‘If I Was an Alcoholic, I’d Be Fricking Dead By Now’: Giuliani Goes Off When Asked If He Was Drunk at 9/11 Speech

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Rudy Giuliani has an important message to get out: He is NOT an alcoholic.

The former New York City mayor — and personal attorney to former President Donald Trump — has earned something of a reputation for … interesting appearances in public and numerous reports that he was not afraid to imbibe in a libation from time-to-time.

His Saturday night rant at Cipriani Wall Street that politicized 9/11, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, raised issues that perhaps he was under the influence during a speech that many believed to mock Queen Elizabeth and definitely called General Mark Milley an asshole.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Giuliani denied mocking the Queen even though he spoke with a British accent and said,”‘You did a wonderful job on Sept. 11. And therefore, I’m making you an honorary knight, commander of the royal something or other.”

When pressed on if he had been drinking, Giuliani told the Daily Mail, “Yes I had a Scotch. But I was not drunk,” He then continued by blasting the left for what he sees as a smear, saying, “There is a deliberate attempt [by] the left-wing to paint me that way.”

Rumors of Giuliani’s drinking have been legion within the chattering class, and anyone who has watched any of the myriads of certifiably bonkers cable news interviews would suspect the same. These rumors came to light recently when two tell-all books came out.

Author Michael Wolff revealed as much during a promotional appearance of his book on CNN’s New Day. “Within days of November 3rd, [Trump] is absolutely alone, and he is fighting this effort to overturn the election…which would be one of the biggest legal efforts in history of American jurisprudence,” Wolff said. “It’s just him and Rudy Giuliani, who is — most of the time — frankly drunk.”

Wolff’s comments reflect similar reporting in I Alone Can Fix This, another book about the Trump White House from Washington Posts’ Philip Rucker and Carol Leunig. The book includes reporting an incident in which Giuliani suggested Trump prematurely declare victory in a number of 2020 election swing states. This prompted some of Trump’s confidantes to wonder if Giuliani “may have been drinking too much.”

But Giuliani wants to make clear that while he is not afraid to have a scotch to go with his cigar, he does not have a drinking problem, despite telling NBC News that he was “functioning.” The Daily Mail reports:

Giuliani bristled when asked to explain a comment he made last month to NBC, where he also denied having a drinking problem and called himself ‘functioning,’ amid anonymous comments by former White House aides about his alleged drinking.

‘I’m not an alcoholic,’ Giuliani told the network. ‘I’m a functioning, I probably function more effectively than 90 percent of the population.’

He recoiled when DailyMail.com asked if he had been making a connection to the term ‘functioning alcoholic.’

‘I’m not an alcoholic. I use the word functioning, I don’t know why I used the word functioning. I am not an alcoholic. I am 77 years old. I’ve never been an alcoholic. I’ve never been treated for alcoholism. I have worked every day of my life. The longest time I ever took off was for COVID.

‘If I was an alcoholic, I’d be fricking dead by now. It is [a] complete lie. I’m on television all the time. I’m as lucid as you can be. I’m not demented like Joe Biden. I can go before the Supreme Court … I have already many times. I write. I do a podcast twice a week. I do a radio show … five times a week. I answer questions from people constantly. I’m probably one of the sharpest guys you’re ever going to meet. And you want to put me in a court room and I’ll kick the s*** out of anybody. I am not an alcoholic.’

He said the word ‘functioning’ has ’10 other meanings. I’m not even sure of what the significance of using that word is. Am I a functioning alcoholic? No. I’m a fully functioning human being. About as fully functional as you can find. I think I usually work about 16 hours a day. And it’s outrageous that people are doing this to me. But it’s because I’m defending Donald Trump. That’s the reason they’re doing it. Nobody ever did this to me two years ago. I was the G-man of the year two years ago. I am without a doubt the most accomplished prosecutor of the 20th Century. Without doubt. There’s no question about it,’ he said.

The truth of the matter is that no one knows if Giuliani has a problem with alcohol, but the denial that one is “not an alcoholic” is familiar to anyone who has confronted a friend or loved one with perceived problems with alcohol.