Rudy and Mitt unlikely to kiss and make up

When asked about the verbal attacks between him and Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani is almost dismissive.

“Sometimes it gets argumentative,” the ex-New York City mayor said while in Vienna on his way to a private fundraiser.

Giuliani made the situation between him and Romney, the two Republican presidential front-runners, sound like a minor disagreement.

“I mean there are small differences between us Republicans,” Giuliani said.

But in just the past week, the words exchanged between Giuliani and Romney sound like a build-up to a WrestleMania main event minus the threats of physical violence — at least for now.

“Look, this is a very intense primary,” Giuliani told The Vindicator.

Maybe too intense.

When Romney was Massachusetts governor, he appointed a judge who later freed a convicted killer recently charged with murder after his release.

Giuliani pounced on Romney saying he has to explain his appointment. Giuliani added that Romney, who’s called for the judge to resign, didn’t have a good record in dealing with violent crime as governor and “kind of runs away from his record,” according to the Associated Press.

In response, Romney criticized Giuliani’s decision to recommend an ex-New York City police commissioner who was under criminal investigation at the time — and is currently facing a 16-count federal indictment — to President Bush to be the secretary of homeland security.

Health care

When it comes to health care, Giuliani is critical of Romney’s decision as governor to mandate coverage for all Massachusetts citizens saying it was an expensive decision. Romney says Giuliani praised Hillary Clinton’s universal health care plan when she was the first lady and says the ex-mayor’s social philosophy is very similar to the Democratic senator’s.

They have accused each other a number of times of living in glass houses and throwing stones; obviously not a good combination.

Romney says Giuliani is too liberal to be a successful Republican presidential candidate.

A day after playing down the verbal sparring, Giuliani’s official Web site had a lengthy post titled: “The Romney Reality: Mitt Romney raised taxes,” and two others about his rival’s “negativity meter.”

They certainly didn’t play nice with each other at Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate.

If either of them emerge as the Republican nominee, something that is quite likely at this point, they risk a divided party that would be hard-pressed to unify behind its presidential candidate.

What kind of credibility would Romney have campaigning for Giuliani after claiming he’s too liberal to be the Republican nominee?

How could anyone believe Giuliani on the campaign trail touting Romney’s effectiveness as an elected official?

The constant criticism flies in the face of Giuliani’s claim that the differences among the Republican presidential candidates are small.

“The reality is we’re running against Democrats,” Giuliani said.

Just one Democrat

The “big differences” are between Republican and the Democratic presidential candidates, Giuliani said. He only mentioned U.S. Sen. Clinton of New York by name.

If recent comments made by Giuliani and Romney are “small differences,” we’re going to need a steel cage and extra security when it comes to the general election when the “big differences” are debated.

The Democratic presidential candidates are certainly not immune to attacking each other. Clinton, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and ex-U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina have criticized each other in debates and interviews.

Also, a look at Clinton’s Web site shows four unflattering statements about Obama posted in the span of two days this week. Edwards’ Web site has five critical statements about Clinton between Nov. 16 and 21. Obama has two negative statements on Clinton on his Web site in recent days.