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Posted: August 29, 2007 4:35 PM
Giuliani to Speak at 9/11 Anniversary
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Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks during the city’s commemoration ceremony with the support of current Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to the New York Post.

Giuliani, who was mayor at the time of the attacks and has built his campaign around his leadership image, has appeared at the previous five ceremonies. But this year, his participation has met opposition from the families of some of the attack’s victims, saying he’s using this year’s appearance for political gain.

“He’s cashing in on 9/11 like it’s his own personal tragedy. It’s a photo op on a campaign swing for him,” said Jimmy Riches, a deputy fire chief whose son was among the 343 firefighters killed, according to the Associated Press.

Tony Carbonetti, Giuliani’s senior political adviser said: “If you know Rudy Giuliani, he’d be down there paying his respects whether he was invited or not. This is something that happened to him as a person, as a New Yorker, as a mayor and as an American. To say he’s politicizing it — he never would do anything like that.”

On Wednesday, the campaign announced its “First Responders for Rudy” team with former New York City Fire and Police Commissioner Howard Safir as chairman.

To commemorate the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Wednesday, Giuliani said: “On this anniversary, Americans come together to remember all those who lost their lives, suffered or were affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. We must now use the lessons learned to ensure we are better prepared in the future. By building on the courage and skills of all our citizens, America will become a stronger, more resilient nation.”

On the campaign trail this week, Giuliani focused on his commitment to “lower taxes and reform the tax code.” He appeared at a tax forum alongside Steve Forbes at a forum in Manchester, N.H., where he committed to making President Bush’s tax cuts, child tax credit and marriage penalty relief permanent, “giving the death tax the death penalty,” and scaling back the alternative minimum tax. He continued the tax tour at stops in Stratham, Seabrook Beach and Portsmouth.

James Pethokoukis, the assistant managing editor for U.S. News & World Report’s Money & Business section, gave a recap and analysis of the former mayor’s proposals.

Giuliani’s campaign announced a group of business leaders in New Hampshire, Florida and California.

Last week Giuliani’s campaign formed a media team made up of stars from past Republican elections: Scott Howell and Company, Chris Mottola and Associates, BrabenderCox and Crossroads Media with Heath Thompson of Scott Howell and Company as the team’s creative lead.

Scott Howell and Company produced the infamous Harold, call me ad that ran in Tennessee before the 2006 Senate race featuring an actress who said she met the Democratic candidate Harold Ford at a Playboy party. Howell also worked on controversial ads for President Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign.