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Poll respondents comment on Giuliani

Published: March 21, 2007 - 2:46 pm

A majority of respondents to a Crain's online poll agree with columnist Alair Townsend, who wrote in this week's issue that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani doesn't have the temperament to be an effective president. Nearly 68% of 1,303 poll respondents believe that Mr. Giuliani would be too abrasive for the White House, while 32% said his style would translate well. Here are some of respondents’ comments:

“Who does Townsend think she's kidding? She never voted – ever, for Giuliani. How soon we forget post 9/11, and the leadership qualities that Giuliani displayed! Speaking about changes in Washington, just look at the new majority(s) track record to date, no constructive plans for war, the economy, or the safety of our country, especially the border issues. Townsend needs to get a life and be more objective about important national issues.” --Vincent Mocerino

“Rudy's 'my way or the highway' style will lead to gridlock in D.C.” --Andrew Kelman

“Our country and every country need a decision maker that will stick it in your eye. Is there any other style that the bad guys understand?” --M. Philip Butler

“We need a decision maker in Washington, a person not afraid of the job. If he cocks up he will not be re-elected. Washington is full of compromise, we need action. He is a quick study and has guts.” --August Spieler

“Alair Townsend has no concept of what it takes to get things done. Decisive leadership often causes a great deal of friction. Rudy would be a breath of fresh air in the White House.” --Rob Salvatico

“So, most New Yorkers that answered this poll didn't like him. Let's remember 2004 when most NYers said ‘...everyone voted for Kerry.’ NYC is not the U.S. and the U.S. is not NYC. His message plays well in Pioria. You have to look beyond the concrete canyons of NYC to see what the rest of the U.S. is thinking.” --J. S. Ghanooni

“You phrase the question negatively, which introduces a bias. Giuliani is an effective and proven leader. The question should be ‘Do Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha and Charles Rangel have the temperament to work constructively with any Republican in the White House?’” --Bruce Kowal

“When he was mayor, Giuliani thought City Hall belonged to him. The public was not even allowed on the steps to disagree with him. He has absolutely no diplomacy skills. And I believe any mayor would have performed as well on 9/11. Of course, he stood out, as our President was mainly absent.” --Georgia Allen

“The country certainly doesn't need another self-righteous ass in the White House. It will already take generations to unravel the mess that has been created for the U.S. and the rest of the world from this way of thinking.” --J. Weston

“I think what people are overlooking is just how screwed-up NYC was when Rudy took over. He did the hard job with crime, the schools and fiscal responsibility which we all still benefit from, regardless of the levels of ingratitude.” --Tom Rossman

“We are at war with implacable enemies. At home, the liberals and Democrats have become implacable enemies. G.W. Bush has demonstrated that ‘nice’ fails. Giuliani has proven that ‘tough’ works. We need effectiveness!” --Bob Doocey

“I think Rudy would be an excellent president. We need someone to stick up for America and go on the offensive. We are constantly being undermined by the liberals who do not have the perseverance to see anything through except give-away programs.” --Woody Forns

“We forget how argumentative and divisive he was as mayor of NYC until 9/11. His press conferences were curt and if he didn't like your question you were challenged as to the validity of it. I think he stepped up to the job he was elected to do only at the time of a tragedy. I don't think he is a consolidator, I think he is a divider.” --Robert Nadel

“With all due respects to Ms. Townsend, it is precisely Mr. Giuliani's style (does not work well with others) that effectively saved NYC. Washington could use a similar dose. As far as his personality goes, think of the alternatives, Ms. Clinton, etc.” --Richard P. Roberts

“The nation needs to know the pre-9/11 Rudy. The Rudy myth must be busted. Without 9/11 as a backdrop, Rudy would just have been a two-term mayor of New York City and at the end of his administration he would have just faded away.” --Arnold Korotkin

“Having a choice between a war and a public relations war, the Democrats chose the latter. They are getting close to their wishes with their war of words and the world will be a poorer place because of them.” --Guy Horne

“Apparently the ultra liberals are running this poll and feel that Mayor Giuliani is not the man. I feel differently because he knows how to make decisions in a very hard world filled with tough people.” --Joseph DiMauro

“I'm not sure being mayor of New York translates well to being president. As one who thinks that flexibility is the hallmark of a good president, Giuliani has consistently shown himself to be a good prosecutor, and good at displaying leadership in crises, but not at working well with others at all. Even when responding to crises, he had to define the terms himself, and decidedly did not share effort or credit with others.” --T. Kevin Sayama

“I hope sooner than later we will learn of his failures of the past while he was Mayor.” --Rose W. Garden

“He comes across more like a bully rather than a politician. I do not think he can hear other people's opinions to be an effective politician.” --Minh-Trang H. Tran

Rudy Giuliani was mayor of Manhattan! He could care less about the other boroughs when he was mayor. As for 9/11 he was in the right place at the right time.” --M.F.Pedone

“Aside from his temperament, no one should ever forget that when Mayor Dinkins was still in office, Giuliani incited a police riot on the steps of City Hall, with cops waving plungers and signs calling Dinkins a ‘washroom attendant.’ Of course, once Giuliani himself was safely established in City Hall, he surrounded it with a monstrous iron fence, citing "security" concerns. Yeah, right.” --Kathryn Giaimo

“Rudy does not have the ability to work with others It is his way or no way. His changes on positions are troublesome as he can not be counted on to lead a country that is desperately in need of new leadership. The decisions he made as Mayor were not in the best interests of NYC and on September 10th his days were numbered and was leaving with a poor record -- then came 9/11. Finally, little coverage has been given to his decision to have the Office of Emergency Services located at World Trade and store fuel there, which was against the Fire Department’s recommendation -- he does not listen; it is not just that he is abrasive.” --Elaine Walsh

“Plus his frivolous lawsuits cost this city dearly and his stubborn insistence on putting the Office of Emergency Management in the WTC is too often forgotten. He was not a very good Mayor." --Lois C. Schwartz

“I don't understand why people think Rudy is so great. Do we want another pompous person in the White House?” --Kristine Simms

“One of his reasons for wanting to run for president, though he would never admit to it, is he wants to get back at Hilary. This guy's nastiness just never ends.” --David Korabik

“If there's one thing we should have learned from the current administration, it's the tragic risks we face when our leaders fail to listen to divergent views. For the sake of the nation we need to get as far from the ‘my way or the highway’ thinking we're now mired in as possible. Unfortunately, Rudy won't get us there.” --Bill Melville

“Knowing how he dealt with the issue and the people in NYC prior to 9/11, I feel he is totally unfit for public office." --Linda Blyer

“With Rudy in the White House, we'd pine for the days when we could laugh at George W. Giuliani is an opinionated martinet, a combination of Dick Cheney's style and Bush's substance. Thank you, no.” --Michael Hirsch

“People should learn from his leadership, and understand more deeply what he did to coordinate the 9/11 Commission: what effect the integral communication strategy had on the diverse agencies, the different secretariats, and the distinct personnel; what kind of effort he made to mobilize, to motivate, and to help. In other words his leadership should be analyzed further by academics, specialists and professionals to elaborate on new plans, develop new projects, and write new initiatives of law.” --Carlos Romo Toriello

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