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OPINION & EDITORIAL

Giuliani’s ego looms large

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Also by Ben Patterson:

What would Jesus do with millions? (November 6, 2007)
University of Wisconsin System hinges on budget allocations (October 9, 2007)
Homeless need to find their bootstraps and pull up (September 25, 2007)
Bush veto puts spotlight on incompetent government (May 4, 2007)
UW to fund discrimination (April 20, 2007)

by Ben Patterson

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The bigger the ego, the better the politician. It may be unfortunate, but it seems true in this day and age. Politics today has a deeper concern with public image than actual accomplishment. Hopeful candidates, on every level, worry far more about the dirt in their histories than the actual goals they hope to accomplish if elected to office. One way to counter the image attacks is to build a faÃ

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Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 9:07am):

Your entire argument is flawed and idiotic. You say we shouldn't elect him because he was simply doing his job. Okay, how many votes have the Senators (of either party) running missed while campaigning? How many hearings and meetings have they missed running around getting media time? It's quite a few, so they haven't even done their jobs, would you argue none of them deserve to be President?

Now, Giuliani's record is much more than just 9/11. The city of New York has a population greater than 39 states. As mayor, Giuliani cut taxes 23 times, no other mayor had cut taxes even once. Giuliani drasically slowed the expanse of government in the city to a rate of less than 3% a year. When he took office nearly 2,000 people a year were killed in NYC. He cleaned up the streets and cut that crime rate by something approaching 66%.

So, yes, we do remember Giuliani for 9/11. I don't think that's a bad thing. He was calm and in control that day and the days following. We needed to see that as Americans, not only from him but President Bush and all our national leaders as well. Look at a person's whole record, not just the carefully selected bits that you want to use to tear him down.

By the way, no one else in the race has a big ego? McCain? Hillary? Obama? Biden? Please, you have to have a large ego to even consider yourself capable of running this country.

Peter Z (March 28, 2007 @ 10:14am):

The absurd "he did what any mayor would have done" argument has no merit whatsoever. We only need see how Mayor Nagin and Gov Blanco reacted to Katrina to see how most politicians behave in a time of crisis - blame , criticze, point fingers, avoid responsibility. It took Bush 4 days to get to Ground Zero in 2001. Giuliani was the very rare exception, not the rule.
Secondly, Giuliani's record as the Mayor of NYC is virtually unassailable. There is in fact not a real, serious criticism of it anywhere on record. I'd like you to quote a source if you think there is.

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 11:35am):

Guiliani is a creep, a liar and a scumbag. The firefighters hate his guts because he ordered ground zero scooped and dumped before they had finished recovering the bodies of their fallen brothers. Why did he want to get rid of that crime scene so fast? Because Guiliani was in on it. There is a reason he insisted his emergency center was in Building 7, which collapsed mysteriously from fires. When all of the smoke clears, Guiliani will fry for his involvement. The thought of him running for President as a hero knowing what the REAL HEROES have said about him is laughable. I hope he runs though. I will be there with a sign at every stop he makes.

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 12:51pm):

"Other than serving two terms as mayor of New York City, Giuliani has no previous political experience."

Haha, nice. As pointed out above, NYC has a population greater than 39 states. So, are you saying that two-term governors of most states do not have impressive political experience? I wonder about GWB, Clinton, Reagan, Carter, and all the other governors...

Oh, and, no other political experience? He was a federal prosecutor in probably the most important district in the nation. What is that worth? Maybe its not an elected office, but its definitely a relevant experience.

I find it amazing that you criticize Giuliani's lack of political experience when he far outweighs all other candidates. Senator Obama? Two years in the senate, plus a couple years in the Illinois state senate. Congrats. Pathetic. Hilary Clinton? Rode the coattails of her husband and has since served six years in the senate. Again, no executive experience to speak of. McCain? Only legislative experience, no executive. Romney? Only four years as governor of a state smaller than NYC.

Please, Ben, come up with a more compelling argument. In terms of sheer executive political experience, Giuliani would win this in a cake walk (just among the top-tier candidates, there might be others not discussed, such as Bill Richardson, that are better qualified than he is.)

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 2:55pm):

What is "political experience?" Does it mean that you've honed your trickery and dishonesty skills? Seriously, the president doesn't need any skills what so ever. The president HIRES the people who know what to do.

The president reallly only has to be a good orator, but 6.5 years has proven that to be only optional.

Dale (March 28, 2007 @ 5:26pm):

The International Association of Fire Fighters doesn't like Giuliani partially because he's a Republican (it is a union after all), but mostly because he called off the search for survivors after 7 days. They would have preferred it gone on indefinitely until every last hair and tooth was found. However, the site was becoming increasingly dangerous to search and after 7 days there was virtually no chance of finding anyone alive. Eager to begin cleaning up the mess, Giuliani called off the search.

It was undoubtably a difficult to call to make, but unless I were a firefighter I wouldn't hold it against him. At some point you have to move on.

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 7:45pm):

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 2:55pm):
What is "political experience?" Does it mean that you've honed your trickery and dishonesty skills? Seriously, the president doesn't need any skills what so ever. The president HIRES the people who know what to do.

- How do you manage to tie your shoes every day?

Anonymous (March 28, 2007 @ 8:29pm):

http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-21556.html

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03182007/news/regionalnews/march_on_rudys_turf_regionalnews_maggie_haberman.htm

I've got more, if necessary

Anonymous (September 14, 2007 @ 1:02pm):

Well, how are all you Giuliani crybabies doing now that he officially is getting kicked off the frontrunner list. Politics is complicated kids, don't try to think about it at home.

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