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The truth of Giuliani’s record on terrorism
A couple of weeks ago, I linked Wayne Barrett’s article in the August 7 Village Voice, “Rudy Giuliani’s Five Big Lies About 9/11.” At the time, I simply quoted Barrett’s opening snapshot of Giuliani, because it filled out my own picture of Giuliani’s vulgar, self-aggrandizing, post-9-11 persona. But I didn’t read the article itself until tonight (spurred by a reader’s question to me about the piece plus Ramesh Ponnuru’s surprising endorsement of it). It is an amazing piece of journalism. Barrett looks at Giuliani’s grandstanding claims that he was a leader in the war on terror avant la lettre, and he demonstrates their total, bald-faced falsity. Not only did Giuliani not lead the way in preparing New York City against the terrorist threat, he ignored it. Of course, Barrett writes for the left-wing Village Voice which has always hated Giuliani. But his findings are presented in a factual, cogent manner, they fit the previously known facts, and they make sense. This is one of the most damaging exposes I have ever read of a U.S. politician. It’s a long article, but be sure to read at least the first three Big Lies. You will never see Giuliani the same again.
Up to now, my criticisms of Giuliani have focused on his immigration position, his personal conduct, and the harm to the nation’s and particularly to Republicans’ and conservatives’ sense of morality if a man with his disgraceful personal history became president. But Giuliani’s record on terrorism, and his shameless lies about that record, show him to be far worse than I had realized. Email entry |