2,603 lives were lost at the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Some lived here in the Lehigh Valley.Just two blocks away from the South Tower, NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani had just lost some close friends. Yet he walked two miles until he could find a phone that worked and called the media to urge calm. In the days that followed, he was an oasis of trust in a desert of uncertainty. On 9/12, there was garbage pickup. On 9/13, city paychecks were issued. In a little over a week, the stock market was back in action.
He reassured us. He also consoled us, attending as many as five funerals in a single day.
This is the man who came to the LV on Friday to urge support for Charlie Dent and John McCain. While he was here, talking about the importance of this area and Pennsylvania, the Bennett campaign issued a mean-spirited news release that slams Giuliani's 9/11 leadership and the significance of that sad day.
ALLENTOWN – Months after Republican incumbent Charles Dent backed one of the most embarrassing campaigns in Presidential primary history, he has called on former Mayor Rudy Giuliani to bring his political acumen to the 15th District.
“While Republican Congressman Dent is in Washington playing political catch up on a rescue plan, Giuliani’s law firm is advising corporate clients on how to profit from it,” says Gary Ritterstein, Bennett Communications Director. “It’s pretty telling that the biggest draw that Dent could get is a former Republican candidate that couldn’t even win one primary in all 50 states. The Lehigh Valley voters want more than just ‘a noun, a verb, and 9-11.’”
During the 2008 Republican Convention, the only concern Giuliani mentioned about Democrats was that they didn’t mention the September 11th attacks enough. Since that point, his law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, formed a corporate task force to help “financial institutions, private investment funds, and institutional investors” take advantage of new legislation.
Ritterstein must not know this, but 9/11 was a terrible day here in the Lehigh Valley. Many of us were directly affected. The Bennett camp's needless snark at this tragedy is in very poor taste. I complained, but Ritterstein refuses to speak to me on the record.
Actually, I'm not looking for a comment from him. I'm looking for one from Sam Bennett, condemning his divisive remarks.
Condemning what exactly? A joke play on words Joe Biden used in the Democratic primary debate? I', completely missing the outrageousness of the comment.
ReplyDeleteA joke play?
ReplyDeleteListen, you're obviously not from around here, but that remark was inappropriate. It needlessly brought up a subject that Giuliani himself said nothing about, and minimized both that event and Giuliani's leadership.
I even cringed when Biden mentioned it during the primary. It might have been appropriate during a primary contest in which Giuliani was a candidate, but it is highly inappropriate here and at this time. It makes light of 9/11.
Actually it makes light of Giuliani's campaign, not 9/11.
ReplyDeleteI guess you agree with Bush/Cheney that if you question the war in a democracy you give aid and comfort to the enenmy.
Many, many people have suffered not only collectively but personally from the terrible tragedy of 9/11. Rudy demenaed it with his campaign and continues to pat himself on the back for doing his job.
Sorry, on this one its not a snark but an accurate account.
Following the Bennett camp's logic, I guess it’s pretty telling that the biggest VP draw that the Obama could get is a former Democratic candidate that couldn’t even win one primary in all 50 states.
ReplyDelete"Actually it makes light of Giuliani's campaign, not 9/11."
ReplyDeleteWhen Biden said it, there was a Giuliania campaign. now there is not. The remark is in bad taste and makes light of 9/11.
An anonymous personal attack, posted at 7:31 by a "breathtaking" person, is deleted.
ReplyDeleteChuck didn't need to go this route with Rudy. He's got this thing sewn up and there is no reason to bring the former mayor of NYC to the Valley. I'm very conflicted about Rudy but not about Charlie. Let's move on to the issues.
ReplyDeleteDave, Let's say you're running for Congress and Rudy Giuliani offers to swing by and urge people to vote for you. Do you say, "Thanks, but no thanks. I have this thing sewn up"?
ReplyDeleteBut my point is about the mean-spirited news release from the Bennett camp. Giuliani is not running for anything right now. As it happens, he did not mention 9/11 when he was here. That news release really made light of a national tragedy.
They asked..he offered..does it really matter? Dent can fly on his own here! He doesn't need high profile politicos stumping for him. If he can't beat Sam on his own..we're in really big trouble!
ReplyDeleteDid Ms. Bennett's press release mention anything about what she plans to do if elected U.S. Representative?
ReplyDeleteRudy uses the 3,000 dead to advance every campaing ad statement he runs and makes.
ReplyDeleteLook at Rudy's speech before Caribou Barbie spoke at the GO Convention. 9-11 was spewed like a fire hydrant on a hot summer afternoon. And no one in that crowd was prepared to take cover like the audience for a Gallager show.
If your running for a office and your a repub these are the folks you DO NOT WANT stumping for you these days
1. W. Bush
2. Dick Chaney
3. Donald Rumsfeld
4. Rudy Guilianni
5. Fred Thompson
If I was Dent I would maybe try for more help from Spector.
and again this is what the Union that represents the REAL heros of 9-11 had to say when he was "running" for President. (By blowing off the first 4 states)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCYEEO-58I
Spike, I like the term "Caribou Barbie" hadn't heard that!
ReplyDelete"again this is what the Union that represents the REAL heros of 9-11 had to say when he was "running" for President"
ReplyDeleteA city union that hates the mayor. There's a shocker.
I think your blind loyalty to Dent is getting in the way of your critical faculties. Anyone who isn't disgusted by RG's use of 911 for politcal opportunism is blind.
ReplyDeleteRudy Guilianni was excellent at Lehigh Country Club on Friday and so was Charlie Dent!
ReplyDelete"I think your blind loyalty to Dent is getting in the way of your critical faculties. Anyone who isn't disgusted by RG's use of 911 for politcal opportunism is blind."
ReplyDeleteReally? The only people who mentioned 9/11 on Friday were the people in Bennett's camp. I agree about the opportunism, but it was actually coming from Bennett's campaign in a poorly written news release that just viciously attacked someone because he has an R behind his name.
Johnny Hackie
ReplyDeleteBorat Hussein O'Belchki
Rudy The Doodie
Helicopter Sarah Kill-een
are just a few of our favorite 'things'.