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It was bound to happen: Supporters of former mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential ambitions are in talks with various September 11 victims' families. Why? To perhaps create a 9/11 halo/force field around Giuliani when he may be attacked by opponents. The NY Post had the exclusive scoop on how some families have been contacted, including high-profile FDNY widow Marian Fontana, who was invited to a Giuliani exploratory committee dinner. Fontana says that while she appreciates Rudy's efforts post-September 11, she feels "not ready to endorse," preferring to know what their views on different issues are.
The Post suggests that play for September 11 families is pre-emptive:
It is unclear exactly what role the families would play.It should be quite a dogfight in 2007-2008.But some relatives who are anti-Giuliani are already planning "Swiftboat"-type attacks against the ex-mayor - modeled on the negative campaign against John Kerry in 2004 by his fellow Vietnam vets. It seems likely that 9/11 kin could help Giuliani counter that criticism.
Some 9/11 family members have been deeply critical of Giuliani, blaming him for communications failures the day of the attacks.
Others have faulted his administration for allegedly not doing enough to protect rescue and recovery workers from polluted air at Ground Zero.
For the most part, those family members who have spoken with Giuliani supporters are family members who have maintained a relationship with Giuliani in the years since the attacks and were already fans of his.
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that a-hole is exploiting 9-11 for political gain. it's shameless. just remember...guiliani is an enemy of black people, artists, and ESPECIALLY black artists (renee cox @ brooklyn museum, anyone?).
IMO, Republican's have worn out using "9/11" to their political gain.
For the rag known as the NY Post to suggest "Swiftboat" Tactics against him by others is amusing as these family's have real complaints not bogus ones made up by the "Swiftboaters".
To make life more fun for Giuliani, real conservatives are not impressed with his affair he had with his current wife. Does that mean he really wanted the 9 commandments put in NYC schools, instead of 10?
I don't want to be a reactionist anti-republican, but WOW is this a page ripped out from the GW Bush playbook. I'm a Giuliani supporter, but not for president.
> IMO, Republican's have worn out using "9/11" to their political gain.
That may be true, but I don't think Republicans (or any somewhat nationalist party) will ever stop gaining from the vague threat of "terrorism"
Kevin, I couldn't agree more.
What about the radios, Rudy? Let's talk about the radios!
To all of the Kool-Aid drinking repugs who think of this sissy-boy in the bully's mask as some kind of hero, Rudy bought 2-way radios for the NYC Firefighters that were about 10 years outdated. They did not work inside of buildings. (Now, think about New York City for a moment. Buildings, right? Right. To the firefighters, radios that don't let them talk with one another inside buildings are useless.) They did not let the Firefighters and Police talk with one another. Police and Firefighters NEED to communicate, during fires and especially during emergencies. The Firefighters did not want them, and said so. The firefighter brass did not want them, and said so. Rudy knew best, of course, and gave the no-bid contract (in violation of city and stste laws) to a campaign donor) and bought the radios. The ones that the Firefighters and Police did not want. The ones that did not work properly. The ones with outdated technology and big price tags. On Sept. 11, the Police Firefighters inside the World Trade Center buildings had only these useless radios. They could not communicate with one another inside the buildings, and they could not communicate with the Police. Who knows how many brave men and women died on thatday because RUDY'S RADIOS DID NOT WORK?!?!?! I would say that their brave blood is on his hands, but I have too much respect for them, and too much contempt for Rudy.
So, Rudy... tell us about the radios, won't you? Tell us about the radios.
yep, NYC was a paradise before Rudy. Ultra high crime rates, stratospheric tax rates, massive corruption so in other words, a liberal paradise. Don't worry. The next mayor will get you back into the Dinkins/Sharpton era.
Darrin: You are soo right! I saw Rudy shopping for radios at Wall-Mart!!!!! RUDY HATES FIREFIGHTERS!! RUDY WAS BEHIND 9/11 ATTACKS!!!
"that a-hole is exploiting 9-11 for political gain."
is there anyone left on god's green earth who doesn't exploit 9/11 for political gain? i'd like to meet them. hell, i might even vote for them.
rudy's presidential hopes (delusions may be more apt) are amusing to watch unfold. they provide a nice mirror to hillary; megalomania as a bipartisan issue.
it is interesting to see what will happen to Hillary. I think that in the end, she will prevail and win the nomination. Barack's only asset is the color of his skin and his first scandals are already emerging..Hillary's cash reserves will help her a lot.
On the republican side it may turn out that Rudy does not get the nomination but there are no strong GOP candidates at the moment. In fact, there are only 3 serious candidates (McCain who is loathed by the GOP base, Romney who is a mormon and Guliani). One of those clowns will be the nominee. I would bet on Guliani winning the nomination unless Romney somehow overcomes the mormon issue (like Reagan did the age issue against Carter).
It amazes me how many people would rather blame politicians than, you know, the maniacs who crashed the planes into the buildings.
it is well-documented that Bush & Co were behind 9/11. Charlie Sheen has proved this.
There is no terrorist threat. There is no terrorist threat. - Michael Moore (Power Center, Michigan 2003).
Jamil Hussein: Tell me, sadiquii, what flavor was the Kool-Aid this morning... the one that you must have drunk in order to dismiss the facts that would show a republican actually did something 1) criminal 2) negligent and 3) stupid? Do you know anyone who died in the towers on Sept. 11? Someone who actually carried one of those radios? Talk to a Firefighter about those radios. Yes, Rudy personally gave away that contract to reward a donor. Oh, that's right... Firefighters are union members, and therefore must hate America, just like Democrats.
Your inability to argue the facts show that you really ARE a Guiliani supporter. You probably believe that George W. is a great President, too... making us all oh, so safe from big, bad Sadaam Hussein.
Rudy suffers, as do most republicans these days, from hypocricy... and people who are rational eventually see through that kind of behavior. This is a big reason why the Democrats beat the repugs in the midterm: they saw throught the pious talk and into the corruption of thee right. Rudy will suffer this fate: it's just a matter of time. How he handles it will be amusing.
During a City Hall press conference Rudy once again went after Bill Clinton, in the worst terms decrying his behavior with Ms. Lewinsky. One of the reporters asked about Judy Nathan (both she & Rudy were married to other people at the time), whom Rudy had been dating, taking to official functions as his date, and who was enjoying 24 hour police protection. The reporter asked whether Rudy was being hypocritical, in light of his having a very public affair with a married woman. I have rarely seen such a violent reaction. Rudy began screaming at the reporter, saying "That's a lie! That's a lie! Get him out of here! That's a lie!" He pounded his fists on the podium, his glasses went askew, his hair flopped down over his forehead, and so much saliva flew from his mouth that it seemed as if he were foaming at the mouth.
We in New York knew that these were not lies, and we got to see more of this bizarre behavior from Rudy, e.g. his Mother's Day televised announcement that he was seeking a divorce. (Did he actually call his children and tell them to watch daddy on television before this happened? We'll never know, but it seems to fit the pattern, I'd say.) Of course, Rudy had his lawyer, Raoul Felder, do the actual dirty work of smearing the mother of his children: Rudy stood behind him, piously wringing his hands, doing his best to look like the victim. He then tried to get a court order keeping his wife out of their home.
Rudy has turned his back on every principle he ever stood for, broken every promise he ever made, doublecrossed every friend he ever had. He was a horroble, horrible mayor, who, on Sept. 10 had approval numbers as low as George W. Bush.
As for the often-cited drop in crime, people who have actually studied this (as opposed to some of the posters on this site) know that there was a similar drop in crime nationwide. There was also a much better use of the Police, thanks to Chief William Bratton (whom Rudy fired because HE wanted the credit for everything good happening in NYC) and Jack Maple. There were more Police on the streets of NYC because Bill Clinton, along with balancing the Federal Budget, allocated funds for more than 100,000 more cops in America. (One of dozens of campaign promises he either met or exceeded... as opposed to the last few repug presidents, who have never kept a promise.) David Dinkins went after these funds and put them into the NYPD... but, of course, Rudy claimed that it was HE who got that funding.
As I said, it will be amusing watching Rudy do a public meltdown once national reporters start asking him questions... questions that he does not want to answer.
Guiliani deserves all the scrutiny in the world since he's running for prez based on his role in 9/11.
The guy has painstakingly sought to gain political points for the tragedy. In 2002, at a time when the country was grappling with loss, he campaigned in 35 states for mid-term elections.
At a time when folks stepped away from partisan politics, he actively sought to use his image as "american's mayor" for partisan gain.
So, he wants to run for prez. Good, let no stone be unturned and Guiliani can be revealed as the opportunist that he is, for politicizing 9/11.
At the end of the day, I'd rather have someone that made sure the air was clean afterwards & that the firefighters were safe and someone who calculatingly tries to win political points for the death of 3,000 people.
I'm no GOP lover but I'll take Bloomberg any day of the year over Guiliani. I don't luv every deciison he makes but he's worlds better than Rudy.
I feel bad for those first responders who are ill right now or had died from exposure to toxic dust at GZ. I know a person dx'ed with lung cancer and he's still alive but these guys who cleaned up the site are coughing and puking.
by the way, anyone have the tape of "america's mayor" cursing up a storm and foaming at the mouth at a PBA rally/riot in City Hall?
Some respect this guy has.
real conservatives are not impressed with his affair he had with his current wife.
what exactly is a "real conservative"? I don't think most of you have a clue about the various types of Republican voters.
And Darrin, if you want people to actually read your entire posts, stop with the foaming at the mouth. you lost me at repugs.
"what exactly is a "real conservative"?"
People who expect elected officials to practice what they preach. To Wit: supporting the Ten Commandments in public schools, but being an adulterer.
I think a lot of people are tired of Politicians who tend to talk about Religious things but don't practice what they preach.
And Darrin, if you want people to actually read your entire posts, stop with the foaming at the mouth. you lost me at repugs.
Seconded. You might actually have a point, but no one would realize it unless they're a similar "OMG THE DEMS CAN DO NO WRONG!" type.
it is interesting to see what will happen to Hillary. I think that in the end, she will prevail and win the nomination. Barack's only asset is the color of his skin and his first scandals are already emerging..Hillary's cash reserves will help her a lot-roy.
Roy your an idiot. Giuliani marched over the Brooklyn Bridge in the early 90's, leading a pack of renegade cops, burning cars, shouting "Down with Nigger" When David Dinkins was Mayor, over a pay increase. Read Wayne Barret, from the Voice, he has catalogued all of Giuliani's finest and brightest moments.
"Barack's only assest is the color of his skin" Your a pompous idiotic white supremacist. Jeez you guys have to let it go, you have royally fucked up the world...white man move out of the way, your killing all of us.
And what is George Bush's assest?...
roy, you re-define, dumbing down, to plain old Idiocy...
If your the voice of the Average American, then we may as well give up and go work for Cheney...today.
Tom, your an idiot too.