Giuliani: ‘I didn’t intend to question President Obama’s motives or the content of his heart’

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is now clarifying the controversial comments he made last week about President Barack Obama.

“My blunt language suggesting that the president doesn’t love America notwithstanding, I didn’t intend to question President Obama’s motives or the content of his heart,” Giuliani writes in an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal Sunday night. “My intended focus really was the effect his words and his actions have on the morale of the country, and how that effect may damage his performance.”

Obama, Giuliani writes, is seen “criticizing his country more than other presidents have done.”

Presidents John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton “possessed the ability to walk a fine line by placing any constructive criticisms regarding the ways the country might improve in the context of their unbending belief in American exceptionalism,” Giuliani continues. “Those presidents acknowledged America’s flaws, but always led with a fundamental belief in the country’s greatness and the example we set for the world.”

Giuliani was clarifying remarks he made last week at a private GOP dinner in Manhattan, where he said, “I do not believe that the president loves America.”

“He doesn’t love you,” the former mayor continued. “And he doesn’t love me. He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.”

In an interview with Yahoo News’ Katie Couric, former White House senior adviser David Axelrod blasted Giuliani, calling the former mayor a “fading politician trying to light himself on fire and make himself relevant.”

“I don't know anybody who has a deeper feeling about this country than the president,” Axelrod said. “And I don't know anyone who’s expressed it more eloquently.”

Giuliani’s comments were refuted by some Republicans, too.

“I think it’s a mistake to question people’s motives,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said last week. “It’s one thing to disagree on policy.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday he has “no doubt” that President Obama loves America.

“Well, I love Rudy, but I don’t want to go there,” Graham said on ABC’s “This Week.” “The nation’s very divided. President Obama has divided us more than he’s brought us together and I don’t want to add to that division.

“I have no doubt that he loves his country,” Graham continued. “I have no doubt that he’s a patriot. But his primary job as president of the United States is to defend this country and he’s failing miserably.”

“I believe the president loves America,” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said. “I just think his ideas are bad.”

But Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who was in attendance at the dinner, refused to comment on Giuliani’s rhetoric.

“[Giuliani] can speak for himself,” Walker said on CNBC. “I'm not going to comment on what the president thinks or not. He can speak for himself as well. I’ll tell you, I love America.”

“Obviously, I cannot read President Obama’s mind or heart, and to the extent that my words suggested otherwise, it was not my intention,” Giuliani wrote in the op-ed. “When asked last week whether I thought the president was a patriot, I said I did, and would repeat that. I bear him no ill will, and in fact think that his personal journey is inspiring and a testament to much of what makes this country great.”