One use for the Rudolph Giuliani mayoral archives: Figuring out how much time he actually spent at Ground Zero. Giuliani has referred to his Ground Zero presence a number of times, saying things like:
- “I was at ground zero as often, if not more, than most of the workers. I was there working with them. I was there guiding things. I was there bringing people there. But I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to. So in that sense, I’m one of them.”
- "I was there often enough so that every health consequence that people have suffered, I could also be suffering. People on my staff were there with me. Some of them weren't there as often as I was, and some of them have gotten sick already."
Now the NY Times has gone back to figure out how much time he spent at the pit. Using his mayoral archives, the Times found he spent 29 hours between September 17 and December 16, 2001. There are no records for the time he spent there on September 11-15 (and the Times does acknowledge that the dust during the collapse was probably most dangerous), but most rescue workers typically worked hundreds of hours.
Detectives' Endowment Association president Michael Palladino said, "I think Mayor Giuliani did a fine job as mayor during probably the most difficult time in American history, especially in New York history. Having said that, it’s unfair for him to characterize himself as being in the same position as the first responders.”
The Times even has a chart showing the number of minutes Giuliani spent at Ground Zero.
Photograph of Pataki, Giuliani and Clinton near Ground Zero on September 12, 2001 by Robert F. Bukaty/AP
