Letters to the Editor

After 9/11, Rudy wasn't a rescue worker -- he was a Yankee Giuliani said he spent as much time at ground zero as many rescue workers. Where was he really? Much of the time, at baseball games. By Alex Koppelman [2007-08-18]

• Ho-hum

  This is effective as an initial statistic ("Giuliani spent more hours at Yankees games than at Ground Zero"). But I think its length and the detailed tabulations make the point seem petty. If the Yankees are this guy's principal hobby, who cares? You want these people not to be human?

  In any event, while I'm sure he's both a longstanding Yankees fan AND a huge blowhard regarding his 9/11 heroics, there are plenty of great moments in sports where games take on added significance because of the historical context around them -- the first one that comes to mind is the New Orleans Saints' home opener in the Superdome on Monday Night Football last year. That kind of moment can be a real morale boost for a city that has undergone some trauma. Was the Yankees' 2001 playoff run an example of that? I couldn't tell you -- I'm not a New Yorker. But I wouldn't blame a mayor for wanting to be there for that -- both for his own reasons and as the primary cheerleader for the city.

  I'd rather see a more substantive review of his post-9/11 performance (e.g. "Giuliani spent more time talking about his time at Ground Zero than actually formulating or implementing anti-terrorism strategies"). I'm sure there's plenty of fodder there. I don't care what a public official does in his leisure time as long as he works long hours fixing the problems of the community he governs. This article doesn't tell us much about Rudy's work ethic or leadership.

  -- AC76
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  Permalink Flag Friday, August 17, 2007 11:33 PM
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