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."
Certainly the www has empowered leftists to some extent, but this forum is an example of it empowering honest people as well. So I don't see that. And I seriously doubt that FNC has hurt Bush. CNN was around in the Reagan years.The real problem, IMHO, is that Bush has been soft on leftism. My definition of leftism is, "the perspective that talk is more important than action." The one thing that a journalist - a talker - wants you to take away from his presentation is the idea that journalism is important. That is why journalism criticizes and second guesses those who do not just talk but actually take responsibility for providing our necessities.
"It is not the critic who counts . . . the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena - Theodore RooseveltThe journalist is the critic, and Bush is the man in the arena trying to accomplish something difficult. More generally, Republicans who aren't RINOs represent the productive leaders of the country and Democrats represent those who set criticism and second guessing above the actual attempt to get things done.The journalists and the rest of the complainers are like a fast linebacker on a football team - it does no good to try to avoid them, they'll catch up with you for sure. The only thing that can work is to run directly at them, and expose the fundamental weakness of mere criticism without responsibility. Democrats have been all over the map, saying that Bush should do something - anything - other than what he was doing. The "troop surge" is actually something that Democrats advocated first, but the moment Bush announced it the Democrats were against it.
Bush allowed himself to be second guessed without seriously counterattacking. He allowed journalism to position itself as being seperate from the Democratic politicians who adopt precisely the same positions as the journalists do. And in doing so he has allowed that second guessing of him to affect the ability of the troops to do their mission, and the ability of the Iranians to create enthusiasm for staying the course of oppositon to Americans in Iraq.
Regards, Ivan
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.
Hear, hear!
Bush has not handled the media at all well. He needs to defend himself and get out in front of issues like Reagan and Clinton did so well.
Liberals would scream that Mother Theresa was a fascist if it promoted their electoral chances . . . in and of itself that proves nothing whatsoever. But it is true that Guliani did face down pressure for quotas.
Broken clock, twice a day, and all that.
Well if you saw wife swap then you would know that if you are on an all raw diet you are defintely ready for some BO.
Well if you saw wife swap then you would know that if you are on an all raw diet you are defintely ready for some BO.
"Guess that means he's planning on fixing problems for gays, abortionists and illegals, grabbing our guns and fixing global warming. Oh, yeah, and winning the war. Just what is his military/war experience anyway?"
Are you the head of this website?
Whom do you support of the candidates? Hunter? Or are you not allowed to say.
He was simply DOING HIS JOB, the notion that there aren't plenty of others who would have been just as able is foolish.
"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"
I currently live in New York. I was too young and didn't live here back when it was bad (I'm only 21). But the New York I see, despite the cultural backwardness and hedonism, is cleaner and possibly safer than Switzerland.
So I think you're correct.
Good post, Ivan. Freepers used to do something that is now quaintly referred to actual research.
Now they just post third grade taunts and call it a day.
I agree. The VP is a critical choice. I've suggested Duncan Hunter a few times. He's someone I agree with, and after 4-8 years, the voters will be familiar with him. From what I've read, Hunter has real possibilities, he just needs to pick out nicer suits :/
Thank you for the transcript. Imo, this McInsane/Feingold bill only hurts the small fish. People like Hillary! will always find ways around it.
I doubt it. I can just see Los Angeles mayor Villigairosa trying to crawl out of a wet paper bag, if LA got hit. Guiliani has a long track record of being a tough guy when it comes to crime. I am opposed to some of his beliefs, however we need a tough guy to do this job. I want to see us win in the Middle East, and hear the wailing and lamentations of the damn liberals when we do win!
I wouldn't mind seeing Michael Steele picked.
Sorry, Ivan. Rudy's dragiing more chains than Jacob Marley.
Didn't the ex-mayor accept a knighthood from the Queen? Isn't it actually Sir Rudy?
Regards, Ivan
It is still suspect. I wonder if any other president has ever accepted even the honor. Our Founders spoke pretty firmly about it, anti-monarchists and enemies of the nobility that they were.
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