Posted on 09/28/2006 7:45:46 AM PDT by veronica
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani characterized Bill and Hillary Clinton's recent criticism of President Bush's efforts to stop Osama bin Laden before 9/11 as a "mistake" and said it's time to "stop this blame thing" over who is responsible for the September 11 attacks.
"I think the comparison is the mistake," Giuliani told NewsMax and other media during a luncheon Wednesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., while on a campaign stop for Congressman Clay Shaw, R-Fla., who is seeking re-election.
"I don't think the Clinton people should be saying somehow it's more President Bush's responsibility," Giuliani said when asked about Hillary's recent statements about Sept. 11.
On Monday, Sen. Clinton said she defended her husband's outburst on Fox News over criticism he has received for his handling of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.
"I'm certain that if my husband and his national security team had been shown a classified report entitled ‘Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States,'" Sen. Clinton said, "he would have taken it more seriously than history suggests it was taken by our current president and his national security team."
The remark was a direct swipe at President Bush, because in August of 2001 he was given such a report prepared by the CIA. The CIA report, however, never indicated how al-Qaida might strike U.S. targets.
"I know President Bush doesn't say that about President Clinton," said Giuliani. "I think the reality is that any American president, if they had known about an attack, would have done everything they could to stop it."
The real fault for 9/11, Giuliani says, lies squarely with the Islamic terrorists. He added, "I think we should stop trying to blame our presidents for 9/11."
Frequently mentioned as a potential Republican candidate for president in 2008, Giuliani characterized the latest war of words over who is responsible for 9/11 as a distraction. "We should stop this blame thing," he said. "There's no blame to be cast on President Bush or President Clinton."
Giuliani added that he thinks we should stop getting distracted by trying to figure out what American is responsible for the terrorist attacks, saying "Americans didn't do Sept. 11, the Islamic terrorists did."
In his remarks during the campaign stop, Giuliani credited President Bush's aggressive anti-terror policy for the fact the U.S. has not been attacked since 9/11.
"The reality is, thank God, we haven't been attacked in five years," Giuliani said. "None of us thought that was possible. We all thought that after 9/11 we would be attacked. I personally thought many times."
There you go. Credit where credit is due. I don't know that I will vote for him in the primaries if he runs, but he earned a point with this and I am happy to give it to him.
Unless it's down to only Rudy or McCain, I won't, but I'll certainly vote for him over anything the Dems have to offer.
BTW, I'd love to see GWB make that same point, leave the Dems the "who's to blame more issue" and invite them to explain just what they're going to do now to fight terror. It's a winning issue for Republicans and one that could have been used to "nationalize" the mid term elections.
I'm sorry, but IMO Rudy has the wrong views on gun rights for this day and age - and it is critical for a president to support such. He also needs to be anti-abort instead of pro-choice. IMO he will never win the nomination for the reasons stated, among others. If that disappoints you regarding my views, I can't help that.
I disagree. Public opinion has shifted dramatically against most legal abortion over the last decade. Having the GOP nominate a pro-choice candidate would not be helpful in that trend.
I agree abortion should be a state issue. But ever since the usurpation in Roe v. Wade, it is not. So the president has a role to play regarding signing or vetoing abortion-related legislation as long as Roe v. Wade stands.
I like Rudy, more each day.
So we should nominate someone from metrosexual NY City who buys into gun control concepts? Don't underestimate the ability of the feds to butt into this issue.
Damn straight.
Hi Jake.
I don't blame Bubba for the attack.
I blame Bubba for not killing Bin Laden.
Defconw - how goes life?
Had some time this morning - so I joined into the conversation.
Life's good! Glad you are here. Is is not just amazing?
GREAT line. LOL
"I don't have time for finger-pointing". GWB
He's bitchslapped the islamderthals on more than one occasion.
He lower NYC taxes and balanced their budget.
He cleaned up NYC and made it a place people want to visit again.
He drove out the hookers, pimps, drug dealers, and porn shops out of Times Square.
Manhattan is safe to walk the streets at night.
That's leadership talk for "piss off".
LOLOLOLOL!
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