04/25/2007
Politicizing National Security, Rudy Giuliani Warns of New 9/11
Rudy chooses the low road at a campaign stop in New Hampshire:
"If any Republican is elected president —- and I think obviously I would be the best at this —- we will remain on offense and will anticipate what [the terrorists] will do and try to stop them before they do it...But the question is how long will it take and how many casualties will we have? If we are on defense [with a Democratic president], we will have more losses and it will go on longer. I listen a little to the Democrats and if one of them gets elected, we are going on defense. We will wave the white flag on Iraq. We will cut back on the Patriot Act, electronic surveillance, interrogation and we will be back to our pre-Sept. 11 attitude of defense...The Democrats do not understand the full nature and scope of the terrorist war against us."
Posted 8:05 AM EST by Andy Towle in Democratic Party, Election 2008, New York, News, Republican Party, Rudy Giuliani | Permalink
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Yeah, he did such a great job of protecting NY. ;-)
Posted by: shane | Apr 25, 2007 8:09:52 AM
All we really need to know is that Rudy has had the divorces and the religious right will hav ea big problem voting for a multi-divorced, "neo-liberal", pro-lifer from th enotoriously liberal northeast for Prez.
He n Romney are both going to be excised in the primaries once the midwestern states have their say.
Posted by: Darren | Apr 25, 2007 8:20:36 AM
Shane,
Are you saying his placing the cities emergency response center in the twin towers after the first WTC attack wasn't a brilliant move?
Posted by: Marco | Apr 25, 2007 8:21:18 AM
Pathetic Republican fear-mongering coming from someone who should know better. The Republicants are going down, and not in a good way.
Posted by: Bill | Apr 25, 2007 8:29:06 AM
Actually, he's right.
Posted by: Kamasutra Jones | Apr 25, 2007 8:40:08 AM
Ugh, so, now good old boy Rudy is playing the fear politics for the "American" people. Why is it that none of the GOP candidates can actually discuss real issues that are affecting this country, instead of the boogie man? Bush harped on gay marriage to get in and pander to the right, and now old boy Rudy is doing the same thing. No wonder most of the populations does not vote, same old lies, different mug telling them. Hate or fear, the only platform they seem to have.
Posted by: mark | Apr 25, 2007 8:49:19 AM
Just when you're choosing a President remember what New York actually thought of Guiliani on 10 september 2001. He really seems to be milking that he actually did his job on 9/11, its so creepy. And the politics of fear to win office... please, the Americans are not naive.
Posted by: Sean R | Apr 25, 2007 8:53:46 AM
Acctually he did do a good job with NYC. The city was circling the drain before he took over.
Posted by: ousslander | Apr 25, 2007 9:00:24 AM
Yes Kamasutra Jones,
Bush and the Republicans did such a good job fighting terrorism before 9/11, I can see why you believe him.
Lordy.
Posted by: Marco | Apr 25, 2007 9:29:07 AM
His 9/11 rhetoric will backfire on him because I sense most Americans have moved on, and unless there is some substantial need to re-address some matters surrounding the attack, most folks will roll their eyes and walk away.
The issues now is, we don't need a mayor or any other pollitican to step up to be President. We need a Colin Powell. We had Eisnehower in the 50's. A strong general who moved from the battlefield into the Whitehouse. Someone with an understanding of how to protect our borders, savvy enough to keep our presence strong around the world. And mostly whenAmericans wanted someone to make the decisions, then bring the focus back within our borders (the economic boom of the 50's, for example).
Now, if Colin Powell were to run on the a ticket... or Schwartzkopf...
Rudy... no. Just because his city was attacked on his watch does not make him qualified to lead the country.
Posted by: Rad | Apr 25, 2007 9:34:56 AM
Same tricks lies and deceit, different aging and utterly unattractive (inside and out) white male politician.
Posted by: forreal | Apr 25, 2007 9:35:15 AM
he's correct in one way... if the US remains Republican... the world will continue its hate-on for America... and the US will certainly remain a target.
the terrorist threat to America will lessen with a Democratic White House.
Posted by: A.J. | Apr 25, 2007 9:38:37 AM
Towleroad or: How I Learned To Stop Caring About Objectivity and Love The Left... All The Time
Posted by: Jordan | Apr 25, 2007 9:39:19 AM
All Rudy did was step over the bodies, get his Armani Exchange suit and his comb over a little dusty and mutter on about the casualties being more than we could bear.
Emergency Management was destroyed by placing it in WTC after the '93 attack. Fire and police had no communication between each department and the FDNY radios did not work and were outdated resulting in hundreds of more casualties to the department.
Then he recommends Bernie Kerik for Homeland Security. A man that makes Tony Soprano look like a Mormon.
I am also convinced that Tiara addict Judith Nathan is going to throw a shoe during jumps in the finals.
Posted by: Crixi Van Cheek | Apr 25, 2007 9:45:37 AM
I guess he was a great mayor to some, but, to the people of color of NYC, that is highly debatable from most accounts. Just another liar from the far right wing plank of the GOP pandering for votes.
Posted by: Ty | Apr 25, 2007 9:45:41 AM
I think he makes perfect sense. (And he's one of the most openly gay-friendly politicians, even living with his gay friends, I've seen- Democrat or Republican- in a long time). Why do so many people call his type of talk "fear politics"? Do they think Islamic terrorist plans are a myth?
Posted by: MJ | Apr 25, 2007 9:59:57 AM
No M,
But they'll attack us no matter who is in power, and Rudy must have forgotten which party the President belonged to when we were attacked on 9/11.
If saying "you don't elect me you'll die." isn't fear politics, I simply don't know what is.
Posted by: Marco | Apr 25, 2007 10:06:31 AM
About Giuliani and minorities - under so called "progressive" mayors black and Hispanic neighborhoods were crack infested, rat infested, garbage strewn war zones for decades. Under Giuliani these neighborhoods began to blossom and grow. Harlem today is a world class tourist destination becasue of Giuliani. "Progressives" left such neighborhoods train wrecks for a hundred years.
Posted by: Zippo | Apr 25, 2007 10:10:17 AM
1) Ousslander - You are kidding yourself if you think all of the NYC 90s clean up was him. If it was, then he is Magic, because almost every other city in the country cleaned up then too. Maybe he is Jesus.
2)Kamasutra - How is he right? You actually believe terrorists are stupid enough to get fooled by the Cochrane defense -- look over here not over here?!?! Um, they know we're over here and they know a lot of this, and the republicans, administration's attention is focused on not flushing themselves down the toilet in Iraq. Anyone who thinks Democrats wouldn't actively work to keep Americans safe is delusional, blinded by political allegiance, and ignorant of the realization that of course they would work to do so, as if they didn't and something happened, they'd be screwed.
3) Jordan - I don't think there was much objective you could say differently about that Giuliani quote. What, is your problem that the quote was posted or that he highlighted how it relies on fear? Andy doesn't have to be objective of republicans, they aren't objective concerning him...he's gay, they think that's "dirty," and he's not self-hating enough to let that slide.
I have to ask all the "conservatives" who either are weird and read a gay themed blog but aren't gay, or who are gay and love supporting people who will obscure their personal beliefs to win the trust of crazy religious wingnuts, if a democrat does win in 08, does he/she get the same 9 month "free pass" Bush got...so if something happens from Jan 09-Sep 09, can we blame it on Bush like you did on Clinton?
Posted by: nycredneck | Apr 25, 2007 10:10:58 AM
Marco : Some fear is a good thing. One can disagree with him that Democrats would be so less effective on the war on terror, but maybe he feels very strongly about the issue and believes exactly what he's saying. (Just like he believes gays have a right to serve in the military).
Posted by: MJ | Apr 25, 2007 10:13:01 AM
Facts are stubborn things.
Posted by: LincolnLounger | Apr 25, 2007 10:20:06 AM
That's true, Lincolnlounger. Too many of the posters on here can't really handle facts. Like Oscar Wilde said, "It's frustrating to have a great story ruined by a fact." (Or something like that).
Posted by: MJ | Apr 25, 2007 10:51:09 AM
Giuliani is just spouting the usual Republic election line of gathering votes trhough fearmonging. They do it every election. The question will be if his popularity can survive his close association with George W and if the Democrats grow some balls this election and fight fire with fire. Rudy Guilian is far from a Saint MORALLY. And that might and probably will hurt him in the long run with the Conseritve Christian Right.
And just to set the rcord straight.
Giuliani cleaned up New York City by imposing his "Quality of Life Laws" and having the NYPD enforce them with ZERO Tolerence. They were groosly unfiar to the Poor and Homeless and numerous Court Cases were brought against the City of new York for the treatment of the Homeless and indigent. Civil Rights were trampled and the NYPD were oft compared to the Nazi's and a Police State. many Quality of life Abuse cases were won and settled out of Court for undisclosed amounts.
As for the "gentrifications" of Harlem. Guiliani had little to do with that. It was the neighborhood itself and the high cost of living downtown that helped revitilize harlen. property and Rents were cheaper and it was just natural the area would take a turn for the better when affordable housing became non existant in the Downtown and Upper east and West Side Areas.
Posted by: Wolf | Apr 25, 2007 11:01:17 AM
Jordan,
Wow. You're pretty smart figuring out that this blog has a slant to the left. Go figure being that this is a gay blog and that Republicans have used us as a scapegoats to win elections and whatnot. Maybe if Andy's bias pisses you off you shouldn't come here. Bye, Bye.
MJ,
Some fear is a good thing, huh? How about fear of our government spying on us and telling us who we can marry and what to do with our bodies? How about fear of our government taking us into unjust wars? Or fear concerning our collapsing health care system, the disappearing middle class or global warming? Oh I forgot, only fear against TEH TERRORISTS!!! who attacked us under the Republican administration counts.
Posted by: Adam | Apr 25, 2007 11:02:19 AM
Adam : Yes, fear over those issues counts too. So...?
Posted by: MJ | Apr 25, 2007 11:08:24 AM