RUDY WANTS TO BE THE FATHER OF THE NATION. FATHER OF THE FAMILY HASN'T WORKED OUT SO WELL SO FAR

How could anyone not be proud to have Rudy (left) for a dad? mom?

Today's NY Times has some fluffy nonsense about Giuliani trading in his growl for a smile-- and even shows a picture of him braying like a jackass, which, I suppose, is supposed to represent the smile-- but they are very much out of step with the rest of the papers in New York City this week. The other papers decided not to opt to lend themselves to the Giuliani campaign but to highlight the man's real character, probably the single most important "issue," a potential voter has to figure out before casting a ballot (not counting his authoritarian nature).

And if that's the case, no matter how many Arab invaders Rudy tries to make people in South Carolina think he gunned down on the streets of New York on 9/11, he has no chance to win, at least not in a general election. The Daily News emphasized the dysfunctional nature of Giuliani's personal life and how screwed up his relationships are with his children and wives. The News pointed out that he was "the odd man out" at his daughter's high school graduation Friday.

The Republican presidential hopeful slid in a balcony door with his third wife, Judith, and security guards as the commencement began, then slipped out just as quietly when it ended, without speaking to his daughter and declining to speak with reporters.

Afterwards, a resplendent Caroline, 17, beamed with joy-- but noticeably skipped over her father when asked how she felt about graduating.

"This is a great day," she told the Daily News. "I am celebrating with my mom, my stepfather [Ed Oster], my brother and other family friends."

Earlier, when her name was called and Caroline stood to accept her diploma before a crowd of 2,000, she waved and smiled at her mother and brother and Oster - who were seated a far distance from the former mayor.

Giuliani operatives claim he's trying to repair his relations with his two children. although neither is mentioned on his campaign web site's biography. (Both had been prominently featured in previous campaigns and each appeared in TV ads with him.)

The NY Post was on the same beat, emphasizing the big chill between Giuliani and his former family.

When the commencement speaker, Sen. Charles Schumer, noted Giuliani's presence and the audience broke into applause, Hanover and her son, Andrew Giuliani, sat stone-faced and didn't clap.

But Hanover and Andrew jumped up and cheered when the Harvard-bound 17-year-old Caroline received her diploma from the tony Trinity School, while Giuliani and his wife, Judith, didn't even crack a smile.