This time, he called first.
Mayor Giuliani spoke with his wife yesterday before telling the world his plans for the future – unlike his surprise announcement last week that he was seeking a separation from Donna Hanover.
And it seems to have made all the difference in the world.
“The mayor called Donna before this announcement,” said Hanover spokeswoman Joannie Danielides. “They talked briefly and she’s concerned for his health, and will try and help him with that.”
However, in his announcement and the subsequent question-and-answer session, Giuliani pointedly avoided talking directly about his wife or their rocky marriage.
Last Wednesday, Giuliani set off a firestorm of criticism when he announced he’d seek a separation from his wife of 16 years, without letting Hanover know beforehand.
A scorned, tearful Hanover responded hours later by dredging up a long-rumored extramarital “relationship” between Giuliani and his former top aide Cristyne Lategano, and publicly stamping the unproved allegations with authenticity.
“For several years, it was difficult to participate in Rudy’s public life because of a relationship with one staff member,” Hanover said.
Danielides later confirmed Hanover was referring to Lategano, and to clear up any ambiguity in the statement, said, “You can use the word ‘intimate.’ “
Lategano and Giuliani continue to deny the charge, but the damage to the mayor – particularly among Catholics, women and upstate conservatives – was done.
Since last week, Hanover has softened – at least publicly – to Giuliani.
She spoke with him daily last week while she and her two children, Caroline and Andrew, were in California visiting Hanover’s parents.
And she continued to talk with him about his Senate decision and his cancer-treatment choices, even after he told the world he expected to need gal pal Judi Nathan “more now than maybe I did before.”
Hanover was with her children at Gracie Mansion during Giuliani’s dramatic City Hall press conference yesterday.
But her more tender public attitude toward Giuliani has not softened her completely.
She has retained high-powered divorce lawyer Helene Brezinsky, Danielides said. Brezinsky declined to comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, Nathan and Lategano declined to comment on Giuliani’s announcement.