When Rudy Giuliani lost Florida the other day, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley [R] suggested that his personality was responsible. "It seemed like the more people got acquainted with him, the less they liked him," he said. This was not a groundbreaking statement — in fact, the Times used pretty much the exact same words the following day. But Grassley used two more words, words that would prove to be his undoing: It was not just Giuliani's personality that was off-putting, he said, but his "New York personality." Immediately, the Daily News was up in arms about the "hick senator": "I've seen Grassley before," the News quoted Curtis Sliwa as saying. "He wears polyester, waffle-weave, flame-retardant pants that look like they survived the high waters." Jimmy Breslin called Grassley a "moron" and a "low-IQ loudmouth," and Michael Musto told the News: "This just cements the idea that New York City should secede from the union." In the comments, readers got in on the action. "I wouldn't worry about Grassley's comments," wrote one. "After all, Iowa stands for 'idiots out walking around.'" Some were more forgiving: "Rather than dis Senator Grassley, I sentence him to life in Iowa." Right? How dare he suggest that New Yorkers are as arrogant and unlikable and provincial as Giuliani when obviously we're really fucking loving warm people? Maybe if he didn't live in stupid Hicksville, Iowa, he would know that.

Daily News Readers Blast Iowa Senator, Hick Iowa senator says N.Y. attitude cost Rudy Giuliani; Apple strikes back [NYDN]