John Fund: Giuliani Crashed the Podium at Walker Dinner

The highlight speaker at a political dinner that led to heartburn for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker wasn't even scheduled, says Newsmax contributor John Fund, who was in the seats on Wednesday at New York's "21" Club when Rudy Giuliani pulled a Kanye West — unexpectedly grabbing the microphone to question President Barack Obama's patriotism.

"Rudy Giuliani showed up as a gate crasher five minutes before it began," National Review Online columnist Fund told "America's Forum" with JD Hayworth on Newsmax TV Monday. "He immediately seized the microphone and made those comments. He was trying to make news even though the dinner was off the record."

"He did say he didn't think the president loved America," said Fund. "That was a mistake. I don't think you can shoot from the lip about someone's inner motives. And he created a firestorm that hasn't helped anyone and has reduced the public discourse to a less civil tone."

Besides putting Walker and other Republican hopefuls in an awkward spot, Fund said that Giuliani, with his comments, also "detracted from some legitimate criticisms that one can make about the president."

"Last week, when the president was talking about his executive actions opening up the border to up to 5 million illegals, he said many of these people are as American as you and I, they just lack legal papers," said Fund. "This is just astonishing. The president's idea of American exceptionalism is apparently everyone is an American — the only thing differing between one American and the other is some piece of paper.

"That's the kind of thing we need to go after, not whether he loves or hates America," he said.

By demanding that other Republicans repudiate Giuliani's remarks, the news media are scrutinizing the political rhetoric of one party only, said Fund.

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