Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

Rudy Giuliani Stretches It Out | Yesterday the Daily News seemed to suggest that a run for Senate by Rudy Giuliani was pretty much inevitable. Today? Not so much. The former mayor is now just "mulling" such a bid, the paper reports before going on to quote several of his aides who say the ex-mayor "is not particularly tempted by any public office." More

Is Giuliani Planning a Senate Run? | It seems the New York Times only had half the story when it reported earlier that Rudy Giuliani had abandoned plans to run for governor. "A source familiar with Giuliani's thinking" now tells the Daily News that he plans to run for Senate instead and challenge Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton's term. "If elected, the source said, he could use that as a stepping stone to run for President in 2012—rather than run for re-election to the Senate." Be afraid. Be very afraid. [NYDN]

Rudy Giuliani has decided not to run for governor next year, reports the Times: 

It was not clear what prompted the decision, but the prospect of potentially facing Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who is quietly planning his own run for governor on the Democratic ticket, may not have appealed to Mr. Giuliani, who suffered a bruising defeat in the 2008 Republican presidential primary. While many political analysts believe Mr. Giuliani would have comfortably beaten Gov. David A. Paterson, he would likely have faced an uphill battle against Mr. Cuomo, one of the most popular politicians in the state. 

So what will he do instead? Continue to collect a zillion dollars per speech, so he can keep up with Judy Giuliani's Louis Vuitton addiction, that's what. [NYT]

Bernie Kerik Has a Big Decision Ahead of Him | Bernie Kerik is no longer crazy, apparently. After displaying behavior that "put him at risk" and spending 10 days in a psychiatric facility, New York's former police commissioner was allowed to return to a regular prison cell at the Westchester County Jail yesterday. More

Rudy Giuliani will not be pulling his dusty Marilyn Monroe costume out of the closet this weekend, sadly. (It seems that while New Yorkers didn't have a problem with a mayor who occasionally cross-dressed, national voters picking their next president weren't quite as open-minded.) When we called Giuliani's office to find out what he was planning to wear for Halloween (if anything!), a spokesperson for the ex-mayor admitted that while she hadn't spoken to him about it, she didn't believe he had any plans to dress up: "He's likely to be in New Jersey campaigning for the gubernatorial candidate, Chris Christie," she said. [Previously]

Rudy Does the Dirtiest Work | Were you, like us, a little perplexed last week when Mayor Bloomberg indicated that he planned to campaign this weekend with Rudy Giuliani by his side? One thing we didn't take into account (but which explains everything): If you'd like to engage in a little vintage NYC fear-mongering and race-baiting in the last few weeks of a campaign, there's really no better person out there to guide you. [NYT, previously]

The Mike and Rudy Show | At the debate earlier this week between Michael Bloomberg and Bill Thompson, the mayor said he thought Rudy Giuliani would make a good governor. The remark generated boos from the crowd (and rightly so), but it looks like the mayor wasn't paying much attention. More

Scary Rudy Rumor Quashed | Is Rudy Giuliani planning to run for president again in 2012? And is that why President Obama encouraged Gov. Paterson to abandon his gubernatorial bid? (The theory being that if Giuliani becomes New York's governor next year, he'd be better positioned to compete in a presidential election in 2012, and that by pushing Paterson aside, the chances of Rudy taking Albany are greatly diminished.) That's "insanity" and "very silly," and it ain't gonna happen, says Steve Kornacki. [PolitickerNY]

When members of the media have asked Rudy Giuliani in recent weeks if plans to run for governor, he's said that one of the complicating factors is what would happen to his law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, and Giuliani Partners, his scandal-plagued security consulting business. Does the fact the latter is now taking on big new client mean Rudy has decided against making another bid for elected office? 

Capitalizing on the panic coursing through the ranks of the ultra-wealthy in the wake of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is joining forces with Nine Thirty Capital in a new venture to vet hedge fund managers for fraudulent activity, according to an announcement being released today.

• Just as Jude Law is getting ready to play Hamlet on Broadway next month, his most recent baby mama, model Samantha Burke, has her lawyers offering up an exclusive interview and pics of their soon-to-be-born love child. Ah, there's nothing like milking a little publicity. [P6]
• Madonna bailed on Marc Jacobs' after-party at Hiro on Monday eve despite attending his show. Not to worry: Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton, and Rachel Zoe were all there, so there were plenty of people to stir up trouble. [NYDN]
• It looks like LiLo has made her 15-year-old sister, Ali, her new partner-in-crime when she goes out to party at night. We have a feeling this isn't going to end well. [MSNBC]
• Michelle Williams opens up about Heath Ledger's death in Vogue's October issue: "After the first year, the pain is less intense; it's less immediate... But every time I really miss him and wonder where he's gone, I just look at [Matilda]," she tells the magazine. [Vogue]More

Is Rudy Giuliani planning to run for governor? He still hasn't announced his candidacy officially, but it's looking more and more like he's a contender. Last week, he "encouraged" the chairman of the New York State Republican Committee, Joseph Mondello, to step down from his post, and Mondello dutifully did what he was told yesterday, resigning from the job to allow the former mayor to push for a more Rudy-friendly replacement. He's been crisscrossing the state over the last few weeks to drum up support with state Republicans. And he met with Mayor Bloomberg recently to discuss his chances.More

• Lindsay Lohan's troubles continue: Last week, the cell phone she left behind at a bodega in NYC prompted her to call the cops; now the police in LA are investigating a break-in at her Hollywood Hills home, which her family now says may have been an inside job. [People, TMZ, NYP]
• David Blaine's magic skills have turned a bit rusty. Although he was told not to go swimming in the ocean on account of Hurricane Bill, he jumped in the water at Necox Beach in Watermill anyway. And instead of magically transporting himself to safety, a couple of lifeguards had to go and rescue him and a few of his friends. [NYP] 
• Ryan Jenkins, the reality show contestant wanted for murdering (and dismembering) his ex-wife, Playboy model Jasmine Fiore, was found dead of an apparent suicide yesterday. [AP, TMZ]

• One of Jay-Z's bodyguards was arrested in Croatia yesterday after he got into a scuffle with a local TV reporter armed with a tripod. Video of the encounter is here. [TMZ]
• Heidi Pratt is scheduled to perform at the Miss Universe Pageant this weekend; not surprisingly, she and husband Spencer Pratt haven't exactly been making things easy for organizers of the event. [P6]
• Is it over between Renee Zellweger and Bradley Cooper? The two didn't attend the party for Zellweger's new movie together and, well, we all know what that means, don't we? [P6]
• Rudy Giuliani wandered into Blue & Cream in East Hampton the other day because he thought the clothing boutique was an ice cream shop. [P6]

Is Rudy Giuliani planning to run for governor? He's been flirting with the idea for months now. And he still isn't saying, suggesting this morning that the decision will ultimately depend on how "bad" things get in New York: "I got elected mayor, I believe, on the theory of—it can't get worse. So if it gets to that point, maybe I'll decide [to go for it]." And how much worse do things have to get before he decides to throw his hat into the ring? More

Rudy Giuliani has been trying to worm his way back into the public conversation the past few days. He penned an op-ed for the Times yesterday, jumping into the political mess in Albany by proposing, among other things, a constitutional convention to institute term limits on lawmakers and stricter campaign finance laws. But he didn't speak out because he's considering a run for governor in 2010. Don't be silly. It's because he cares about New York and fixing the political gridlock in Albany. ("This is done really out of frustration as a New Yorker," he explained.) More