Rudy Guiliani is in town today for a fundraiser. He stopped by Shapiro's this afternoon. I wish I could have gone, but the e-mail I received inviting me to stop by arrived about three hours before the stop. I had a little more than 24 hours notice on the fundraiser tonight, which the Star says is expected to raise about $250,000 for Guiliani's 2008 GOP presidential campaign. As a Guiliani supporter who blogs a lot, it would have been nice to have been given a little bit more of a heads up on his visit. The Star's Mary Beth Schneider reports:
I know more than a few Republicans in this state who will not be pleased to hear former Mayor Goldsmith is advising Guiliani. Hopefully, Guiliani's folks (hint, hint, Carl) will provide a little more advance notice of any future visits to Indiana than was provided this time.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is in Indianapolis today to raise money from deep-pocketed donors to his presidential campaign -- and to meet some average Hoosiers as well.
Giuliani is holding a $2,300 per person fundraiser this evening, hosted in part by Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, who is the candidate's finance director for Indiana.
Giuliani also is getting help from former Indianapolis Mayor Steve Goldsmith, who is advising him on policy issues. Brizzi said he expects to raise about $250,000 for Giuliani at this evening's fundraising event at Obsidian Enterprises, owned by Tim Durham, another host of the event.
Brizzi said he expects to eventually raise "millions" for Giuliani in Indiana.
But today was also a chance for the candidate to meet people who potentially have something as important to give as money -- their vote.
He went to Shapiro's Deli on the Southside of Indianapolis to sample the corned beef and greet prospective voters. Many of those at the deli knew Giuliani was coming, including Susan Musleh, 47, of Indianapolis, who wore the T-shirt she purchased in New York City about a month after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The shirt has the signatures of New York firefighters, and today Musleh got Giuliani's signature on the back."I love him! I love him!" Musleh enthused.
The former mayor sat at a table with four Indiana National Guard members, who said they had not known he was coming when they decided to go to Shapiro's for lunch.
Sgt. First Class Walter Butt said the former mayor had his support even before they said hello."Absolutely," Butt sid.
"He's got the battle scars. He's battle-proven."Giuliani told reporters there are no front-runners in the field, which also includes Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is being backed by Gov. Mitch Daniels and Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, among others.
But, he said, people should choose him because of his experience. And not, he said, just the 9/11 experience of leading New York City in the days and weeks following the terrorist attacks, but also his experience in reducing crime and welfare.
Many, however, have questioned whether his left-leaning views on some social issues will hurt him in the Republican primaries.
Giuliani's appearance in Indiana is somewhat unusual. In a state that holds its primaries long after Democratic and Republican nominations are settled, visits from presidential candidates are few and far between.
I know more than a few Republicans in this state who will not be pleased to hear former Mayor Goldsmith is advising Guiliani. Hopefully, Guiliani's folks (hint, hint, Carl) will provide a little more advance notice of any future visits to Indiana than was provided this time.
9 comments:
"He's got the battle scars. He's battle-proven." ???
Rudy sat out the Viet Nam War with deferments - now he is quite the hawk on Iraq. A chickenhawk in other words.
Rudy may be good on LGBT, abortion and gun-control issues but he is a total warhawk - an aider and abetter of George W. Bush and his incompetent and incessant wars.
With any luck, Guiliani will figure out Goldsmith and ditch him the same way Bush did after initially inviting him into the inner circle.
MMMMmmmmmm...Shapiro's. Always the place to be seen in this town.
Wilson you are a hypocrite.
Rudy isn't the only one to sit out Viet Nam, you did too.
Gay or not real men served while cowards hid.
Where were you?
Yea right a Colonel said you didn't have to go...BS.
At least Rudy served New York, all you did was run arrends for Carson.
Can it, IndyErnie, with your incessant personal attacks and hijacking threads - your whining get tired after a while! Cluck! Cluck!
Anyways: back on topic:
Rudy Giuliani holds a sharp 55% to 34% lead over Sen. John McCain in a head-to-head face-off for the Republican nomination, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
Tim Durham and Obsidian? Well, looks like Beurt SerVaas has picked Rudy as the horse to bet on for the GOP nomination. I assume that good 'ol Beurt will funnel some money from the offshore bank accounts of Servaas Inc. located in the Isle Of Man to Rudy.
SerVaas put Quayle on the GOP ticket so I'd say Rudy's about half way home right now.
I wonder who else was at the fundraisor?
"Cluck! Cluck!"
Most intelligent remark to ever leave your lips Wilson.
My apologies for the following rant. Rudy's visit struck a nerve.
Aren't Republicans supposed to be the Conservative party? Protectors of the Constitution and gaurdians of liberty? Why would anyone who believes in these premises EVER consider Giuliani a viable candidate?
Here's the side of Giuliani whom the GOP leadership hopes most Americans will forget or ignore:
Anti Second Amendment (anti Constitution).
Anti Family - was having a relationship while still married to his former wife.
Anti Free Speech - approves of "free speech zones" to place concerned citizens outside of the public eye. (anti Constitution)
Anti Sovereignty - approves of granting legal status to millions of foreigners who've been allowed to enter and remain in our country illegally and who would be in favor of current Dem/GOP policies to increase the harmonization of US laws and regulations with the laws of foreign powers such as Mexico - in apparent lock step with Bush and Clinton globalization initiatives. (anti Constitution)
Supports the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act - both redefine certain domestic crimes as potential acts of terror, based upon the determination of law enforcement officials. This leaves American citizens open to the possiblity of searches without warrants and confinement without habeus corpus if officials want to use charges that fall into this category. (anti Constitution)
And most importantly, like Hillary Clinton and George Bush, Giuliani is a strong supporter of the War on Terror - which Cheney has promised will be a 20 - 30 year effort. Permanent war, in other words. Rudy talks incessently about "what if terrorists did this" and "what if terrorists do that" and "because of my experience in these kinds of things, I should be President" etc. That's the same guy who stood behind the announcements by the EPA that Lower Manhattan air quality was safe, when we now know that the findings were untrue and that the White House ordered that the false findings be announced.
Is that the kind of leadership that American Conservatives want? A man who uses fear and "the terror card" to garner attention? A man who can't be faithful in marriage (sound familiar?) and who can't stand up for the preservation of the Constitution and it's promise of liberty? A man who would lie to his constituents and place their health at critical risk in order to comply with the demands of financial interests?
It simply amazes me that ANY American who believes in the Constitution, from ANY political camp, would even consider placing a man like Giuliani in the White House. It's one more reminder to me that most people no longer rely on their own faculties for judgement and determination. They turn to the judgement of the punditry and of the media rather than establishing a solid set of beliefs and weighing a persons character and activities against that foundation.
It's too bad. Maybe if more Americans would do that we'd finally see some candidates who value preserving the Constitution, defending liberty, protecting US citizens etc. But I'm probably living in a pipe dream. People don't think for themselves anymore. They want someone who's speech makes them feel good and they've fallen for the Constitution eliminating belief that we're emerging into a global system. As goes the Constitution, so goes your liberty.
"Mr Giuliani, what about the fact that you support..."
G: "More importantly, what about terrorists bombing our schools and killing our children..."
"Mr Giuliani, what about the concerns of Republicans about your stance on...."
G: "Good question - but more importantly, what will we do if terrorists get a nuke and..."
Here's my summary of Giuliani's speech:
"Welcome to the buffet, America. It looks great and it tastes good so eat up. And we're working on several new recipes for your enjoyment, all at lower prices. Just make sure you don't peek into the kitchen, step on a bathroom scale, or pay too much attention to your paycheck stub. Vote for me and everything's gonna be just fine - I promise."
I have a family and children who deserve better than this. Much better.
I don't know who you are shorebreak but I think I love you.
But do temper one thing, there are lots of republicans AND democrats that have relationships with other people while they are still married. I'm not saying it is right, I'm just saying. You don't have to look to far around our own town for that.
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