Politics

Rudy Won't Run

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 27, 2001 / 3:15 AM EDT / CBS

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani ruled out a third term Wednesday by declining to accept the Conservative Party nomination.

Giuliani said he told state Conservative Chairman Michael Long he was declining to take over the party's line in November, despite supporters who were "begging me to stay in the run for another term" in light of the World Trade Center attack.

But he again offered to stay on during a three-month period of transition for the new mayor, in a statement softer than those made last week when he first put forth the idea.

"I'm not going to be on the ballot," Giuliani said. "I'm available to do the transition I offered to do. If people support it, fine."

Long had offered Giuliani his party's line, Giuliani's only access to the November ballot. He is barred by the city's term limits law from serving another term and any candidacy would have been open to legal challenge.

"I told him I thought it would not be a good idea," Giuliani said. "It would lead to division and litigation and the city does not need division and litigation at this time."

Last week, Giuliani asked the three major party candidates for mayor remaining in the race to delay the start of their terms, whoever is elected on Nov. 6, to provide for a "seamless" transition of power.

Democratic city Public Advocate Mark Green and Republican media mogul Michael Bloomberg agreed. But Democratic Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, who is in an Oct. 11 runoff with Green for the Democratic nomination, declined.

Giuliani said Wednesday he continues to believe a three-month tradition is the best course.

"I think anybody who thinks they're ready for this job on Jan. 1, given the monumental tasks that are ahead, doesn't understand this job very well," Giuliani said.

Giuliani had sought to have the state Legislature extend his term for three months, but the idea had gotten a chilly reception from Democrat Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the state Assembly.

Long said Giuliani had called him about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to say he would not be taking the party chairman up on his offer to run as the Conservative Party's candidate for mayor while seeking repeal of a city term limit law barring him from serving a third consecutive term.

"He said, 'This is only going to divide the city,'" Long recalled.

"On that note, he thanked me for being supportive on the issue. ... He thanked me and I thanked him for everything he's been doing in this crisis," Long added.

Long said the Conservative Party would go ahead with running Manhattan lawyer Terrence Gray as its candidate for mayor. Gray had volunteered to give up the position if Giuliani would run.

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Giuliani's approval ratings have soared as he sought to calm the city and bring some order to the chaos. That led to talk that Giuliani should somehow continue in office, a notion that he eventually embraced.