9/11 Firefighters and Family Members Plot Anti-Giuliani Ad Campaign [MUST READ]

ABC News ^ | Nov. 17, 2007 | TAHMAN BRADLEY

[perfect_rovian_storm]

A group of 9/11 firefighters and victims' family members with eyes on derailing Republican Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign is close to a decision on forming an entity that would run issue ads in key early nominating states.

"TV made him a hero, and we'll use TV to take him down," New York Fire Chief Jim Riches told ABC News.

The final decision about the formation of an outside entity will happen sometime within the next few weeks after the group finalizes its plans at a meeting scheduled for after Thanksgiving. So far, though, under Riches' leadership, the group has sought legal guidance and help from political consultants.

If the group decides to move forward, it would set up a 527 committee -- or something similar to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which in 2004 helped sink Democratic Sen. John Kerry's White House bid.

This Monday, the firefighters and family members are holding a meeting at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire hoping to spread the word about what they say is Giuliani's "egregious" use of 9/11 for political gain.

The group also is considering additional trips to early presidential primary states Iowa, Florida and South Carolina.

Riches, who lost his firefighter son Jimmy in the World Trade Center's north tower, said, "We don't want him running on 9/11 or the bodies of all these dead people or my dead son saying that he did a great job that day."

He and other members of the anti-Giuliani group claim 9/11 first responders were given bad radios and that that prevented them from hearing evacuation orders when the World Trade Center buildings were about to collapse. They also contend Giuliani rushed cleanup work and misled people about air quality at Ground Zero, where recovery workers, including Riches, say they contracted illnesses.

Asked to comment for this story, the Giuliani campaign referred ABC News to a statement from Lee Ielpi, another firefighter whose son died on Sept. 11.

"I understand the emotion surrounding Sept. 11, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that it was the terrorists who attacked New York City," the statement said. "On that day and the days following, New Yorkers and the rest of the country were fortunate to have the steady and strong leadership of Mayor Rudy Giuliani."

[perfect_rovian_storm]

You Anti-Rudy people are simply unhinged at this point...

...you will NEVER see me cheering for one of them to be taken down because it hurts the GOOD GUYS.

LOL! The 'good guys'. Who's that? Gungrabbing, abortion supporting, open borders liberals?

And in case you forgot, the good guys are anyone who can prevent the Democratic Party from holding office.

Apparently, even if they espouse the same belief system as the Democratic Party? Even if they're gungrabbing, abortion supporting, open border, liberals? I guess so...

So if any of the CLOWNS I mentioned above happen to win the Republican Nomination, you’ll see me RUNNING to the polls to vote for them over Hillary or whatever VERMIN the Democratic Party nominates.

So, you have no principles. Good for you. Since you'll vote for anyone running against Hillary, you should leave the choosing of the nominee to those of us who have a bit more grounding in conservative principles.

And if you guys REALLY think that Rudy would be as bas as Hillary for this country, then maybe we can find you some comfy space next to Ron Paul....

Heh...and you're accusing US of being unhinged...

Thanks for the laughs!

[Elyse]

Unionists wnating to derail Republican candidates! Who knew?

Get the facts straight about the NYC firefighter's union - they endorsed BUSH in 2004. This is not just an attack on a Republican candidate because of his party affiliation.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Heh...if that moronic hyperbole that you agreed with above passes for your ‘belief system’, you should probably be looking for a more suitable forum to express it. You’ve been here a while. You should damn well know that this is a conservative forum.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>>GUys, lower your blood pressure. I’m not aa Rudy person for a lot of reasons, but the candidate is going to need all the runners-up campaigning for him if he is to beat the Anointed One.

Stop RudyBoostering. Conservatives aren't about to roll over and play dead. Not on your life! Giuliani isn't the savior of the GOP. Truth is, he'd be the worst candidate for GOP to nominate. NO liberals, NO RINO`s, NO Giuliani, NO thanks.

>>>>> ... name calling and making fun of his given name will never persuade anyone here on FR.

Read the top of FR`s homepage. We conservatives always have fun!

Free Republic is the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America. And we always have fun doing it. Hoo-yah!

[perfect_rovian_storm]

That’s right. And if it were, they would be waiting to see if Rudy got the nomination before striking. This isn’t about bringing a Republican down. It’s about bringing Rudy down. And on the issue of stopping Rudy from getting the nomination, I stand with them.

[Chunga]

Get the facts straight about the NYC firefighter's union - they endorsed BUSH in 2004.

Their support for Bush was steeped in a desire to appear patriotic in the face of terrorism and a popular war. Now that the political winds have blown cover in their direction, they're back to their anti-Republican stances.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Maybe because his shots are rather lame for the most part?

I don’t think you’re correct though. I’ll give Rudy credit when it’s due. I think RM will too. Most of us liked the Move On ad and I don’t remember for sure, but I believe RM posted in favor of that.

I want to stop his candidacy, but that doesn’t mean that I hate everything he does all the time.

Stop painting with such a broad brush. If one didn’t know better, one would think you were just trying to start an argument. :)

[perfect_rovian_storm]

BS! NY firefighers are largely Republican.

They want to stop Rudy, not any generic Republican.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>>I have never, ever seen you stand up and cheer when Giuliani takes a bite out of Hillary's hide in the national press. Why is that?

Obviously. Rooty is no conservative. One liberal attacking another liberal is fun to watch, but its not something that interests me on any level.

[KKing]

Exactly what I love about this place... someone like you telling me to look elsewhere.

[mware]

Although I am very very leery of supporting Rudy even in the general election, you need to know that the head of this group has been anti Rudy since his mayoral racers for NYC.Recall it was the firefighters union that supported Kerry in the last presidential election. The rank and file did not follow their lead.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I believe they supported Bush in 04.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I’m sure I’m not the first and won’t be the last.

[Collier]

If you think they’re working against Rudy for the same reasons you are, you’re sadly mistaken.

This union is run by a bunch of liberal Dems, and will vote for any Dem over any Rep.

The rank and file are mostly republicans.

[mware]

Not the union, the rank and file yes.

[KC_Conspirator]

In other words, they don't want to help Hillary.

You are so wrong.

What you are going to see is the same hate America, Kristen Breitweiser crowd and liberal fire fighter unions of NYC.

Second of all, its a total campaign of lies. What am I going to beleive, my own eyes and historical fact or some DNC hacks spreading lies about NYC and 911.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Even if that were true, as long as they’re doing it prior to the general election, it’s a good thing.

This is precisely one of the reasons why I think a Rudy candidacy is a surefire loser. These guys will be devastating to him.

My initial impression was that they would attack in the general IF he got the nomination. I’m glad they’re going to do it this way.

For all of you Rudy supporters: What would YOU rather see? Them attack him now, or for them to start during the general?

Probably the general for most of you, because then your lame ‘they’re just against him because he’s a Republican’ line would go over a bit better...

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I could have worded that a bit better, but I was in a hurry.

My point is that it is FAR superior to have them do this now than to have them do it in the general.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/nyregion/01fire.html?fta=y

[jimbo123]

Jim Riches is on the record as a Hitlery supporter. He is doing the bidding of Hitlery and Huma.

It’s sad how the Rudy Haters on FR refuse to do a little digging into Mr. Riches’ backgound as one of Hitlery’s most outspoken minions.