Giuliani's aides grumbling about his wife

Rudolph Giuliani's wife, Judith, will "continue to play an important role" in his presidential campaign, his spokesman said — despite grumbling from within the ex-mayor's circle that her involvement is creating tensions in the organization.

The statement of solidarity came from campaign spokesman Michael McKeon one day after Giuliani's third spouse confirmed publicly that she has been divorced twice, not once, as widely reported when they wed. She was married to a man named Jeffrey Ross, now of Florida, from 1974 to 1979.

"She's going to continue to play an important role in the campaign, traveling with her husband, introducing him at various events, and at the appropriate time, doing her own travel — and helping people see Rudy Giuliani as the man that he is," McKeon said.

In private statements, some Giuliani loyalists said she directly intervenes with senior staff — who have been with him for many years — on matters from scheduling to event planning and use of personnel, sometimes in ways that the staffers might wish to resist but dare not.

"She's, uh, feisty, as they say," said a supporter, a one-time aide. "She will be the most media-covered first lady of them all — you can be sure of it. This is going to be one big opera. The staff people go a little nuts. They can't say anything."

When asked of any tensions caused by her role, McKeon said: "She is a positive force for Rudy, a very strong supporter for Rudy, and nothing but an asset to him and the campaign."

Staffers for Barbara Walters were preparing Friday to interview the couple next week for an installment of the TV show "20/20."

Some in the Giuliani camp said her role is typical for a politician's spouse.

But she has been drawing exceptional notice on several fronts. Another supporter of his presidential run was critical of her introduction for him at a recent Manhattan fund-raiser. She spoke of being able to "pick up the phone as Judith Giuliani," for example, to obtain high-level help for out-of-town volunteers after the Sept. 11 disaster, and of how they, as a couple, became a "successful team."

Recently, the former mayor's adult son, Andrew Giuliani, spoke of difficulties with his stepmother and with his father, who engaged in a messy public divorce from his mother, Donna Hanover.

Rudolph and Judith Giuliani locked lips in a showy photo spread for Harper's Bazaar magazine — something campaign operatives neither planned nor appreciated, sources say. In the interview that accompanied the photos in a recent edition, she said: "What people don't know is that Rudy's a very, very romantic guy. We love watching 'Sleepless in Seattle.' Can you imagine my big testosterone-factor husband doing that?"

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Contributing: Distributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service