Giuliani Discouraged About Prospects For Campaign

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HOME: US: WIRE STORY Giuliani weighing options in continuing Senate bid 7.02 p.m. ET (2313 GMT) May 12, 2000 By Marc Humbert, Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Mayor Rudolph Giuliani spent Friday closeted with his top advisers, questioning whether he can salvage a Senate bid against Hillary Rodham Clinton and weighing his health and marital problems.

A person very knowledgeable about the mayor's discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that as the conversations proceeded, Giuliani sounded increasingly discouraged about the prospects for his campaign.

The source said that pessimism was reflected in "the type of questions that he's asking and the kinds of comments he's making after we give him answers.''

The source cautioned that the situation was extremely fluid and that the mayor was going back and forth in his thinking about whether to stay in the race.

As of late Friday the mayor had not told his advisers what he would do, and the source said that the mayor's inner circle did not expect a decision before Sunday or Monday at the earliest.

Giuliani announced two weeks ago he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Two days ago, he disclosed he was seeking a legal separation from his wife of 16 years, Donna Hanover. Hanover responded by dropping her own bombshell, alleging that their marital woes began several years go over his relationship with a former press aide, Cristyne Lategano-Nicholas.

Several Republicans have indicated they might be willing to step into the race if Giuliani does quit. They include Reps. Rick Lazio and Peter King, both of Long Island; Wall Street financier Theodore Forstmann; and state Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, among others.

On Friday, still working through his health and marital problems, the mayor said he was still mulling over his options but promised a decision as soon as possible.

But he said he felt a responsibility to the Republican Party and would "make a decision as quickly as I can responsibly make it.'' The state convention meets May 30 to nominate a candidate for the Senate race.

Giuliani made it clear that his health was his top priority when he talked about possibly canceling a few events next week, including several fund-raisers.

"If some things are canceled, that's the reason they're being canceled,'' he said. "There are things I couldn't do this week that I'm going to have to do next week.''

A fund-raising trip slated for several cities in California next Tuesday and Wednesday was still tentative, but could easily be rescheduled, said campaign spokeswoman Juleanna Glover Weiss.

"We still very much believe that he is running,'' she added.