Posted on 02/23/2007 1:43:05 AM PST by MadIvan
Surrounded by firemen, medics and police officers in a small fire station in the Deep South, Rudy Giuliani was introduced by local dignitaries as "the face of the 9/11 response" and the man who "was there when the twin towers were hit".
He is running for the White House in 2008 but it was that fateful day in 2001 that will define his candidacy. "On September 11, 2001, the terrorists who attacked us wanted to achieve two things," he said as the South Carolina audience hushed. "They wanted to kill a lot of Americans and they wanted to break our spirit."
More than five years after the al-Qa'eda attacks, amid gloom and division over the Iraq war, there is a nostalgia for the heroism and solidarity that they sparked.
As New York's take-charge mayor, Mr Giuliani is seen as the epitome of a spirit that was not broken.
That memory of him, etched in the US psyche, has propelled Mr Giuliani, 62, into his surprise position as early front-runner in the Republican field for 2008 as he presents himself as a leader who can be trusted "when they attack us again".
His advisers calculate that his 9/11 image, combined with his success in cutting crime and taxes in New York, will trump concerns about his views on abortion, gay rights and gun control, which conventional wisdom dictates should sink him in the Republican primaries.
Whereas his rivals John McCain and Mitt Romney are engaged in attempts to disavow previous statements and recast themselves as social conservatives, Mr Giuliani's pitch is that "for most it's never about one issue" and consistency is preferable to pandering.
"I believe you've got to run based on what you are, who you really are," he told The Daily Telegraph. "I find if you do it that way even people who disagree with you sometimes respect you."
Mr Giuliani noted that his pro-choice abortion position had not changed in nearly two decades. The former mayor declined to draw the contrast himself, but Mr McCain supported the Roe versus Wade abortion ruling as late as 1999 and Mr Romney was pro-choice in 2004 but now declares himself pro-life.
"I'm just telling you the most honest answer to the question, which is the same answer I gave in 1989," Mr Giuliani told The Daily Telegraph. "I would advise my daughter or anyone else not to have an abortion. I'd do anything I could to help and assist with an adoption. I would like to see it ended but ultimately I believe a woman has a right to choose."
Whereas the Democratic contest has already descended into angry exchanges between advisers to the three front-runners, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, the Republican contest has remained gentlemanly thus far.
"No comment on anybody else's candidacy," Mr Giuliani said firmly when he was invited to criticise his opponents. "We've got some terrific people that are running."
Paradoxically, Mr Giuliani is able to appear as the candidate of optimism by repeatedly referring to America's darkest day. He even injected notes of humour into his 9/11 stories as he spoke against the backdrop of a massive US flag that had been flown in an A-10 Thunderbolt over Afghanistan. He told how a fire crew drove 700 miles to New York from Indianapolis to help, and he saw a Chicago policeman directing traffic in Manhattan. "Probably he was sending people up to the Bronx that are still driving around trying to figure out where they are," he said.
Mr Giuliani suggested there had been divine intervention in the way the hijacked United Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania just a mile from a school. "Just a hand of God had that plane come down in the field rather than on top of a school and our tragedy would have been even worse."
He also cited his record of running a city with a population of 8.1 million and getting things done. "I hate to toot my own horn but that's what I'm good at. I'm good at taking problems that have hung around for a long time with nobody doing anything about it.
"That's what I did about the problem of crime in New York, the problem of welfare, the problem of cleaning up the streets."
After being made an honorary fire chief of South Carolina, a traditionally conservative state where a crucial early primary will be held, he mingled among the crowd, signing so many photographs and copies of his book Leadership that his hand began to tire.
When told that the Queen has a machine to sign official documents for her, he laughed and responded: "Is that true? That's not fair."
Several Republicans said they differed from him on key issues but would vote for him nevertheless. "I don't like his position on gun control," said Ken Crenshaw, 63, a retired soldier. "I've belonged to the National Rifle Association for 35 years so I'm pro-gun. But he's a proven leader so he's the right man at the right moment."
EXHIBIT ONE Giuliani ran three times for mayor on New York's Liberal Party line. At the same time he distanced himself from the state’s influential Conservative Party, even refusing to foreswear P/B abortion that would have gotten him conservatve backing.
Others question Rudy’s loyalty to the party. In New York’s hotly contested 1994 gubernatorial race he endorsed liberal incumbent Democrat Mario Cuomo against a Republican (Cuomo lost despite Julie's backing). He has voiced support for other liberal Democrats, including Bill Clinton.
EXHIBIT TWO Giuliani’s flawed judgment raised eyebrows in the aftermath of 9/11 when, drunk with power, Julie-Annie sought to suspend the city’s election laws to extend his mayoral term of office. Even blase liberal NY'ers wouldn't buy Julie's naked power grab.
EXHIBIT THREE The myth about Giuliani's credentials on homeland security, and military matters.....is manufactured by his handlers.
CASE IN POINT: Giuliani recently "lost" his mayoral campaign's vulnerabilities playbook. He publicly blamed the "opposition" (Hillary's old VRWC trick). Julie-Annie wanted us to believe that an airport employee knew precisely in which bag, and in which binder the critical documents were, sneaked them out of the bag, copied them, then stealthily returned them to the bag without anyone knowing it.
Giuliani's campaign organization obviously has a leaker, and Julie-Annie did not deal with it? He placed blame on "someone" at the airport. If he was so sure it was an airport employee, did he demand an investigation? Did he file charges?
No, he did not because he knew the story was bogus .......and don't forget that Giuliani is the owner and operator of a multi-million dollar "security" company (formerly known as Giuliani-Kerik LLC).
EXHIBIT FOUR "Security expert" Rudy co-opted GWB into naming his mobbed-up buddy, Bernie Kerik, as Home/Land/Sec chief (Kerik is Rudy's former driver and bodyguard). Kerik was ushered out the WH door when dirt spilled about his hiring an illgal nanny. Married Kerik was also having trysts in an apartment set-aside for 9/11 workers. Kerik later pleaded guilty to misdemeanors for accepting gifts from a company that was trying to do business with New York while he was corrections commissioner.
Giuliani and Kerik were partners in a SECURITY company, and Julie-Annie STILL didn't vett Kerik (leaving GWB embarrased before a global audience).
Some security expert---I wouldn't let Giuliani walk my dog.
I know the following about him. I visit New York every year, once a year - the city did a 180 degree turn under his stewardship. Crime, taxes, virtually every indicator of the city's standard of living improved beyond recognition as to what came before.
Second, I know that he was possibly the only politician in America to treat both Arafat and the United Nations with the contempt they deserved - throwing Arafat out of a building, and demanding the UN obey the law (albeit parking violations) marks him out as different.
Third, I know that he was aggressive in pursuing organised crime.
Fourth, I know that he has an international gravitas, which no other candidate - either Republican or Democrat - has at the moment. He can step into the White House with a certain amout of respect already.
I don't like his positions on social issues - however, this is the time for social conservatives to say, "If you win the nomination, we will support you with certain caveats - namely, appoint the correct judges, leave the 2nd amendment alone, use the VP slot to promote one of our own, so that in 8 years, we'll have a good candidate for President".
The Republicans have a weak bench, a VP that is not running again, and have problems in the West, which is vital to winning the Presidency. Giuliani is the best tactical choice out of the lot. People can scream, yell, get upset all they like, this is how it is.
Ivan
If Rudy wins the nomination, he will win the election. Probably with 80% GOP backing plus a healthy majority of independents. Anyone other than McCain, will win with 98% GOP backing and small majority of independents.
If, as I fully expect, Iraq is substantially pacified and on its feet, then there will be no hope for the Dem. America hates defeatists.
I've seen this assertion repeated often in the last few weeks. The President surely impact these issues in more ways than one. The White House plays a role in setting the legislative agenda both by calling for Congress to send up new legislation or through the veto pen. The President appoints SC justices. The President has the platform to persuade the public at large.
I could name other reasons as well, but I'm sure you get the idea.
I think that will be critical. If Rudy does win the nomination and picks a dynamic, young conservative for his VP, I suspect much will be forgiven.
Hollywood is abandoning Hitlery in droves, Edwards is gaining real momentum, Hitlery will probably be out right after Iowa.
Wrong. Giuliani had the endorsement of the Liberal Party in 1989 and 1993. They did not give him nomination in 1997, presumably after discovering what he was all about. See here.
Others question Rudy’s loyalty to the party. In New York’s hotly contested 1994 gubernatorial race he endorsed liberal incumbent Democrat Mario Cuomo against a Republican (Cuomo lost despite Julie's backing). He has voiced support for other liberal Democrats, including Bill Clinton.
Wrong. He said that Bill Clinton's policies were similar to his own. Bill Clinton, of course, stole policies from the Republicans, including welfare reform. Giuliani was a big campaigner for Republican candidates this past election cycle.
EXHIBIT TWO Giuliani’s flawed judgment raised eyebrows in the aftermath of 9/11 when, drunk with power, Julie-Annie sought to suspend the city’s election laws to extend his mayoral term of office. Even blase liberal NY'ers wouldn't buy Julie's naked power grab.
Cite and prove.
EXHIBIT THREE The myth about Giuliani's credentials on homeland security, and military matters.....is manufactured by his handlers.
Cite and prove.
CASE IN POINT: Giuliani recently "lost" his mayoral campaign's vulnerabilities playbook. He publicly blamed the "opposition" (Hillary's old VRWC trick). Julie-Annie wanted us to believe that an airport employee knew precisely in which bag, and in which binder the critical documents were, sneaked them out of the bag, copied them, then stealthily returned them to the bag without anyone knowing it.
Cite and prove.
EXHIBIT FOUR "Security expert" Rudy co-opted GWB into naming his mobbed-up buddy, Bernie Kerik, as Home/Land/Sec chief
Cite and prove.
Your post is mostly innuendo. Unless you back up your allegations with hard facts, it's difficult to take them seriously, rather, the entire rhetoric you use indicates an animus against Giuliani more than principled opposition.
Ivan
Got a link? I've been wanting to write the guy a letter, just to ask him where he stands on certain issues. Unfortunately my printer died, and I'll be writing it on lined schoolbook paper. You know a president only has so much power, and the power he does have gets tied up in the House and Senate. The McInsane/Feingold bill pisses me off to no end. We'll see....
Secondly, the VP slot is not a springboard to the Presidency this time around. Again, if Cheney were 15 years younger and fully healthy, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Regards, Ivan
DP: Well, here's one possibility. My listeners know this, that this is actually rendered him, unfortunately, unvotable for me. And if I have him on, I will tell him that, and that is campaign finance reform, which has ensured that essentially, only multi-millionaires run for office in the United States of America, especially to the Senate, because I cannot...if I, Dennis Prager, who doesn't have any money, wanted to run, no millionaire could give me a million dollars. They could only give me $4,000 dollars. So you have any views on campaign finance reform?
RG: I think there's no question that the present McCain-Feingold law has had tremendous loopholes in it, that people have taken advantage of. And it needs to be corrected. It needs to be cured.
DP: So you would like to see it in place as well? You're also for...
RG: I would like to...but I think, in fairness to Senator McCain, that he has recognized some of the problems that maybe weren't foreseen in McCain-Feingold, and has promised to try to fix it. I don't know that that's happened.
DP: Well, let me then be specific. Why shouldn't people just be allowed to give any amount of money they want to any candidate, and just have it publicly known? Why should there be a law limiting that freedom?
RG: Well, I mean, there...I think there are very good arguments on either side of that. I've always lived under a campaign finance law that had limitations on it, so I'm sort of pretty comfortable with it. But the reality is that the Supreme Court has so far ruled on that, and I guess found McCain-Feingold...
DP: Unfortunately.
RG: ...found it Constitutional, although that was a pretty close vote.
http://dennisprager.townhall.com/Transcript_Page.aspx?ContentGuid=fac1ad6b-eaa1-45a2-b1c6-3fe2c099887d
Gotta go.
Where were you on 9/11??? Rudy Guiliani nailed things down in record time. It still didn't keep me from worrying about sending my kids to school that day. We've never been hit like that. Just horrible. I see the pics and I get sick all over again.
End result of that was that the bloody teachers had the TV on, and all the kids saw everying. End result, lil'bit wants to join the Marines when she is old enough.
I don't think she will be out. Edwards will falter badly as well. My opionion now is that it will be a two way race with Obama and Richardson leading, unless Algore steps in. Silk Pony is seen as a loser and tied to Franken Kerry.
A New York State government agency is forcing a group of business owners to leave their property by condemning it. That clears the way for a new skyscraper to go up - an office building that will house the New York Times.
Critics complain city taxpayers will foot part of the bill.
In a deal struck by the Empire State Development Corporation . . .
According to court records, the state and city signed a deal with the Times and Forest City Ratner Companies, which included a 99-year lease totaling $85.6 million-well below market value, according to experts. The deal also includes $26 million in tax cuts for the Times.
In addition, if a court sets the condemnation price higher than $85.6 million, the developers would have to come up with the extra money. However, the Times and Forest City will be able to deduct the extra cost, meaning taxpayers will cover all costs above $85.6 million.
Forest City Ratner Companies is headed by Bruce Ratner, a well-known fundraiser for both former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former President Bill Clinton.
It was Ratner who earlier this year spearheaded a campaign to produce a "politically correct" statue, replacing two of the three white firefighters captured in a world-famous photo of the flag raising at Ground Zero with a more diverse grouping. The move outraged both firefighters and the public and was later scrapped.
On Giuliani and eminent domain, see this one (includes some search keywords and one news excerpt). I have to go to work and can't continue the search.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1789695/posts?page=54#54
Thanks for the link and the heads up.
Your attempt to insult me doesn't disguise the fact that you can't provide evidence for what you're saying.
Hatred is a Democrat value, not a Republican one.
Ivan
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