I can't think of ANYONE I rather see run for the White House.
I can think of somebody who agrees with Rudy on a lot of subjects.
Posted on 01/20/2004 2:34:08 PM PST by presidio9
Linn County Republicans last night seemed to be looking at political goals for the near and distant future. The near future is re-electing President Bush in November. But then Rep. Jim Leach, introducing former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the Linn County Republican caucus, planted the seed that Giuliani would make a good presidential candidate in 2008.
Giuliani responded to the standing ovation by several hundred people at Veterans Memorial Coliseum by saying he was overwhelmed to be there.
"There are more Republicans in this room than in all of New York City," he joked.
If Giuliani has presidential aspirations, he ignored them last night to beat the drum loudly for the Bush-Cheney ticket in November.
Recalling the deadly 9/11 terrorist attack on New York City while he was mayor, Giuliani said he told his police commissioner, "Thank God George Bush is the president of the United States. I knew him to be a man of character. I knew him to be a man of determination who was not going to be swayed. He stood up and said he was going to confront terrorism . . . to prevent it from happening again."
Giuliani said Bush's post-9/11 actions shine even more in light of the fact that Bush had only been in office about nine months when the attack happened.
Giuliani said all the Democratic candidates for president wanted to set the clock back before 9/11 and negotiate, including leaving Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq.
"We believe the world is safer now than it was then" because of Bush's handling of the crisis, Giuliani said.
He also praised Bush's economic policies, saying the economy is rebounding because Bush cut taxes and government control over the private sector.
"The Democrats want to raise taxes again and interrupt the recovery -- one of the strongest we've seen in the last 20 years. Does that make any sense?" Giuliani asked.
"Republicans consistently believe in people. The Democrats believe in government. We would be the party to say we would trust people more (than government)," he said.
The last election was close, and Giuliani said Republicans will fight as if this one will also be tight. He asked Iowa Republicans to work hard to ensure the 4,000-vote margin in the last election reverses and favors the GOP this time.
Cris Tanner, 46, of Marion, said Giuliani's comments inspired her to work harder to spread the word about Bush's good record to people who are undecided.
She also liked the idea of having Giuliani run for president in 2008.
"He'd have my vote," she said. "I think he would carry on and pick up where President Bush would leave off."
Joshua McKenzie, 19, a Kirkwood Community College student attending his first caucus, was similarly inspired, particularly by Giuliani's reminders about Bush's handling of terrorism and the economy.
I can't think of ANYONE I rather see run for the White House.
I can think of somebody who agrees with Rudy on a lot of subjects.
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