Rudy, What the Hell are You Doing?

This is just uncomfortable to watch:

So Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was in the middle of an important speech to an audience that was a little skeptical to say the least, the National Rifle Association, many of whose members have some problems with the former New York City mayor's past support for gun control.

He had reached the part where he was talking about the importance of the Second Amendment right to bear arms, the part of his speech this particular crowd really wanted to hear him speak about. Then his cell phone rang.

"Let's see now. This is my wife calling, I think," says Giuliani reaching for the phone in his pocket. He then goes on to do something unheard of for a candidate to do while giving an important speech. He answers the phone.

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But if you're a presidential candidate trying to impress NRA members that you take their issues seriously, maybe you don't want to surprise the audience by taking a phone call right in the middle of your speech. It might help the audience take the speech more seriously.

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It's such an amazing moment that at first it appeared to be some kind of pre-arranged stunt. And maybe it was. But what would the purpose be? Was the goal to make him appear like a doting husband in an attempt to soften his image with women?

Whatever it was, it looked like amateur hour. Here's a guy trying to court a huge constituency of the GOP base by flagrantly flip-flopping and he thinks talking a phone call midway through his speech is some how going to help?

How many Presidential candidates actually keep their cell phones on their person while on the campaign trail? Don't they have body people to do this?

I don't know what kind of stunt this was intended to be but it was embarrassing.

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