Of course Giuliani was under no obligation to spend 12-hour days at ground zero like the rescue workers; and of course it's likely that Hillary Clinton didn't spend much more time at ground zero than Giuliani did. But neither of these is relevant to the issue. The point is that GIULIANI CLAIMED to have spent as much time at ground zero as the rescue workers, which is total self-aggrandizing baloney. Clinton made no such claim.

As for the other letters demanding that critics instead provide substantive analysis of Giuliani's terrorism-related performance, this has been done in many venues, especially Barrett's reporting for the Village Voice (widely reported elsewhere). It's perfectly legit to ALSO discuss this aspect of the topic--which, again, Giuliani thrust into the conversation himself.

Someday the election of 2004 will be cited in campaign tutorials for young operatives on how to take a candidate's attributes and turn them into vulnerabilities. The pupils will be amazed to learn that the one candidate that year who DID serve in Viet Nam was the one who had to go on defense about that service.

I'm no fan of Rudy, but similarly the current conversation is incredibly Rovian: pick a perceived strength (as opposed to a perceived weakness) and dismantle it. The engineers of the Swiftboat Campaign would be very proud.

but she was criticized as being unfeeling. But then again she didn't claim that she was one of teh rescue workers either. Since Rudi claims he was, in fact, one of the "boys," I'm wondering if he had to go to Havana to get an inhalator for his rescue worker breathing problems?

To a narcissistic creep like Giuliani, choosing to spend time at ground zero, and choosing to spend time basking in the baseball limelight by association is a no-brainer. Once the photo ops at ground zero started to thin out...what was the point, after all? Getting to rub elbows with athletes when you, yourself are a skeletal wimp, and hang out in front of the press at the big games...well...that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Giuliani doesn't waste time on the things that aren't going to look good in his portfolio.

And he has leveraged his "lucky break" as the mayor of NYC on 9/11 to the hilt. Like George W. Bush, who has actually said "I planted the flag of democracy in Iraq", (not WE)Giuliani sees everything through the prism of his place in the equation. He's used the 9/11 victims, the firefighters and and police as props, just like "W" has used them.

And if Giuliani were ever to get to the White House, we could expect him to continue the use of the troops in the same manner. As props. And the "war on terror" would be the club he used to continue bludgeoning us into fearful submission, like his predecessor. All the while, his company of opportunity would continue to rake in the terror-related big bucks. Can you say Bernie Kerick?

No, Garry...he doesn't deserve a break.

As for president, have you heard him speak? It's "W" all over again in complete lack of cohesive thought. Just the badly articulated words are sometimes bigger. And "cowboy" crap would be replaced with an erudite city slicker facade.

Rudy....as all-American as baseball...and just as arrogant and corrupt.

Get out much? Like to the pharmacy to get your meds?

"...blahblahblah..."

The only thing you wrote that made sense...

Guys reading one readers comment about black men getting shot for no apparent reason reminded me of a documentary i saw on the BBC few years ago,

the documentary spoke of the "new" type of biological weapons developed in the USA, as we all have different genes irrespective of whether you call a black/mexican/italian or whoever born in the USA an american, his genes are NOT anglosaxon!!

Biologically he is NOT the same and them weapons are designed to "eliminate" according to ETHNICITY! one of the scientist that worked/was working on them spoke with his face consealed and said one of the reasons they where developed is that if or when resourses become scarse they can release a weapon like that say in NY n all "undesirables" are eliminated in one stroke no damage to the city at all, and the ethnic group they want to survive will have more resourses to themselfs,

NO THIS IS WHAT I CALL "THE LAND OF THE FREE AND BRAVE"

god bless america! what god to they believe in? the one who "spoke" to bush n told him george i got a mission for you go "liberate" them poor iraqis but george misunderstood his god somewhat and he liberated them of their OIL ALL THE TREASURES FROM THEIR MISEUMS and at least a MILLION OF THEM, destroying their infastructure in the proccess, BUT we the good guys are there to rebuild their country!!! didn't need rebuilding? sure it does now we blew it up!

whoever said fantumentalism is dangerous was right EXCEPT OF COURSE AMERICA'S BIBLE BELT, they murder on their god's orders terrible them muslims we keep murdering them n they haven't the sense to give up, don't they know we'll go on doing so till the "job is done" ( and NO country dares even to say anything they don't want their country also been liberated! they seen us in action in PANAMA AGFANISTA IRAQ (to name just few) and OUR DEPUTY IN PALESTINE N LEBANON job of course will be done when the oil runs dry, unless of course all iraqis are murdered b4 then

boy o boy am i glad bush's god is different from mine, another muzzie? haha dream

Mayor 9/11 spending time with the Yankees was crucial to rebuilding the city's morale and showing the terrorists that we blahblahblah. . . .

>So before you get in your pile remember, if you can what a decrepit joke the city had become.<

Yep, because New York has never, ever had a mayor who brought the city back from the brink without virtual martial law; accelerating the process of making NYC a place where only the rich can live--and black men getting shot for no good reason. As we all know, anything is justified so long as ignorant/fearful white people feel safe--and everyone else pays the price.