The Rudy Giuliani North Carolinians Don’t Know Has Credibility Problems
April 27, 2007
As Rudy Giuliani’s courts voters in North Carolina today, he continues to raise doubts about his credibility as a strong leader. First, after hurling desperate attacks about Democrats' national security credentials, he still has not explained why he did not fully implement a single recommendation made by the fire department official who identified crucial emergency response failures after the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 10/1/06] Giuliani also was criticized for not putting in place "a clear chain of command for police officers and firefighters" prior to 9/11. [Washington Post, 8/17/06]
Second, Rudy Giuliani continues to change his positions on key issues. After changing his position on the federal abortion ban last week, he made a 180-degree turn on civil unions. Yesterday, he expressed his opposition to New Hampshire's civil unions law despite previously signing the law in New York City that established civil unions. [New York Sun, 4/27/07]
"Rudy Giuliani needs to answer for his recent inconsistencies. How can voters trust a man who has not explained why he failed to prepare New York City for a second attack and why he continues to change his position on issues that voters care about?" said DNC Spokesperson Amaya Smith. "Rudy's rhetoric sounds like more of the same misleading leadership we've had to suffer for the past six years."
GIULIANI FAILED TO PREPARE NEW YORK AFTER 1993 WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK
Giuliani Decided to Put Emergency Command Center in Vulnerable World Trade Center. Giuliani who became mayor after the 1993 World Trade Center attacks, according to Wayne Barrett and Dan Collins' Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11, made "the infamous decision to place the city's emergency command center on the 23rd floor of 7 World Trade Center because he didn't want to schlep to a more secure, better-protected Brooklyn location from City Hall. When the planes hit the trade center, OEM's bunker-in-the-clouds was rendered useless, and Giuliani was forced to embark on his dusty journey through lower Manhattan, scattering the city's command structure." [South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), 10/1/06]
Giuliani Failed to Put In A Clear Chain of Command for Emergency Workers. "Giuliani and his top aides did not put in place a clear chain of command for police officers and firefighters." [Washington Post, 8/17/06]
Giuliani Did Not Implement Fire Department Recommendations. Giuliani, according to Wayne Barrett and Dan Collins' Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11, "failed to fully implement a single recommendation made by the fire department official who identified crucial emergency response failures after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Nor did he seriously attempt to address the issue of inter-operability between police and fire department radios until late in his term." [South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), 10/1/06]
GIULIANI DOES A 180-DEGREE TURN ON CIVIL UNIONS
Now Giuliani Opposes Civil Union Law. Responding to the passage of New Hampshire's civil union law, the Giuliani campaign said "This goes too far and Mayor Giuliani does not support it." [New York Sun, 4/27/07, http://www.nysunpolitics.com/article/30]
Giuliani's Position Is A Startling Flip-Flop. "In a startling departure from his previously stated position on civil unions, Mayor Giuliani came out to The New York Sun yesterday evening in opposition to the civil union law just passed by the New Hampshire state Senate." [New York Sun, 4/27/07, http://www.nysunpolitics.com/article/30 ]
Before: Giuliani Said Civil Unions Are The Right Answer And Touted That He Signed Two Civil Union Laws. Giuliani said, "I signed the law in New York City that created civil unions and I signed the second one that strengthened it, because I believe that we shouldn't discriminate against gays and lesbians. People have views of conscience, religion about this. We should respect all of them, but we shouldn't discriminate against people, and I think that's the right answer." [Meet the Press, 8/29/04]
Giuliani Lived with Openly Gay Couple During Marital Spat And Said He Would Marry Them If Gay Marriages Were Legalized. "Howard Koeppel, half of the gay couple that Giuliani lived with during his marital spat, said [Giuliani told] us that if they ever legalized gay marriages, we would be the first one he would do." [New York Times, 8/04/01]
