In some ways, it was a lot easier to be a leader during the aftermath of 9/11. As horrific as that event was, it instantly united the country in both shared grief and a determination to defend America and all it stands for.
Sadly, in the 20 years since 9/11, we've become a divided nation. Dishonesty in journalism has had a tremendous impact on this. Reporting opinion as if it were fact, neglecting to report some stories at all... investigative journalism is dead. Hell, some people read a post on social media and accept it as if Walter Cronkite were resurrected from the grave and reported it.
I don't disagree with you that Rudy's image suffered as of late, but in his defense, we're all living in a bizarro world. I would argue that most Democrats are more cartoonish than Rudy, but in a much more destructive (non-funny) way. Remember in the old cartoons, whenever someone got in trouble they'd magically pull a club out of thin air and bash the other guy over the head? I'd compare that to the fake dossier, fake Russia collusion, and fake impeachment (twice).
And those old cartoon characters would always do something so blatantly self-destructive (blow themselves up, fall off a cliff...) and yet they'd bounce right back like it never happened. One thing that comes to mind: Swalwell sleeping with a Chinese spy, and he not only won't be questioned or investigated, he maintains his positions on the Intelligence Committee and Homeland Security.
Rudy looking like a cartoon character is like the Roger Rabbit movie where real people try to operate within a cartoon world, playing by cartoon rules.