Rudy Giuliani apparently sent a clone or cyborg out to all of those post-9/11 motivational speeches across the country, because he spent all of his available time on the cleanup crew:
ABC News’ Jan Simmonds Reports: In Ohio on Thursday, Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) handed his critics new ammunition regarding his role surrounding 9/11.
Speaking to reporters in Cincinnati, Giuliani said, “I was at ground zero as often, if not more, than most of the workers… I was there working with them. I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to. So in that sense, I’m one of them.”
Michael Palladino, head of the Detectives Endowment Association, the union of NYPD detectives, told the Associated Press that the mayor’s record can’t compare to those who spent 12 months sifting through toxic debris for evidence and human remains.
I’m not sure you can get more tone-deaf than this. First of all, if it’s true, then Rudy! is completely unfit to be President since he’s about to come down with a terrible respiratory disease like 70% of the other rescue workers. But the fact is that it’s just a gross exaggeration. Giuliani was only mayor for a few months after 9/11 before being replaced by Michael Bloomberg. And you can trace his steps through the media and find him at lots of speaking engagements, not in the muck at Ground Zero. I mean there’s a public record. Which he should be asked about at every opportunity.
In addition, for Rudy to equate himself with those rescue workers, who actually risked their lives doing their job, mainly because they were told by Rudy’s office and Christie Todd Whitman’s EPA that the area was safe from toxicity, is just the height of tastelessness.
UPDATE: One worker tells Rudy to stick it:
“That’s insulting and disgraceful. He’s a liar. I was down there on my hands and knees looking for my son.” — Fire Captain and Giuliani foe James Riches
UPDATE II: Video here:
Rudy’s on the run, now claiming that he was just showing solidarity. The video doesn’t lie. His staff must know that these comments will hurt. He’s just opened up a HUGE can of worms. Here’s quote machine James Riches again:
“He is such a liar, because the only time he was down there was for photo ops with celebrities, with politicians, with diplomats… On 9/11 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don’t think he’s taken a shower since.”
Wow, this is bad. And Edwards is hitting back.
“Evidently, Rudy Giuliani has taken a break from reality. It is outrageous for Giuliani to suggest, in any way, shape or form, that he did more at ground zero or spent more time there than the brave first responders who worked tirelessly around the clock for many months during the rescue and recovery operation. It seems that Giuliani is determined to take every opportunity to exploit the memory of 9/11 for political gain, rather than honor the incredible sacrifices of our first responders. Enough is enough.”
7 Responses to “I Was A Teenage Ground Zero Rescue Worker”
If Mayor Giuliani has done such wonderful things why can’t he just talk about those rather than making statements that are demonstrably false? I mean, if I won a gold medal in figure skating, I wouldn’t go around bragging I had won the Tour de France. (Barack is one “r” by the way.)
matt, again, this is no smear. We’re simply discussing something that Rudy actually said. Do you really think he was down there as much if not more than most of the workers?
Please answer this question directly.
[...] I Was A Teenage Ground Zero Rescue Worker [...]
you liberals have no shame, which isn’t surprising. all the mayor said was that he was exposed to the same air as the rescue workers, and shared their concerns over health issues. but the party whose president argues the meaning of the word ‘is’ continues to twist and smear and spin themselves to the point where the country is just sick of them. keep it up kiddos, rudy’s lead went back up to double digits after your latest round of smear attacks.
and if rudy is unfit because you feel he might get sick, then i believe mrs. clinton should be disqualified due to the AIDs she has contracted from her disgusting husband and barrack hussein is disqualified because of the brain damage caused by a dispicable cocaine addiction that may continue to this very day.
[...] of things that should knock him off the top of this table — but so far, nothing has. Will his Ground Zero gaffe finally do [...]
Something to say?
the attempts to smear the mayor’s historic and heroic handling of 9/11 will, and has, failed. as his lead increases in national polls, pathetic democrats are terrified that their incredibly inexperienced candidates will crumble when matched against the lengthy resume of the former mayor.
just read the mayor’s person of the year article, it gives the clearest picture of exactly what the mayor did and why his leadership is unmatched by the entire set of worthless people calling themselves democrat candidates.
btw, nice diplomacy barrack, not even elected yet and pakistan is already protesting you and your irresponsible, moronic statements, and they have backed out of crucial talks with afghanistan, some of that great liberal diplomacy i guess,
Left by matt
August 10, 2007 at 10:46am