Posted on 09/28/2006 7:45:46 AM PDT by veronica
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani characterized Bill and Hillary Clinton's recent criticism of President Bush's efforts to stop Osama bin Laden before 9/11 as a "mistake" and said it's time to "stop this blame thing" over who is responsible for the September 11 attacks.
"I think the comparison is the mistake," Giuliani told NewsMax and other media during a luncheon Wednesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., while on a campaign stop for Congressman Clay Shaw, R-Fla., who is seeking re-election.
"I don't think the Clinton people should be saying somehow it's more President Bush's responsibility," Giuliani said when asked about Hillary's recent statements about Sept. 11.
On Monday, Sen. Clinton said she defended her husband's outburst on Fox News over criticism he has received for his handling of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.
"I'm certain that if my husband and his national security team had been shown a classified report entitled ‘Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States,'" Sen. Clinton said, "he would have taken it more seriously than history suggests it was taken by our current president and his national security team."
The remark was a direct swipe at President Bush, because in August of 2001 he was given such a report prepared by the CIA. The CIA report, however, never indicated how al-Qaida might strike U.S. targets.
"I know President Bush doesn't say that about President Clinton," said Giuliani. "I think the reality is that any American president, if they had known about an attack, would have done everything they could to stop it."
The real fault for 9/11, Giuliani says, lies squarely with the Islamic terrorists. He added, "I think we should stop trying to blame our presidents for 9/11."
Frequently mentioned as a potential Republican candidate for president in 2008, Giuliani characterized the latest war of words over who is responsible for 9/11 as a distraction. "We should stop this blame thing," he said. "There's no blame to be cast on President Bush or President Clinton."
Giuliani added that he thinks we should stop getting distracted by trying to figure out what American is responsible for the terrorist attacks, saying "Americans didn't do Sept. 11, the Islamic terrorists did."
In his remarks during the campaign stop, Giuliani credited President Bush's aggressive anti-terror policy for the fact the U.S. has not been attacked since 9/11.
"The reality is, thank God, we haven't been attacked in five years," Giuliani said. "None of us thought that was possible. We all thought that after 9/11 we would be attacked. I personally thought many times."
Were you listening to Glenn Beck this morning? He did a 10 minute rant on exactly this issue. We have become so super-partisan (on BOTH sides) that someone like Rudy Giuliani almost has no chance. The left-wing moonbats will say he's W with a New York accent, and the right-wing moonbats will say he's Slick Willie with a New York accent.
It's no wonder that we have such a bunch of doofuses running things in Washington. The inmates are running the political party asylums!
I appreciate all that he did for NYC. I was able to go to Yankee Stadium again because of him.
BUT.
He has not the conservative legs to run in a national election. His views are too far to the left for me and for most conservatives..
I would vote for him for Senator from NY. he would be a definite improvement. I would not vote for him for either POTUS or Governor of NY.
Good for you - while you probably won't vote for Rudy - you are will to give credit - where credit it do.
That's the way we should all act.
"I'm certain that if my husband and his national security team had been shown a classified report entitled ‘Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States,'" Sen. Clinton said, "he would have taken it more seriously..."
I guess that pesky little attack on WTC during Clinton's administration didn't tip him off. A memo would've been taken seriously, but not an ACTUAL "attack inside the United States."
I fully expect at least a serious attempted attack before the November election because the demos will take it and run with it - you know, that the Republican policy cannot protect us after all. And who do you think the terrorists want to win this election? The Cut and Run bunch, of course. So I really do think they will do something on the order of the pre-election Spain attack.
I'm tired of politicians talking to each other through the press.
G didn't talk to HilRod at all. He talked to a reporter.
Lieberman supports the war.
What is the moral position on the Iraq war anyway?
Hell, "W" has Liberal tendencies at times.
On many issues, he is a liberal.
Rudy is a liberal, anyone who votes for him deserves liberal government. Oh, and BTW, abortion is murder.
Which days are those? The ones where they take the lead on abortion? The ones where they take the lead on Gay marriage? The ones where they take the lead on higher taxes? The ones where they take the lead on total control of what foods can be served in your resturant?
Liberals suck, whether they are Republican or Democrat.
Very perceptive. He connects on a gut level with those of us who feel the future of our great country is at risk.
I agree, I felt the same way about GWB when I first started to look at him as a possible in 1998. I have the same feeling about Rudy, it is gut level. I am more aware of Rudy in fact then I was of GWB.
Please don't post self protraits they don't flatter you.
The minute I saw GWB I felt he was destined to be president; I feel the same about Rudy.
AMEN!
I know exactly what you mean.
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