FDNY pissed at ex-Mayor

[Guest]

NEW YORK (AFP) - A major US firefighters' union has launched a scathing attack on former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's leadership after the September 11 attacks, urging its members to oppose his bid for the presidency.

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In a video released Wednesday by the International Association of Fire Fighters, colleagues and relatives of New York firefighters who died in the September 11, 2001 attacks accuse Giuliani of exploiting the tragedy in his campaign for the White House.

"Whenever I hear him talk, I want to scream out to the world and say, God, he is so full of it'," says Rosaleen Tallon in the video, the sister of one of the firefighters who died in the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Titled "Rudy Giuliani: Urban Legend," the video alleges that Giuliani failed as mayor to ensure firefighters had working radios, that he based his emergency headquarters too close to the World Trade Center site and that he moved too quickly to start cleaning up the area when efforts to recover the remains of the dead were still underway.

The video targets the heart of Giuliani's campaign theme that attempts to portray him as having shown impressive leadership at a trying time and that he is well-suited to lead the country against future terror threats.

Giuliani's campaign vehemently denounced the union's allegations, with two former firefighters coming to his defense.

Lee Ielpi, a retired firefighter whose son died in the September 11 attacks, dismissed the charges as "nonsense" and the video as "disgraceful," US media reported.

But in the video, a deputy fire chief whose son also died in the attacks, says the former mayor bears responsibility for flawed radio equipment that meant some firefighters did not hear an order to evacuate the World Trade Center before it collapsed.

"Virtually the whole thing goes back to him with the radios. He's the guy on the top, and he's the guy you yell at," says Jim Riches. "He takes the hit. And my son died because of it."

Captain Peter Gorman adds: "That's what firefighters should remember about Rudy Giuliani. He gave us nothing when we needed a life-saving radio."

The 13-minute, emotionally-charged video, which contains allegations the union has previously levelled at the former mayor, was addressed to the union's membership but was released over the Internet and posted on the popular YouTube website.

Giuliani's campaign said the union was clearly partisan and had endorsed Democratic candidates in the past, including Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts who ran and lost in the 2004 presidential vote.

Giuliani is considered a top contender for the Republican nomination in the 2008 race with strong results in opinion polls and fundraising.

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[JBE 328]

Who didn't see this one coming?? Giuliani stepped on a lot of toes during his tenure as mayor. It wasn't just the radios, although that is going to be the biggest thing they will go after him about.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Who cares, when push comes to shove you won't see him get very far in the races.

I'd like the see Mike Bloomberg run. That guy would make a great president.

[Future Fireman 4]

I'd like the see Mike Bloomberg run. That guy would make a great president.

I hope that's sarcasism. I don't want flip-flop Romney as we call him, to get in the Oval Office either.

Time to bring in the Democrats!

Mike

Edited July 12, 2007 by Future Fireman

[Guest WolfEMT]

How do you spell politician? L-I-A-R.

Giuliani just happened to be mayor on the Day; he did nothing heroic, contrary to what he'd like you to believe. And while Christie Whitman is getting heat for her role in saying the air was OK (and rightfully so), this lowlife should also take some blame. Giuliani Associates made money hand-over-fist after 9/11, but has done nothing to help the victims' families, nor has it done anything to assist the survivors who are now suffering from the long-range health effects. The mere notion that he is running on the platform of being "America's Mayor" has it's roots in 9/11 and is an inconscionable disgrace.

[Goose 188]

Just checked the UFA website - as a side bar, they are taking the same position.

http://ufalocal94.org/pdf/nypost_07_01_07.gif

Edited July 13, 2007 by Goose

[IzzyEng4 427]

Doesn't change my vote. I'm still voting for Bill the Cat as president, Opus as vice-president and Mickey Mouse as Sec of State.

[RescueKujo 130]

Doesn't change my vote. I'm still voting for Bill the Cat as president, Opus as vice-president and Mickey Mouse as Sec of State.

Now, that's my kind of ticket

[Stepjam 118]

Now, that's my kind of ticket

ACK !!!!

Since we're on the subject of cartoon characters.....does anyone else think Rudy talks like Sylvester the cat?

Edited July 13, 2007 by Stepjam

[M' Ave 1,466]

I hope that's sarcasism. I don't want flip-flop Romney as we call him, to get in the Oval Office either.

Time to bring in the Democrats!

Mike

Nope, not kidding. Sure, he's got some draw backs and he hasn't been the MOST F.D. friendly guy, but he has many positive attributes. He's incredibly bright. He can manage money (clearly). He pulled NYC out of serious debt in short order and cleared up the mess left by the previous administration.

He's fiscally conservative while being socially liberal and he is also not very political because he doesn't need very much support in terms of campaign funds.

Anyone who can put together a BILLION dollar fortune on thier own is okay in my book.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Anyone who can put together a BILLION dollar fortune on thier own is okay in my book.

Maybe that's what he did, but in doing so, he's lost touch with the "Average Joe's" who make up the citizenry of the City of New York, and that's why there's thousands of people leaving the City each year. The man is nothing more than the real-life incarnation of Scrooge.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Maybe that's what he did, but in doing so, he's lost touch with the "Average Joe's" who make up the citizenry of the City of New York, and that's why there's thousands of people leaving the City each year. The man is nothing more than the real-life incarnation of Scrooge.

Thousands of people are leaving the city each year because of Bloomberg?

I hope THAT was a joke. The realestate prices are climbing ever higher. There are more people who want to move to New York than the city can handle. The population hasn't declined ONE BIT in recent history. The economy is surging despite the rest of the country and there is a budget surplus that is all lined up to smooth out the shortfalls to come in the future.

As for loosing touch with the average Joe; what do you want? He's not supposed to be your average Joe. He should be better. Yet, he still rides the subway to work almost everyday. He also revolutionized city gov't offices. Do you know that he sits in a cubicle like everyone else in his office? He wants to be on the level with everyone so that no one is affraid to approach him.

[fire2141 33]

I believe Rudy helped clean up the city and that is commendable. I think he was rotten to the core when dealing, or should i say not dealing with the labor unions. I think his inability to deal with the unions caused the radio problems along with a multitude of other issues that contributed to many of the first responder deaths and injuries. You have no idea how the buracracy bogs the city down. The first mayor that is able to cut through all of it will be a heroe in my eyes. In my 16 years of employment with the city, I have not seen any mayor able to topple the buracracy. Look at the current Fire Commisioner Nicolas Scoppetta former Commisioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). I'm thinking his former post doesn't give him a ringing endorcement for his current position. It's all politics and it all stinks to high hell. Perhaps a better pick would have been a former bat chief or some other high ranking fire official.

[Future Fireman 4]

Anyone who can put together a BILLION dollar fortune on thier own is okay in my book.

Sorry, but when he comes up with a billion dollars on his own, and starts to be arrogant and forget where he came from is NOT ok.

Thousands of people are leaving the city each year because of Bloomberg?

Now THAT is a joke!

Mike

[JBE 328]

Yes, Bloomberg can manage money, but the costs that were cut don't necessarily benefit the average person. He is totally out of touch with his constituency. He is not labor friendly.

PS, as far as Rudy and the radios are concerned, one of the lessons learned from the first WTC attack in 1993 was those radios were to be replaced. And 8 plus years later they weren't. The replacements weren't properly tested, and pulled out of the field not too long before the 11th.

[Guest]

Don't be misguided by his subway riding. It has been well documented that he does not ride from the subway station closed to his residence. He is driven several blocks away to a station more to his liking where he then gets on for the short ride to work.

[mfc2257 464]

All you cry-baby's can vote for whomever you want in the next election. I would suggest however that you look beyond the simple "he's the guy in charge... he's to blame attitude.

If you'd like to continue on that agenda... let's look at it this way; NYC has had a Democrat mayor in office for the entire 20th century (actually most of the 19th century too) with the exception of Fiorello LaGuardia ('34-'45 strangely enough a war period), John Lindsay (strangely elected as a republican during Vietnam, turned democrat in '70 for re-election when war times got tough) and Rudy (a semi liberal Republican who was loved after the September 11th attacks.) Lets elect a liberal now and f-ck it all up again.

Why didn't anyone oust the democrats in the '60's, 70's, and 80's when NYC was a filthy ("The Bronx is Burning") crime ridden dump. During what era do you think Tonka Truck (TL-124 got its name... How about "Fire Factory").. How come no one was calling for Democrat heads then... Yawn!

Why is it that everyone is crapping on Rudy and Bloomberg (two historic liberals who happened to move a little to the right) who happened to lead NYC through some of the most prosperic times EVEN in light of the September 11th attacks.

I'm not hearing any blame going toward FD brass that was in place on 9/11 about the radio problems. (which I'm not debating that the problems existed)

So the union can say it was Rudy's fault.... But at the end of the day, was it really his fault. A lot of times unions bark and their members are supposed to respond. But all too often, their members are following the sheep's rear end in front of them without looking up.

Before 9/11 how much had the FD and the union fought with the mayor over radios.

Edited August 7, 2007 by mfc2257