America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, was surrounded by two dozen prominent supporters, including state Attorney General Bill McCollum Giuliani's Florida campaign chairman, Congressman C.W. Bill Young, Congresswoman Ginnie Browne-Waite and Tampa Bay area politicians
ST PETERSBURG - Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani made a campaign stop in St. Petersburg April 4. With Pinellas County and Tampa Bay area Republicans backing him on stage at St Petersburg High School, Giuliani listed his ideas for solutions to some of the nation's most pressing issues. Two of these happen to be star points in his resume - terror and improving the economy. The former Associate Attorney General during the Reagan administration and New York City (NYC) mayor said concerning terrorists and September 11, 2001, "Here's what I learned from it: From now on the way we keep ourselves safe is by being on offense against them, rather than waiting for them to attack."
"We put ourselves in jeopardy when we play defense." Giuliani explained that up until 9/11 we were giving small responses to a big problem. Referring to the Democrat's withdrawal plans for the military in Iraq and Afghanistan he said, "Being on offense means not announcing your retreat, waving the white flag and giving them the schedule of surrender…Being on offense means the Patriot Act. Being on offense means electronic surveillance…legal, but it has to happen. Being on offense means interrogation… legal, humane, certainly not torture, but tough and powerful and strong."
On the economy and upholding republican beliefs of fiscal discipline, restraint on spending and lowering taxes Giuliani bragged, "I have the best record of any Republican in the race." He joked, "I certainly have the best record of any Democrat in this race. But I have the best record of any Republican in this race for doing all of those things because I did it. And I did it in a place where it was harder to do it in than Washington D.C. and that's in New York City."
As mayor of NYC for two terms, Giuliani controlled spending and cut wasteful government programs, eventually turning a $2.3 billion deficit into a multibillion surplus. He cut crime in half and reduced murders by two thirds prompting the FBI to proclaim NYC the safest large city in America.
