9/11 Image Drives Giuliani's Campaign
Former NYC Mayor Speaks At Remembrance Ceremony, Recounts "Strength" Of Fallen Rescuers
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Play CBS Video Video Giuliani Praises 9/11 Heroes
CBS News RAW: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani paid tribute to the heroes of 9/11 at a memorial service held near the ground zero site in lower Manhattan.
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Video Eye To Eye: Giuliani's Chances
Only On The Web: CBS' Jeff Greenfield and Giuliani biographer Andrew Kirtzman discuss the ins and outs of the former New York City mayor's bid for the Republican nomination.
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Republican presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks during a ceremony marking the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Pool, Justin Lane)
"I think it's an absolute disgrace to invite him to speak," Santora told CBS News. "He's the primary reason why so many of these guys are sick and some have died."
Santora charges that while then-mayor Giuliani was in charge of overseeing the city's response and cleanup surrounding the decimated towers, he did not provide recovery workers with a breathing apparatus until November. Many recovery workers, residents, and even members of the media have developed respiratory problems from breathing the air at ground zero.
There is no question that today's anniversary, more than half a decade after the attack, still affects Giuliani. And while people question a positive political windfall for him today, Giuliani's campaign says it's not political.
"If you know Rudy Giuliani, he'd be down there paying his respects whether he was invited or not," Giuliani senior advisor Tony Carbonetti said in a statement released by the campaign. "This is something that happened to him as a person, as a New Yorker, as a mayor and as an American. To say he's politicizing it -- he never would do anything like that."
Giuliani admits that he is always reminded more of the event in days leading up to the anniversary, although he says that regarding 9/11, "every day is an anniversary." Looking back, he says two main things have surprised him in the years since the attacks. One, that Osama bin Laden has not been caught. And two, that the United States has not seen another large scale attack, as top intelligence officials had warned him for years.
He says he will always be standing amongst the families and city officials, rescue crews and responders on the quietest day of the year in New York. Speaking with reporters last weekend, Giuliani told them that if he had not been there today -- whether avoiding political scrutiny or not -- the guilt would be too heavy for him.
"As a personal matter," he said with downcast eyes, "I couldn't live with myself."
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- Dear Everyone,
Where was God on Sept 11th? He was glued to the TV set to the horror that was unfolding. His heart was breaking to the scenes that where taking place. He was unable to force what man should do in his decisions. He is open to the hearts that respond to the truth that they are loved. He is opened to the people wanting His will. There are some who want there own will and you see where that gets us a 911! - Reply to this comment
- Oviously, Guiliani''s campaign feels that the same scare tactics that Bush used will galvanize the middle of the electorateas. I am hopeing that the electorate are much brighter than that.
Running for office and connecting to the 9/11 tradgedy is lame politics at it''s best. At its worst it is sinful and shows low disregard for human suffering. I don''t care if Guilianin was there when it happened. He was not a hero, he was a leader that was expected to do what he did. No more, no less. The heroes are deceased and scarred by the trauma. Guiliani is an opportunist and narcissist. - Reply to this comment
- Rudy just wants to pick and choose the parts he likes to use and even then he''s busy editing for maximum impact. He needs to stop.
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- Mr. Guiliani had an office complex in this building...
For those of you who didn''''t realize WTC7 also fell on 9/11, here is an interesting link. The BBC was broadcasting about the destruction of the Salomon Brothers Building(WTC7) 20 minutes before it was demolished! The reporter moves her head, and there is the building, standing tall.
Was she reading a bad script, or was it bad timing? The 9/11 Commission never saw the film, I will bet...
Really worth your time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
C7SwOT29gbc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Epris
onplanet%2Ecom%2Farticles%2Ffebruary2007
%2F260207building7%2Ehtm - Reply to this comment
- Victimhood can destroy our country at the core and your well being without planes. Tell Rudys his 10 mins is over move on, respect and remember but move on reclaim your power.
You are being lied to again by Bush and his lackeys, Bush is not listening to the Generals, that is false, he is listening to one who agrees and parrots his words his political agenda.
A separate internal report is being prepared by a Pentagon working group will %u201Cdiffer substantially%u201D from Petraeus%u2019s recommendations,
The Pentagon will %u201Crecommend a very rapid reduction in American forces: as much as two-thirds of the existing force very quickly, while keeping the remainder there.%u201D The strategy will involve unwinding the still large U.S. presence in big forward operation bases and putting smaller teams in outposts.
Do not be distracted the facts are simple the math just as simple, if 17 Republican Senators switch their vote for America and our Troops the mission will be chnaged.
CHOOSE LIFE FOR OUR TROOPS call your Senator and tell him 5 years later, 4,000 dead, 34,000 wounded, tens of thousands of Iraqi dead, and 2 Trillion is too much CHANGE THE MISSION.
28 Soldiers dead in 6 days since Bush declared we are kicking arse in IRAQ. Are soldiers are not to be sacrificed for there political stunts.
(202) 224-3121 for the Senate, and (202) 225-3121 for the House - Reply to this comment
- Asked to comment on the state of health care in the United States, Giuliani responded, "9/11"
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