democratic candidates for mayor had called Port Authority police "mall cops."

What Saint Rudy of 9/11would have said about that?

When Rudy's former budget director, Republican candidate Joe Lhota, called PA police "mall cops," here's what Saint Rudy had to say:

Republican Joe Lhota did the right thing in apologizing for his "mall cops" crack about Port Authority police, and the misstep isn't derailing his campaign -- or so says his old boss, ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

 Lhota fell on his sword after police unions and rivals excoriated him for dissing PAPD officers during a Tuesday forum. The former MTA boss said he regretted his remark, calling it "insensitive," "unfortunate" and "inappropriate."

Giuliani, who recently made his first personal fundraising appearance for Lhota, told the Daily News the two "had a little talk" about the episode.

"He apologized. We all make mistakes, but I think he's doing fine," he said of Lhota, who was at his side during and after the 9/11 terror attacks that claimed the lives of 37 Port Authority cops.

"Everyone's going to have two or three mistakes during the campaign," Giuliani said -- adding that he himself was hardly immune to such missteps as a candidate. "The important thing is that you've got to acknowledge it right away, apologize, and move on, which I think he did."

The Port Authority PBA wasn't buying:

I circled back with the Port Authority PBA's Paul Nunziato after Lhota -- whose dad retired from the NYPD with the rank of lieutenant -- issued his lament.

He didn't seem particularly ready to forgive and forget.

On the contrary, Nunziato said he didn't consider Lhota's "a true apology," and said the episode spoke to his "elitist attitude towards police officers in general."

As for Giuliani, Nunziato said as a candidate, he "came begging for our endorsement and [then] he wanted to close the Port Authority. Maybe [Lhota's] got a little Rudy in him."

Two things to say about this:

First, Lhota revealed his true thoughts about PA cops with that statement.  He can try and walk it back all he likes - Port Authority cops and their families won't forget.

Second, just another example of Giuliani's hypocrisy.

Had Liu or de Blasio said something like this, he'd have hammered them all campaign over it.

But because it's his boy Lhota, it's fine.

Saint Rudy Full Of Shit - that's what they ought to call him.