In a certain respect, we should probably give Rudy Giuliani the benefit of the doubt over the news that he will be attending this year's 9/11 anniversary remembrance at Ground Zero: after all, he has attended every previous year's event. But now he's a candidate for president -- and he'll be the first and only candidate for office to make an appearance at any of the commemorations. As such, he stands to politicize the event, especially given the importance of 9/11 mythology to his campaign strategy.

Unsurprisingly, many victims' relatives are outraged:

"He's cashing in on 9/11 like it's his own personal tragedy. It's a photo op on a campaign swing for him," said Jimmy Riches, a deputy fire chief whose son was among the 343 firefighters killed.

Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son was also killed, said she was stunned that the city would ask a presidential candidate to speak there.

"They should have every other single presidential candidate then, because this is outrageous," Regenhard said. "This is going to be seen across the country as a blanket endorsement from us. It's totally inappropriate."

No declared presidential candidate has ever spoken before at the ground zero ceremony; indeed, candidates running for local office have typically suspended campaigning on Sept. 11.

Of course, given how far in advance potential presidential candidates lay their plans, who's to say he wasn't campaigning in previous appearances? But by now any plausible deniability has evaporated: Rudy Giuliani is a candidate for president, in the thick of campaign season, and as such his presence at a solemn, nonpolitical remembrance ceremony is inappropriate. If he wishes to commemorate the victims -- as he should, and as we all should -- he should do so privately.

(Cross-posted at The Right's Field)