"I used to think ... that when we were dealing with organized crime back in the 1980s that if we could be as well organized as they were, and then better organized, we could defeat them," Giuliani said after meeting with the governor, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and law enforcement officials from four Southern California counties.

The meeting was billed as an idea session on tackling a burgeoning gang problem in Los Angeles County, where there are an estimated 86,000 gang members and gang crimes are rising.

Schwarzenegger said the group had a "terrific meeting" and said his administration was working on developing a "coordinated approach" to curbing gang crime across the state.

But facing the media for the first time since his son's comments, Giuliani received no questions about his crime-fighting record, only his family situation. The exchange underscored concerns of some GOP strategists, who say Giuliani's two divorces — plus his liberal views on social issues — could turn off conservative voters.

"A candidate who acknowledges some difficulties and asks for privacy without sounding defensive or angry can move past these issues," said Republican political observer Dan Schnur, who said Giuliani appeared to handle the difficult questions adroitly. "The candidates who run into trouble are those who lash out.

"It sounds like Giuliani passed the day one test. But it's an ongoing challenge."

In interviews that opened the window on painful family matters, Andrew Giuliani said he won't participate in his father's campaign but instead will work on his goal of becoming a professional golfer. The New York Times also reported that Giuliani appears to have a distant relationship with his older daughter, Caroline, 17, who will attend Harvard University next year.

But Andrew Giuliani told ABC News his father deserves to be in the White House.

"I have problems with my father, but it doesn't mean he won't make a great president," he said. "He was a great mayor. He did great things for New York and would be very effective as a president. He has vision, and he is willing to stand up for what he believes in."