The Heroic Image of Giuliani is Not Giuliani

You can read the original post here at NewsAndPolicy.com.

The story of New York's city, of the falling crime rates and the rapid recovery from 9-11 has become Rudi Giuliani's story.

But it's a tale that New Yorkers argue simply isn't true.

Not for 100 years has a city mayor been elected president. Giuliani says his record in New York qualifies him to run the country but may become more of an embarrassment than a selling point.

He calls himself America's mayor and voters everywhere feel a personal connection to the man they think stood up for them and for the whole country on 9-11.

But he wants be a tough guy too. The one whose tough polices and zero tolerance policing slashed crime rates in New York.

Giuliani's campaign revolves around 9-11. He claims that other candidates underestimate the terror threat, that only he will keep America safe.

But, despite many warnings, he did almost nothing to prepare New York for an attack. He admits that on September 11 he didn't know who Al Qaeda was.

At Ground Zero today they are still digging the foundations for the new freedom tower. Before 9-11 the one thing Giuliani had done was to build himself, right next to this site, an emergency command centre

Giuliani spent $60m on the command centre in the World Trade Centre. He installed a humidor for his cigars, monogrammed towels in bathroom, even had private elevator which was handy when he brought his mistress here at the weekends. But he also installed a 600 gallon fuel tank which meant that when burning debris hit the building it went up like a blowtorch.

So Giuliani found himself wandering the streets because he had ignored advice to put his command centre safely underground in Brooklyn. Insisting instead it had to be near City hall.

The World Trade Centre was an obvious terror target. It was also bombed in 1993. Then fire-fighters found their radios didn't work inside the towers.

By 2001 Giuliani had not fixed the problem. So as the towers were collapsing, 121 firemen inside never heard the order to evacuate.

Fire-fighters promise that if Giuliani wins the Republican nomination they will follow his campaign around the country telling their side of the story. [you should really see the firefighter's video]

With his presidential bid so focussed on 9-11 they could do him serious damage.
New York is centre stage in this presidential election. The frontrunners in both parties are based here. So it is New Yorkers that know them best. That may not be to Giuliani's advantage.

Debate '08: Obama Girls vs Giuliani Girls

The "I Got a Crush... on Obama" video was first posted on YouTube in June 2007 featuring a young hottie seductively singing of her love for Senator of Illinois Barack Obama. Actress and model Amber Lee Ettinger lip-synched the song for the video, and Leah Kauffman (the girl behind the "My Box in a Box" video) provided the vocals.

The concept was the brainchild of 32-year-old advertising executive Ben Relles. "I Got A Crush On Obama" was co-written and produced by Rick Friedrich. Thank you Ben!! Now let's see some more... oh there's more, keep reading.


In May, 2007 Ben Relles placed an ad on the online Craigslist, seeking a music video director. The ad was answered by filmmakers Kevin Arbouet and Larry Strong. Filming began later that same day in New York. Arbouet and Strong co-directed and shot the entire video in about six hours, but the whole film project took about two to three weeks to complete.

The video hit YouTube and had over a thousand views within the first five hours of its posting. By the second day of its posting the American news media had taken notice of the video's growing popularity. Relles, Ettinger and Kauffman were featured on many television news programs.



When asked about the video by the Des Moines Register on June 18, 2007, Obama said, "It's just one more example of the fertile imagination of the internet. More stuff like this will be popping up all the time." Oh! COME ON BORAK... you got a hottie like this strutting around, (lip) singing a song to you in Daisy Duke shorts saying that she has a crush on you and that's the best you can do?

Of course Obama's campaign people have stated they had nothing to do with the video's creation. Well Duhhhh, politicians are usually pretty lame when it comes to marketing like this. Kauffman and Ettinger confirmed this during their June 15, 2007 appearance on Fox & Friends, where they said that the video was not made for support of Barack Obama in his campaign but rather for fun. They also expressed interest in making more videos of the same genre for other candidates of other parties as well. And boy have they EVER.. Keep reading and clicking!

The creators of the "I Got a Crush on Obama" sold two shirts and the red shorts used in the video in an eBay auction. One of the shirts garnered $1000. Proceeds from the auction were donated to the Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness. ... I heard they bought a ton of twinkies and Ho-Hos! mmmmmm.... Ho-Hos.

Obama told the Associated Press that the Obama Girl video had upset his daughters and said, "You do wish people would think about what impact their actions have on kids and families." Yeah whatevah...



The new Obama Girl video was released on July 16, 2007. This video featured "Obamagirl" Amber Lee Ettinger (I'm in love with you Amber) and two of her friends, played by Amina Sade and Sena Khoda, debating through the song with a trio of girls, Adelina Kristina, Ashley Beach (granddaughter of Republican Senator James Broyhill and Rebecca DiPietro, supporting Rudy Giuliani. God it's a great vid! Way better than the first one. Check it out, you'll love it.