In an October 5 blog entry , Politico senior political writer Jonathan Martin wrote that the presidential campaigns of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) “have engaged in a dizzying e-mail war over the past 24 hours, and the rhetoric shows no signs of abating.” Martin reported that the Giuliani campaign had circulated a press release titled "Romney's Taxachussetts Hypocrisy " and characterized the campaign as "[n]ot terribly thrilled about having to engage a GOP opponent -- but also recognizing the necessity of letting no dig go unanswered." However, Martin did not point out that the release criticizing Romney's tax record appeared to violate a “pledge” Giuliani had made days earlier -- in an October 3 interview with Martin himself -- to not directly criticize his GOP opponents. In an October 4 article on the interview, Martin and Politico chief political correspondent Mike Allen wrote that Giuliani “took an unusual pledge” and quoted him saying: “It's my intention not to attack any other Republicans, absolutely. ... The whole focus of my campaign is I'm going to run against a Democrat.”

On the October 7 broadcast of NBC's Meet the Press, Christian Broadcasting Network senior national correspondent David Brody claimed that Giuliani “is talking about Hillary Clinton and nobody else,” adding: “I mean, it's invoking the Eleventh Commandment, as Ronald Reagan would say, you know, thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” According to Brody, Giuliani has “no reason to go at” the other Republican candidates “in a primary season.”

From Martin's October 5 blog entry:

Mitt Romney picked a fight yesterday with Rudy Giuliani and, boy, now does he have one.

Sparked by Romney's jabs over Giuliani's fiscal record, the two camps have engaged in a dizzying e-mail war over the past 24 hours, and the rhetoric shows no signs of abating.

Indicating that this line of attack could be a recurring theme, Team Mitt issued an oppo-laden research document this morning titled “BIG CITY, BIG SPENDER” that included a collage of photos and made the case about Rudy's push to keep the commuter tax for those coming to work in NYC.

And that was after an earlier e-mail that asked, “What did the mayor do when Republicans sought to eliminate an onerous and unfair tax on hard-working taxpayers? He sued them in an effort to keep that burden in place.”

Not terribly thrilled about having to engage a GOP opponent -- but also recognizing the necessity of letting no dig go unanswered -- Team Rudy responded with a locally flavored shot of its own.

“ROMNEY'S TAXACHUSETTS HYPOCRISY,” screamed the e-mail, detailing Romney's own tax record with regard to out-of-state commuters working in the Bay State.

“Mitt Romney has no choice but to hide behind false attacks -- one look at his record as governor shows he increased government spending, proposed millions of dollars in tax increases and even raised taxes on New Hampshire commuters repeatedly,” communications director Katie Levinson said at the top of the litany.

From the October 4 Politico article by Martin and Allen:

With the leading Democratic hopefuls outraising Republicans 2-to-1, the former mayor said he would “have to step up our fundraising when we get into a race with one of them.”

But he said he expected Republicans to rally around their eventual nominee -- which he predicted would be him -- to help close the cash gap.

The former New York mayor, jaunty and eager to talk baseball, said it would be easier to get backers of his Republican rivals behind him because he has no plans to criticize any of them directly.

With his wife, Judith, sitting next to him in a quiet room after a well-attended town hall meeting, Giuliani said he might “occasionally point out differences” and defend himself, but took an unusual pledge.

“It's my intention not to attack any other Republicans, absolutely,” Giuliani said. “The whole focus of my campaign is I'm going to run against a Democrat.”

Despite his focus on funds, Giuliani professed a lack of concern about the rival who can dig deepest into his own pockets, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is estimated to be worth about half a billion dollars.

From the October 7 broadcast of Meet the Press:

TIM RUSSERT (host): David Brody, [Bloomberg News columnist] Margaret [Carlson] mentioned Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton. Mrs. Clinton proposed -- Senator Clinton proposed -- suggested, perhaps -- a $5,000 bond for every baby born in the United States. The Giuliani campaign has now issued this Hillary bond, as you can see, trying to draw, once again, the contrast between Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani is basically using Hillary Clinton as a stalking horse to secure the Republican nomination.

BRODY: That's right, and I was in California with Giuliani about a week, week and a half ago, and this is pretty much what he said to fundraisers on the trail. I mean, he is talking about Hillary Clinton and nobody else. I mean, it's invoking the Eleventh Commandment, as Ronald Reagan would say, you know, thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican. Because if you think about what Giuliani has to do here, he has to say, “Listen, I'm electable against Clinton.” And at the same time, he's going to need to pick off support from Fred Thompson's supporters, from Mitt Romney's supporters, to a certain extent. John McCain's supporters as well, if he's going to win the nomination. Therefore, no reason to go at these folks in a primary season. He needs to just focus on Clinton alone.