Rudy Giuliani became a national hero after Sept. 11 and now the former mayor of New York City is running for president. While he is facing an uphill battle (virtual) Rudy sat down with Impeached Magazine to answer some tough questions. Here is the transcript from that now historic interaction.
Impeached Magazine: Good morning Rudy, thanks for joining us.
(virtual) Rudy: Sure, my pleasure. I am glad I survived 9/11 so I could speak with you.
IM: Um, OK. Well, let's start with some background. Your full name is Rudolph William Louis Giuliani. Why did you shorten it to Rudy?
(v) Rudy: That's a good question. See the terrorists didn't just show up on 9/11 to cause havoc. They have been tormenting me ever since I was a child in Brooklyn. When I was in grade school, I was surrounded by terrorists, all of them yelling at me "Hey Rudolph, why isn't your nose glowing?" I started counteracting the terrorists at an early age and shortened it so they couldn't tease me. The terrorists cannot win!
IM: When you started your political career in the early '70s you were a Democrat. Why the flip-flop?
(v) Rudy: It wasn't a flip-flop. I was a Democrat because I admired JFK. Then when Ronald Reagan was elected I started to realize a few things. First, I saw that the Democratic policies were naive. Plus, I knew only Republicans could stop the 9/11 attacks.
IM: But you didn't stop them, they happened.
(v) Rudy: No, but I was in the right place at the right time. I helped heal the country.
IM: Back to your Democratic days. In 1988, your mother said "He only became a Republican after he started getting all these jobs from them. He's definitely not a conservative Republican."
(v) Rudy: My mother doesn't, nor has she ever known what she is talking about. I am a Republican, as I showed on Sept. 11.
IM: What?
(v) Rudy: You heard me, I am the savior of America. If it weren't for me and how I handled 9/11 the country would have fallen apart.
IM: So that makes you a Republican?
(v) Rudy: Yes. Nine out of every 11 Americans know that.
IM: That's another thing. Critics say you evoke 9/11 too much. You have already mentioned it six times in this interview.
(v) Rudy: Sept. 11 was a big deal. If you don't want to remember it, if you just want to forget about it and let the terrorists win then I
don't want to be
associated with you.IM: OK, so how is the campaign going?
(v) Rudy: Great, I am getting out and meeting survivors of 9/11 from all over the country.
IM: It seems you have been focusing on New York and Florida a lot due to financial restrictions. How are you getting your message out to the rest of the country.
(v) Rudy: That's easy, I am just bringing up Sept--
IM: Without using 9/11, how are you getting your message out?
(v) Rudy: I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.
IM: Nevermind, let's just move on.
(v) Rudy: Ok, by the way, Sept. 11.
IM: Well, what are your positions on the issues? Your running for president so I'm sure people want to know.
(v) Rudy: I want to cut taxes and eliminate some taxes like the Death Tax. I am against a government run health care system and I support techniques like waterboarding. As you know, I have a strong 9/11 platform.
IM: What about immigration?
(v) Rudy: My grandparents where both immigrants, so this issues affects me personally. I believe we need to beef up our borders by considering a fence, but we also need to make the process for immigrants to become legal easier and quicker. Also, 9/11.
IM: Do you get tired of referring to 9/11 so much?
(v) Rudy: No, 9/11.
IM: Stop it!
(v) Rudy: 9/11.
IM: (sigh)
(v) Rudy: Look 9/11 was a major day for me professionally, er I mean for our country. We can't forget it. There haven't been any attacks since, so I must be doing something right.
IM: There haven't been any floods in awhile either. Does that make you the current day Noah for protecting us?
(v) Rudy: Hmmm.... maybe. Wait are the terrorists trying to flood us? I hadn't considered that, I gotta run!
IM: OK, thanks for stopping by.
(v) Rudy: 9/11.
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