Strong defense? Rudy's never had ANYTHING to do with defense. National security? Rudy promoted a corrupt crony for the most important anti-terror job in the country. Fiscal responsibility? Rudy massively increased NYC's debt load.
Rudy has TWO things going for him - support of the WOT, and the fact that he happened to be mayor of NYC when 9-11 happened. And even then, he earlier made the boneheaded decision to base the city's emergency command center in the WTC despite the earlier attack there.
You give him no credit for what he accomplished as Mayor to turn that city around?