Giuliani wishes he'd never joined that stupid Iraq study group

Rudy Giuliani now says he wishes he'd never joined the Iraq Study Group:

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday it was a mistake for him to join the Iraq Study Group, on which he lasted just two months and failed to show for any official meetings.

The former New York mayor has tried to tamp down criticism in recent days after Newsday reported that Giuliani was a no-show for two of the group's meetings and instead attended paid public appearances. [AP]

Giuliani's bizarre cover story is that he quit because he didn't think he could keep things "non-partisan."

"I thought it would work, but then after a month or two I realized the idea that I was possibly going to run for president would be inconsistent with that," Giuliani said during a campaign stop in Iowa.

Giuliani said the main reason he quit was that it "didn't seem that I would really be able to keep the thing focused on a bipartisan, nonpolitical resolution." [AP]

After blowing off several key meetings, Giuliani was asked to start showing up or quit the panel. He chose to quit:

When Giuliani failed to attend the first two working sessions, his absences didn't sit well with Baker -- particularly when the other luminaries who made up the panel were able to make the sessions in Washington, some sources said. Baker's policy assistant John Williams said the choice to quit was entirely Giuliani's.

"Baker felt that it was important for future meetings that people show up, so that left the decision on Giuliani whether he would make it or not," Williams said. He provided a copy of Giuliani's letter to Baker and declined further comment. Former U.S. attorney general Edwin Meese III replaced Giuliani on the 10-member panel a week later. [Newsweek]

Giuliani was only interested in Iraq when he could cash in on it with Bernie Kerik.