Too much even for Murdoch’s paper:

… [T]here are some limits on odd behavior. Which makes us wonder what Rudy Giuliani was thinking last Friday when he accepted, and even flaunted, a phone call from his wife Judith in the middle of his speech to the National Rifle Association.

This was no emergency call. His cell phone rang in his pocket during his speech, which is itself unusual; most public officials turn theirs off during events, if only out of courtesy for the audience. Mr. Giuliani went on to answer it and carry on a routine “love you” and “have a safe trip” exchange with Mrs. Giuliani while the crowd (and those of us watching on C-Span) wondered what in the world that was all about.

His campaign aides spun the episode as a “candid and spontaneous moment” [please play the YouTube now if you have not already] illustrative of the couple’s affection. [The current Mrs. Tooliani is, of course, a paid employee of Mr. Tooliani. Odd.] We might believe that if we hadn’t heard stories of similar behavior by Mr. Giuliani as he has campaigned around the country. During one event in Oklahoma, we’re told he took two calls, at least one from his wife, and chatted for several minutes as the audience waited. That episode followed Mr. Giuliani’s eye-popping disclosure earlier this year that, if he’s elected, his wife would sit in on Cabinet meetings. He later downplayed that possibility.

[Obligatory balanced boilerplate on Tooliani’s supposed competence ommitted.]

The spontaneity was too much even for the NRA:

“That was just weird,” one NRA audience member told the New York Post about the phone interruption. Mr. Giuliani doesn’t need more weird.

Personally, I don’t see anything all that weird about Giuliani—and I’m sure that when his campaign had contributors make out their checks for “911”, they had the 911 emergency phone service in mind.* Frankly, with Guiliani, I’m seeing a candidate who’s very comfortable in his latest marriage, very secure in his sexuality—and gawd knows the Republicans need that, especially the base.

NOTE * Why must liberals always assume Conservatives are politicizing everything? It’s really contributing to the breakdown in Civility.

UPDATE I love the idea that Tooliani’s chatting on his cell in front of an audience. Makes perfect sense that he’s a leader in cell phone rudeness. Ever sit next to one? Yammer, yammer, yammer, all about nothing. Something to look forward to, if Rudy makes it into the Oval Office.