Giuliani plays the exploitation card

July 21, 2007

Rudy Giuliani delivered a speech in Iowa recently on “Restoring Fiscal Discipline and Cutting Wasteful Washington Spending.” Just two minutes and 14 seconds into it, the former mayor said, “I will continue to keep America on offense in the terrorist war against us, because I think that’s the overriding issue of our day.”

Giuliani was also asked recently about his position on taxes. After a few soundbites, he said, “[Democratic presidential candidates] never mentioned the word ‘Islamic terrorist’ during the debate…. Maybe they think they’re going to be insulting somebody if they say it. I’m trying to figure out who would be insulted — other than Islamic terrorists.”

And this week, also in Iowa, Giuliani was asked about increasing federal support for HIV treatments. He responded:

“My general experience has been that the federal government works best when it helps and assists and encourages and sets guidelines… on a state-by-state, locality-by-locality basis. It’s no different from the way I look at homeland security. Maybe having been mayor of the city, I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station, or that local firehouse.”

I’m generally not in the habit of offering advice to Republican presidential hopefuls, but I have an idea for the Giuliani campaign. As a way to save time at future appearances, perhaps one of his aides could give Giuliani a placard with the word “terrorism” on one side, and “9/11” on the other. That way, whenever anyone asks him a question about anything, he can simply point to the sign, instead of having to go to the trouble of coming up with an excuse to end up at the same point anyway.

“Giuliani, Inc. – Exploiting the Dead Since September 11, 2001.”

  • And remember, Giuliani’s the biggest stud in the Republican stable right now, the front-runner. More decided Republicans think Rudi is The One than any other candidate. He might not even be an improvement on George Bush, since he seems already to be listening exclusively to an inner circle of advisers – who tell him he knows everything, in spite of his knowing nothing at all about foreign policy, and only enough about domestic issues to run something the size of a city; maybe a state, if he stretched himself.

    But the press can’t seem to shut up about how inexperienced Obama is. If they’re not careful, they’ll end up with “I’m a closet Republican” Hillary as president.

  • What corporate frontrunner are we talking about here…Guliani, Clinton, or Obama??.

    Forgive me. Guiliani’s name isn’t even worth mentioning in the same sentence with the other two.
    I can’t believe people actually show up to his speeches. By this point nearly everyone knows Guliani is a phony. From mayor to President…what an ego. But he believes the American public is stupid enough to think he is a legitimate candidate even though he has no policies except “keep the show going”. He’s been a joke to any serious political thinker but there are those to whom all one has to do is shout “9/11” and “terrorists” and they will throw money at you. It’s depressing that a “joke” like Guiliani would even think himself credible to be president of the USA. What next, Ronald McDonald and the Arches of 9/11?
    Republicans…Aren’t you insulted by Guiliani and his “no policies”?

  • Take the profit out of campaigns and these people wouldn’t even run. People have to be paid to support them.

  • Hello,

    I have a question to ask that is not related to this topic but since there is not topic addressing my question I placed it here.

    Would this site be considered a “progressive” blog or some other type. If it is “progressive” can someone explain what that means since when I look “progressives” up on WIKI it tells me that the Progressives of the 50ies failed and disbaned. Are they related?

  • “[Democratic presidential candidates] never mentioned the word ‘Islamic terrorist’ during the debate…”

    Because, of course, unlike Giuliani, they have other things they can talk about.

    “I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station, or that local firehouse.”

    First defense? What happened to staying on offense? And are local cops supposed to be on offense, too?? I know Rudy reads this blog, so I’m hoping he’ll clear this up.

  • Two things. First, since his crutch is his national security experience, it makes sense for him to link everything to it. It’s readily apparent that he has little credibility on the subject, but since he has the reputation, it only makes sense for him to use it. We can’t fault him for playing politics this way. Second, assuming he had a resume to run on, it’d be far more defensible if he made the connections in a meaningful way. If he had a specific plan for fighting terrorism that involved deficit spending, for instance, it’d make sense to discuss in the context of taxes. But that is not what he appears to be doing, shock of all shocks.

  • Maybe having been mayor of the city, I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station, or that local firehouse.

    Time out.

    I think we should all frame this little passage and refer back to it if we ever need a reminder that Guli is a shameless, heartless fucker. How the fuck do you get from a question about HIV/AIDS to prattle about Sept. 11th? And after he crapped all over the NYFD, he has the nerve to call them the first defense against a terrorist attack? Does he realize those guys carry axes?

    I guess he still hasn’t learned shit after being mayor of “that city.” Fire fighters respond to disasters, preventing them ain’t in their job descriptions.

  • Right-o, TAIO. I want to know how does Giuliani think he can pull this off when it’s already spread all over the place that he was actually not a big hero on September 11th, and that he was working against the firefighters and first-responders, not for them.

    The voters will hold his campaign accountable on Election Day by not voting for him, if he is the nominee. The walls of secrets have been pentrated; the protection is all gone. Accountability is all that is left.

  • “Without really thinking…”

    “At the time, we believed that we would be attacked many more times that day and in the days that followed. Without really thinking, based on just emotion, spontaneous, I grabbed the arm of then-Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, and I said to him, “Bernie, thank God George Bush is our president.”

    I say it again tonight. I say it again tonight:

    Thank God that George Bush is our president, and thank God that Dick Cheney, a man with his experience and his knowledge and his strength and his background, is our vice president.” [Emphasis added.]-Rudolph Giuliani 08.30.04 (Convention Speech)

  • “…I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station, or that local firehouse.” –Rudolf “Hess” Giuliani

    Police officers and firefighters certainly have an important role in defending against terrorism and its aftermath. But, specifically, in the city that Hess was the mayor of during the 9/11 mass-terror frame-up and his ensuing powerfully staged photo-ops, how would police or firefighters have prevented jetliners from colliding with skyscrapers or the U.S. Military Command Center?

    Furthermore, how would police or firefighters have prevented the collapse of the 110-story Twin Towers (WTC1 & WTC2) or the 47-story skyscraper, Wolrd Trade Center 7, which was not hit by an aircraft but collapsed at 5:20 PM ET, 9/11/2001, some 8 hours after the collapse of the Twin Towers?

    Apparently, the terroristic destruction of property does not fall under the auspices of the Global War On a Tactic or a Psychological State in the disturbed mind of Rupaul Giuliani.

  • The voters will hold his campaign accountable on Election Day by not voting for him, if he is the nominee. The walls of secrets have been pentrated; the protection is all gone. Accountability is all that is left.

    Ha ha!

  • Ha ha ha. “I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station.”

    Yeah, your first line of defense is the local guys… Someone might want to remind Giuliani that he was a local guy during 9/11 and his NYFD and NYPD failed at preventing it. So why don’t we give this guy a promotion to POTUS for his stellar role as 9/11’s first defense? I’m not criticizing the NYPD or NYFD, I’m just saying that they’re not the first line defense. First line defense should be a foreign policy that doesn’t rape the undeveloped countries. Second line defense should be NSA, CIA, etc.

    But seriously, WTF were the local guys going to do on 9/11. That’s the stupidest stuff I’ve heard… Well, besides his side of the conversation with Ron Paul during the debate…

  • “My general experience has been that the federal government works best when it helps and assists and encourages and sets guidelines… on a state-by-state, locality-by-locality basis. It’s no different from the way I look at homeland security. Maybe having been mayor of the city, I know that your first defense against terrorist attack is that local police station, or that local firehouse.”

    How exactly does it square with Conservative principles to state emphatically that the Federal government likes to micromanage state and local authorities> It’s Terry Schiavo all over again- I’m surprised the more libertarian Republicans haven’t revolted and formed their own party already.

    Oh, and to Wisbad, check out this site to further your understanding of progressivism. Not all progressives are even Democrats, or consider themselves liberal. Teddy Roosevelt is a good example.

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