Mr. 9/11

Boy, nothing gets by the NYP, does it?
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11192007/news/regionalnews/giuliani_playing__9_11_card_702998.htm

Question -- does this sudden flash of insight on the part of Mr. Murdoch's struggling little tab constitute a dog-whistle signal to Rudy, Bernie, Ms. Regan or all of them?

 

Here is my favorite part:

I had to scan back up to the lede to learn, with surprise, that it was written today. Color me shocked. I can only surmise that Carl Campanile was either living under a rock since the actual date of 9/11/01 or was in a coma since the actual date of 9/11/01.

 

Let's try and keep in mind the actual day of Tuesday September 11, 2001 and remember that while George W. Bush was out of his mind and Dick Cheney was out of sight, that the only official who showed any real courage and talent was Rudy. No one knew whether the planes hitting the Towers was the first of numerous attacks in NYC that day, but he showed character under true fire. While that may not be the sole qualification for office, he and McCain are the only candidates to actually be tested by serious threats and responded, without scripts, polls and analysts. I can only imagine Senator Clinton blaming Al Queda for picking on her because she's a woman or it's part of some right wing conspiracy.

For all Rudy's faults he has a resume of accomplishments. Some may not like his methods, politics or personality, but he did make NYC the most vibrant and relevant city in America and make into a place where people want to go, not flee. He took the city the Dinkins couldn't lead and changed it into a success. He prosecuted real criminals and Marc Rich as a US Attorney.

Obama, Edwards and Clinton are/were neophyte Senators with no real substantive accomplishments. It's a shame that the truly accomplished Democrats, Richardson, Dodd and Biden, are getting no air time while those who have done done nothing but play to the cameras are getting all the ink and face time.

Maybe the Post can give equal space to Obama's, Clinton's and Edwards' accomplishments? But then again, newspapers don't generally print empty pages like the visual media presents dead air.

 

What exactly are they supposed to be running on if not their relevant job experience. I can understand that many candidates don't have any, but those that do...

 

The problem with Rudy is that he's a dangerously loco authoritarian crazy-ass at a time when the Executive branch has been hyperinflated to the point where giving a dangerously loco crazy-ass is about the worst thing we could do as a nation.
As for 9/11 and his record in NYC, well, opinions differ. (Wayne Barrett has done some great work dismantling the myths that stands, as far as I know, unrefuted by Rudy and his FNC bootlickers.) He screwed up placing the disaster center where he did. He never listened to the firefighters about the radios. He gave a couple of speeches. If he wants to run on his record, let him run on the truth of it, and on the entirety of it.

 

Guy, what experience is that?

 

Hiring Bernie Kerik to run Homeland Security, I guess.

 

Pardoning Marc Rich was OK with Hillary, apparently. Not voting against Michael B. Mukasey was Hillary's idea, too. Besides, what standards can the American people use to judge Senators Clinton, Edwards and Obama?

And some folks may not like Rudy's approach to governing New York City, but that's a far from majority view.

 

Abbott, did you vote for Kerry last time? He showed a lot more courage than Bush did.
He has five medals. Even if the Swiftboat liars were telling the truth, he still served, while Bush had daddy pull strings to get in him the guard and STILL didn't fulfill his commitment.
Oh, it's about more than just their record under fire, huh? I see.

 

The president's pardoning power is absolute -- which is why Scooter Libby is now as free as is Marc Rich, Scooter's former client.
Rudy's cowboy cops shot enough black people to suit you, 'yab? Fine. It's just not a good template for a national government.

 

Abner Louima, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond .... and countless thousands

 

Except in New York City.