From Mayor to Mogul:Donny Deutsch on Rudy Giuliani

This is a partial transcript from Your World with Neil Cavuto, December 28, 2001. Click here to order Wednesday's entire transcript. 

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right. From mayor to mogul, Rudy Giuliani is set to cash in big. He is already getting offers to speak in the six-figure ballpark, putting him in the range with the likes of Bill Clinton. But our next guest says that the former New York City mayor is in a league of his own.

Joining us now to explain is marketing guru, Donny Deutsch, the CEO of Deutsch, Inc. — Donny, good to see you — happy New Year.

DONNY DEUTSCH, CEO, DEUTSCH, INC.: Good to see you, sir — same to you.

CAVUTO: So he's in like Flynn, huh?

DEUTSCH: He is in like Flynn. This man can write his own ticket now. I mean, he's not coming out as an ex-mayor. He's coming out as an ex-hero, and we love heroes. That's what this country is about. He's in an interesting position. He can write his own ticket. He could hawk any product. He can do anything. But I don't think we've seen the last of Rudy Giuliani as a public servant. So he's got to be careful...

CAVUTO: He can't over-hawk, right?

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: Exactly. He's got a very sharp guy, Brad Gray, who handles Brad Pitt, one of probably the top talent managers in the business handling him. So he'll do all of the right things.

CAVUTO: Now, he's got to also make some money, right?

DEUTSCH: Right.

CAVUTO: I mean, he's been in public service for a while...

DEUTSCH: Yes.

CAVUTO: ... eight years. I mean, you are limited. So he can do...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: ... furniture, so he's, you know...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: Right, right. Well, that's nice (UNINTELLIGIBLE) criticism of Clinton. I haven't heard that from you in a while. So now, you would argue he's got to do a lot of speeches, right? He gets 100,000 a pop...

(CROSSTALK) DEUTSCH: Well, he'll get the $100,000 speech, you know, once a year. He could do that 365 days a year. He's already gotten his incredible book deal. He'll probably do...

CAVUTO: Now, that's a three-book deal (UNINTELLIGIBLE) three or two books? But he stands to make a few million.

DEUTSCH: He'll do all right there.

CAVUTO: OK.

DEUTSCH: I don't think you'll see him selling a product, because once again, he's got his eye, at some point, to come back into the public eye. So you know, you don't want to — I wouldn't want to be him four years from now, six years from now where people are drumming up him holding a Pepsi can or something like that. So we're not going to see him doing the Bob Dole-Viagra thing. That's like a hanging curve ball...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: That's fine. That's fine.

DEUTSCH: But I think you'll certainly see him doing some very smart things, speaking, books — and who knows from there?

CAVUTO: All right. Let's talk a little bit about what he's got to be careful of. As he's opening his own consulting firm, he advises companies...

DEUTSCH: Yes.

CAVUTO: ... on how to deal with crisis and all of that. So he's got to watch who he links up with. It could be another Enron...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: I'd be shocked if he does anything other than kind of the public circuit, if you will. I don't — because once again...

CAVUTO: But he's now got this consulting firm. It can't be just an inkling.

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: Yes, I think he needs some type of shell of something to do. Or if he does it, he's going to be very, very careful. This is a guy who is in such a rarified position. I mean, this guy — how many guys, when they walk into a room, do people stand up and applaud? I mean, literally...

CAVUTO: Yes, that's a good point.

DEUTSCH: ... this is where this guy had been in a restaurant, this is as of a few weeks ago, people just stand. So this guy...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: ... you walked in. No, that was Rudy.

DEUTSCH: No, I'm not the guy — I have to just say this to your audience. It is such a pleasure to be on the No. 1 business show. There is a billboard outside...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: It doesn't say Neil Cavuto. It says Cavuto, like Madonna. I mean, this is...

CAVUTO: That's the sign now (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: I mean, this is one name...

CAVUTO: You're invited back, so — you're invited back.

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: ... pleasure. But he — this guy is in a very, very special place, and he will cash in, and he should cash in, you know.

CAVUTO: Yes. But I always wonder about when you cash in, how does it look to people? I mean, you could argue, he has the right to that.

DEUTSCH: Yes.

CAVUTO: But people might look at it, and see, a lot of people lost their lives September 11.

DEUTSCH: Well... CAVUTO: And now, you're making pay dirt.

DEUTSCH: ... he's a very smart guy. He's going to — once again, he's not going to be selling a product. I'd be very surprised if you see him in any commercial, other than a public service. I mean, look, he's done a great job as a kind of a postage stamp in the New York commercials. But you're not going to see him selling Pepsi. You're not going to see him selling products. You will see him selling himself, and nobody can fault him for that. He has earned it. And, you know, once again, we are in a free market system, and if people want to pay $250,000 to hear him speak, so be it.

CAVUTO: They will. The person of the year...

DEUTSCH: Yes.

CAVUTO: ... the Time magazine honor, how much did that improve just his marketability?

DEUTSCH: Huge. I'd give that another 25 percent. He was already obviously a national figure, but that was just the ultimate Good Housekeeping Seal, if you will. You know, there's talk of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Bush, so this a guy — I mean, he's literally standing like a monument. The cover of that...

CAVUTO: Yes.

DEUTSCH: ... it's like he's almost in place of the Twin Towers. And he was New York magazine's Man of the Year. And so, it's going to be very interesting. You know, it's fascinating to see him now with his girlfriend front and center. Nobody talks about any of the other — you know, this guy before our horrible tragedy...

CAVUTO: Oh, four months ago, he was different — right, right.

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: ... this guy was like almost his political career was dead. He has gone from zero to top of the heap.

CAVUTO: So that makes me think it could go back to zero again.

DEUTSCH: I don't think so. He's a pretty smart guy. And I'd be hard to knock him off of his perch at this point. He's almost kind of an Americana.

CAVUTO: All right. You are no stranger to politics, and I'm sure a lot of politicians pick your brain. I mean, you helped old Clinton out a couple of times, right?

DEUTSCH: No, just the first.

CAVUTO: Just the first?

DEUTSCH: Yes.

CAVUTO: What are you going to do?

DEUTSCH: As far as politics?

CAVUTO: Yes. Advise anyone?

DEUTSCH: Right now I'm just kind of running the agency, probably staying out of politically, but I will get involved at some point.

(CROSSTALK) CAVUTO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people call you?

DEUTSCH: No, I mean, they don't call.

CAVUTO: If they did, would you help?

DEUTSCH: We talked. I'm still a Democrat — always a Democrat. You know, right now, it's very hard to be partisan, though. I have to tell you, you know, it is...

CAVUTO: So you think Bush is doing OK?

DEUTSCH: Bush — you know, right now, if you're voting for Bush, you're voting for the country. And you know, Bush is doing a great job right now, and right now it's not partisan stuff. It's he's driving the country. We're all behind him, so...

CAVUTO: But he would advise the Democrats who look at the conundrum they face with the president right now, you've got to — I see, he's a military hero for the ages the way he's handling this. He's handling it greatly.

DEUTSCH: Very simple.

CAVUTO: But then, the Tom Daschle conundrum of like dealing with...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: Look at his father. Look at his father. At one point, the same place, 11 months is a long time. Right now, nothing, just sit. A year from now, a whole different world. So once again, we live in a very, very today society. George Bush, 11 months before he lost the election, I think, he had an 88 approval rating coming off of Desert Storm. So when you're in a wartime situation, and obviously we are now and in the foreseeable future, that's it. He is our leader, and everything else goes by the wayside.

CAVUTO: It's killing you saying that, isn't it?

DEUTSCH: No, no, it's the fact. I mean, look, we all kind of wore all the same sizes. CAVUTO: Is there any Republican you like?

DEUTSCH: Yes, I like George Bush.

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: I think he has done a wonderful job. I like you.

CAVUTO: Would you...

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: Would you help any Republican?

DEUTSCH: If the right — you know, the older I get, and the more sage I get, the more I go for the person at this point. But I'm still Democrat at heart, but — and there's hope for you also, so...

CAVUTO: OK. All right. Donny Deutsch, ad-man extraordinaire.

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