May 16, 2007
During Debate, Rudy Seizes Moment to Talk 9/11
Last night, former mayor Rudy Giuliani got a huge round of applause after tearing another candidate a new one about September 11. The Republican presidential candidates were participating in a Fox News Channel-sponsored debate in South Carolina, and the moment came when Representative Ron Paul of Texas discussed September 11. The video is above (the pertinent part comes at about 1:40 in) and here's how the NY Times described it:
At one point, one of Mr. Giuliani’s lesser-known opponents, Representative Ron Paul of Texas, gave what turned out to be a big platform to Mr. Giuliani when he appeared to suggest that the United States invited the attacks of Sept. 11 by having originally invaded Iraq.The Post's account is a little more melodramatic -"Giuliani unloaded both barrels at Texas Rep. Ron Paul..." - but it's definitely a dramatic moment, regardless of whom you believe. Given the wariness of conservatives toward Giuliani's more-liberal views on other issues, like abortion, it certainly sounds like Paul gave Giuliani the best gift ever. The Politico says Giuliani came out on top while the Daily News' Michael Goodwin notes how Giuliani succeeded in bringing back the talk to terror.“May I comment on that?” Mr. Giuliani said, looking grim. “That’s really an extraordinary statement. That’s an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of Sept. 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don’t think I’ve heard that before, and I’ve heard some pretty absurd explanations for Sept. 11.”
Mr. Giuliani was interrupted by cheers and applause. “And I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn’t really mean that,” he said.
Here's a transcript of the debate. Don't miss former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's crack about Congressional spending and John Edwards's hair.
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Don't be surprised if Ron Paul has a cabinet position in a Guiliani Administration.
fox news sponsored debate??
Ron Paul made the one mistake unforgivable in today's politics: he talked like a grown-up. Giuliani wins over the Post by just shouting USA! USA! THEY HATE OUR FREEDUMS after every question! Fuck him, and fuck the Post.
ever the opportunist. Middle America will eat this shit up.
When will people recognize Giuliani for the shill shyster fool that he is?
Guiliani is really a shrill, one note candidate. It's also hypocritical of him to go on and on about 9/11 when he supports the war in Iraq. Which has nothing to do with 9/11. And has made us much less safe.
If a Republican becomes the next president, then the terrorists have already won.
Rudy should have posters made up that state his true position on the important matters of the day:
"9/11!!! 9/11!!! 9/11!!!"
Beat me to it, Irritated!
There was a great line in First Read this morning, about how the 9/11 Whore will have Ron Paul follow him around, kind of a Washington Generals to his Harlem Globetrotters.
Paul made a huge mistake. It's obvious that Rudy's going to be pounding out 9/11 at every opportunity. Don't give him the chance by bringing it up yourself.
"9/11. Ground Zero. September 11th. 9/11. World Trade Center. 9/11. Air Quality. 9/11"
Giuliani/Kerik '08 Campaign
It's really sad that most of you can't even talk about the issue at hand: whether we did, in fact, invite the terrorist attack of 9/11 with the first Gulf War and leaving out troops in Saudi Arabia for the better part of the 1990s.
they hate us cuz of our freedom fries
give it up already
does nyone still buy this sh!t?
props to ron paul for saying it like it is
I tried watching the debate, but it was way too much, especially since it was basically produced by a subsidiary of the Republican party for the Republican party. Plus Veronica Mars was on.
If America, or at least any republicans have a brain, they will viote for Ron Paul who is the most sensible candidate out there. The rest are PC pandering idiots.
Ron Paul spoke the truth. America needs to get it's head out of the sand.
whether or not he gets the most votes, giuliani will be "elected" president.
How did Giuliani "live through" the attacks? Didn't we all "live through" the attacks? He tries to make it sound like he survived the attacks himself. Bush politicized 9/11 and won the 2004 elections. We cannot allow another person to do that, as Giuliani appears to be attempting to do.
I switched it on just as Romney was saying, "Double Guantanamo!" Then I banged my head through the nearest window.
Ron Paul spoke the truth. They hate us (and rightfully so) for our bully tactics and intervention - not for our freedom. This "war on terror" only emboldens their resolve.
Admitting this isn't anti american. Its the truth.
whats up with gothamist presenting this as Rudy tearing another candidate a new one and giving him a gift, as pointed out by just about everybody it's amazing to hear someone in a debate like this speak in a real way about something, props to rep. Paul
I agree with Senator Paul. Unfortunately, the whole "Heroic America going into Iraq to free The Iraqi People from the tyrant Sadam Hussein" and crap they feed us about the reasons for The U.S. meddling in other countries' affairs and our terrible foreign policy will always win over the general public. Just like the fictional stories of Jessica Lynch and her supposed heroic acts before being taken hostage and the whole bullshit "Let's Roll" crap about the passengers on flight 93 on 9/11...it's all manufactured. Fiction. And the public eats it up. The Average American doesn't want to hear the truth. The way to believe America is heroic and blameless. They want to believe we are an honorable country with nothing but honorable intentions, and they want to believe this of our politicians. They will never elect to be president someone who tells them the truth. They will elect a fake hero like Giuliani. That's why we get all the corrupt jerks in office who just know how to tell a good story (or tell a good lie).
You know, if you watch the whole video, Ron Paul never says "we invited the attack." In fact, when the moderator baits him with "are you saying we invited the attack?" Paul says "no." He was the only man on that stage with a view on foreign policy more nuanced than "KILL THEM RAGHEADS KILL CONQUER KILL PROFIT" (which is incidentally the mission statement of Fox News), and Giuliani, unsurprisingly, saw his opening.
PS, Ron Paul is fucking awesome.
Ron Paul, you can't just SAY that kind of stuff, for God's sake think about where you are. I don't know what kind of Republican can swallow that.
Even so, Ron Paul will last longer than Giuliani in the race. Giuliani is the Kerry of the primaries, a glass chin, a Swift Boat with like 20,000 people on it, and a list of liabilities as long as your arm. Hillary would love to run against that guy!
The funny thing is that Ron Paul is absolutely correct. IR scholars are familiar with Bruce Hoffman's theory of terrorism that goes right to the heart of of Osama bin Laden's Fatāwā that demands a troop withdrawal from Saudi Arabia. Hoffman's "Inside Terrorism" details every single instance where a foreign troop withdrawal results in peace for both sides.
What disappoints me is the unwillingness to even acknowledge the theory all for the "RAH RAH RAH USA USA USA" mentality. Ignorance is the worst thing to happen to politics. Even if Ron Paul goes nowhere, at least he raised the issue.
Rudy did not "tear Paul a new one". He tried to but Paul's retort to Rudy's challenge was awesome. He stood his ground, said nothing about Rudy and stuck to his principles. Ron Paul for president!
Mr. Paul, You so fucked up on this one ! You can't go into a debate with the platform of an adult and expect Ur reveal too play fair ! Fooliani saw, and seized the opportunity you presented him . Foolish mistake, Very Foolish !