FDCH E-Media, Inc.  Monday, August 30, 2004; 11:43 PM

The following are remarks by The Honorable Rudy Giuliani, former mayor
of the City of New York, at the 2004 Republican National Convention:

GIULIANI: Thank you. Welcome to the capital of the world.


New York was the first capital of our great nation. It was here in 1789,
in lower Manhattan, that George Washington took the oath of office as
the first president of the United States.

And it was here in 2001, in the same lower Manhattan, that President
George W. Bush stood amid the fallen towers of the World Trade Center,
and he said to the barbaric terrorists who attacked us, "They will hear
from us."


Well, they heard from us.


They heard from us in Afghanistan, and we removed the Taliban.

GIULIANI: They heard from us...


They heard from us in Iraq, and we ended Saddam Hussein's reign of terror.


And we put him where he belongs, in jail.


They heard from us in Libya, and without firing a shot Gadhafi abandoned
his weapons of mass destruction.


They are hearing from us in nations that are now more reluctant to
sponsor terrorists or terrorism.

So long -- so long as George Bush is our president, is there any doubt
they will continue to hear from us ...


... until we defeat global terrorism?

We owe that much and more to the loved ones and heroes that we lost on
September 11th.


GIULIANI: The families of some of those we lost on September 11th are here
with us. To them, and to all those families affected by September 11th, we
recognize the sacrifices your loved ones made. We recognize the sacrifices
that you're making. You are in our prayers, and we are in your debt.


This is the first Republican convention ever held here in New York City.


I've never seen so many Republicans in New York City. It's great.


I finally feel at home.


And you know something? Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, all of you that
worked so hard in bringing this convention to New York, our president and
the party that decided they'd have it here, above and beyond everything
else, it's a statement, it's a strong statement that New York City and
America are open for business and we are stronger than ever.


GIULIANI: New York. New York. New York.

AUDIENCE: New York. New York. New York.


GIULIANI: This is getting to be like a Yankee game. I don't know. Watch
out.

(LAUGHTER)

You know, we're just not going to let the terrorists determine where we
have political conventions, where we go, how we travel. We're Americans,
the land of the free and the home of the brave.


AUDIENCE: USA. USA. USA.

GIULIANI: From the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, to
President George W. Bush, our party's great contribution is to expand
freedom in our own land and all over the world.

And our party is at its best when we make certain that we have a powerful
national defense in a still very, very dangerous world.

I don't believe that we're right about everything, and Democrats are
wrong. They're wrong about most things.

(LAUGHTER)

But seriously, neither party has a monopoly on virtue.

GIULIANI: We don't have all the right ideas. They don't have all the
wrong ideas.

But I do believe there are times in history when our ideas are more
necessary and more important and critical, and this is one of those
times when we are facing war and danger.


There are times when leadership is the most important.

On September 11, this city and our nation faced the worst attack in our
history. On that day, we had to confront reality.

For me, when I arrived there and I stood below the north tower and I
looked up, and seeing the flames of hell emanating from those buildings,
and realizing that what I was actually seeing was a human being on the
101st, 102nd floor that was jumping out of the building, I stood there,
it probably took five or six seconds, it seemed to me that it took 20
or 30 minutes, and I was stunned.

And I realized, in that moment, in that instant, I realized we were
facing something that we have never, ever faced before.

GIULIANI: We had never been confronted with anything like this before.
We had to concentrate all of our energy and our faith and our hope to
get through those first hours and days. And we needed all the help that
we could get and all the support that we could get.

And I will always remember that moment as we escaped the building that
we were trapped in at 75 Barclay Street, and I realized that things
outside might actually be worse than inside the building.

We did the best we could to communicate a message of calm and hope,
as we stood on the pavement watching a cloud come through the cavernous
streets of lower Manhattan.

Our people were so brave in their response.


At the time, we believed that we would be attacked many more times that
day and in the days that followed. Without really thinking, based on
just emotion, spontaneous, I grabbed the arm of then Police Commissioner
Bernard Kerik, and I said to him, "Bernie, thank God George Bush is
our president."


GIULIANI: I say it again tonight. I say it again tonight: Thank God that
George Bush is our president, and thank God...


And thank God that Dick Cheney, a man with his experience and his
knowledge and his strength and his background is our vice president.


On September 11, George Bush had been president less than eight
months. The new president, the vice president, the new administration
were faced with the worst crisis in our history virtually at the beginning
of their administration.

President Bush's response in keeping us unified, in turning around the
ship of state from being solely on defense against terrorism to being
on offense as well and for his holding us together...


... for that and then his determined effort to defeat global terrorism,
no matter what happens in this election, President George W. Bush already
has earned a place in history as a great American president.


GIULIANI: But you and I, we're not going to wait for history to present
the correct view of our president. Let us write our own history. We need
George Bush now more than ever.


The horror, the shock and the devastation of those attacks on the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon and over the skies of Pennsylvania lifted
a cloud from our eyes.

We stood face to face with those people and forces who hijacked not just
airplanes, but a great religion and turned it into a creed of terrorism
dedicated to killing us and eradicating us and our way of life.

Terrorism did not start on September 11, 2001. It started a long time
ago. And it had been festering for many years.

And the world had created a response to it that allowed it to succeed.
The attack on the Israeli team at the Munich Olympics was in 1972. That's
a long time ago.

GIULIANI: That's not yesterday.

And the pattern began early. The three surviving terrorists were
arrested. And then within just three months, the terrorists who
slaughtered the Israeli athletes were released by the German government --
set free.

AUDIENCE: Boooo.

GIULIANI: Action like this became the rule, not the exception.  Terrorists
came to learn time after time that they could attack, that they could
slaughter innocent people and not face any consequences.

In 1985, terrorists attacked the Achille Lauro. And they murdered an
American citizen who was in a wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer. They marked
him for murder solely because he was Jewish.

Some of those terrorist were released, and some of the remaining
terrorists -- they were allowed to escape by the Italian government
because of fear of reprisals from the terrorists.

So terrorists learned they could intimidate the world community and
too often the response, particularly in Europe, would be accommodation,
appeasement and compromise.

AUDIENCE: Boooo.

GIULIANI: And worse -- and worse -- they also learned that their cause
would be taken more seriously almost in direct proportion to the horror
of their attack.

GUILIANI: Terrorist acts became like a ticket to the international
bargaining table. How else to explain Yasser Arafat winning the Nobel
Peace Prize while he was supporting a plague of terrorism in the Middle
East and undermining any chance of peace?

Before September 11, we were living with an unrealistic view of our world,
much like observing Europe appease Hitler or trying to accommodate the
Soviet Union through the use of mutually assured destruction.

President Bush decided that we could no longer be just on defense against
global terrorism, we must also be on offense.


On September 20, 2001, President Bush stood before a joint session of
Congress, a still grieving and shocked nation and a confused world,
and he changed the direction of our ship of state.

GIULIANI: He dedicated America, under his leadership, to destroying
global terrorism.


The president announced the Bush Doctrine, when he said, "Our war on
terror begins with Al Qaida, but it does not end there. It will not end
until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and
defeated. Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."


And since September 11th President Bush has remained rock solid.


It doesn't matter to him how he is demonized. It doesn't matter what
the media does to ridicule him or misinterpret him or defeat him.


They ridiculed Winston Churchill. They belittled Ronald Reagan. But like
President Bush, they were optimists. Leaders need to be optimists. Their
vision is beyond the present, and it's set on a future of real peace
and security.


GIULIANI: Some call it stubbornness. I call it principled leadership.


President Bush has the courage of his convictions.

In choosing a president, we really don't choose just a Republican or
Democrat, a conservative or a liberal. We choose a leader.


And in times of war and danger, as we're now in, Americans should put
leadership at the core of their decision.

There are many qualities that make a great leader. But having strong
beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular
times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader.


One of my heroes, Winston Churchill, saw the dangers of Hitler while
his opponents characterized him as a war-mongering gadfly.

GIULIANI: Another one of my heroes, Ronald Reagan, saw and described
the Soviet Union as "the evil empire," while world opinion accepted it
as inevitable and even belittled Ronald Reagan's intelligence.

President Bush sees world terrorism for the evil that it is.


John Kerry has no such clear, precise and consistent vision. This is
not a personal criticism of John Kerry. I respect him for his service
to our nation.


But it is important and critical to see the contrast in approach
between the two men: President Bush, a leader who is willing to stick
with difficult decisions even as public opinion shifts and goes back
and forth; and John Kerry, whose record in elected office suggests a
man who changes his position often, even on important issues.


GIULIANI: Now, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, John Kerry
voted against the Persian Gulf War.

AUDIENCE: Boooo.

GIULIANI: Ah, but he must have heard your booing...

(LAUGHTER)

... because -- because later he said he actually supported the war.

(LAUGHTER)

Then in 2002, as he was calculating his run for the presidency, he voted
for the war in Iraq. And then just nine months later, he voted against
an $87 billion supplemental budget to fund the war and support our troops.

AUDIENCE: Boooo.

GIULIANI: He even, at one point, declared himself as an anti-war
candidate. And now he says he's pro-war candidate. At this rate, with
64 days left, he still has time to change his position four or five
more times.


My point about John Kerry being inconsistent is best described in his
own words, not mine. I quote John Kerry, "I actually did vote for the
$87 billion before I voted against it."

(LAUGHTER)


Maybe this explains John Edwards' need for two Americas.


GIULIANI: One is where John Kerry can vote for something and another
where he can vote against exactly the same thing.


Yes, people in public office at times change their minds, or they realized
they're wrong. I have, others have, or circumstances change. But John
Kerry has made it the rule to change his position, rather than the
exception.

In October of 2003 he told an Arab-American Institute in Detroit that a
security barrier separating Israel from the Palestinian Territories was a
"barrier to peace." OK.

Then a few months later, he took exactly the opposite position. In an
interview with the Jerusalem Post he said, "Israel's security fence is
a legitimate act of self defense."

AUDIENCE: Boooo.

GIULIANI: The contrasts are dramatic. They involve very different views
of how to deal with terrorism. President Bush will make certain that we
are combating terrorism at the source, beyond our shores, so we don't have
to confront it, or we reduce of confronting it here in New York City, or
in Chicago or in Los Angeles or in Miami or in the rural areas of America.


GIULIANI: That's what it means to play offense with terrorism, and not
just defense.


John Kerry's record of inconsistent positions on combating terrorism gives
us no confidence that he'll pursue such a determined, difficult course.

President Bush would not allow countries that appear to have ignored the
lessons of history and failed for over 30 years to stand up to terrorists,
he wouldn't allow them to stop us from doing what is necessary in the
defense of our country.


He's not going to let them set the agenda. Under President Bush, America
will lead, not follow.


Remember, just a few months ago, John Kerry kind of leaked out that
claim that certain foreign leaders who opposed our removal of Saddam
Hussein prefer him.

GIULIANI: Well, to me, that raises the risk that he might well accommodate
his position to their viewpoint.

It would not be the first time that John Kerry changed his mind about
matters of war and peace.


I remember -- I remember the days following September 11th when we
were no longer Republicans or Democrats, but we were Americans. We were
determined to do everything, everything that we could to help the victims,
to rebuild our city and to disable our enemies.

I remember President Bush coming here on September 14, 2001, and lifting
the morale of our rescue workers by talking with them and embracing them
and staying with them much longer than was planned.


In fact -- in fact, if you promise to keep this between us...

(LAUGHTER)

... because, I mean, I could get in trouble for this.

GIULIANI: But I get in trouble all of the time. I was mayor of New York.

It is my opinion that when President Bush came here on September 14,
2001, the Secret Service was not really happy about his remaining in
the area so long.

With buildings were still unstable, with fires raging below ground of
2,000 degrees or more, there was good reason for their concern.

Well, the president remained there. And talked to everyone, to the
firefighters, to the police officers, the health care workers, the
clergy. But the people that believe -- this is my opinion now from
observing it -- that the people that spent the most time with him were
our construction workers.

Now, New York construction workers are very special people. I'm sure
this is true all over America where you come from, but I know the ones
in New York really well.

And they were real heroes that day, like many others.


But I have to tell you, they're big. They are really big. They have arms
that are bigger than my legs. And they have opinions that are bigger
than their arms.

(LAUGHTER)

So every time the president would go up to one of them, they would hold
his hand a little bit longer. And they would give him advice. I think
like his Cabinet, Mr. Vice President, gives him advice.

They would like tell him in their own language exactly what he should
do with the terrorists.


I can't repeat -- after all this is the Republican convention...

(LAUGHTER)

GIULIANI: I can't repeat what they said, but one of them really got the
president's attention. The president really bonded with him. They sort
of hit it off. And the guy's giving him this long explanation of exactly
what he should do. And when the man finished, President Bush said in a
rather loud voice, "I agree."

(LAUGHTER)

At this point, all of the people kind of looked at this guy, all of his
buddies. And can you imagine -- I mean, you're a construction worker,
and all your buddies say -- and the president says, "I agree."

The guy went up in his own estimation from his 6 feet to about 6'10.

(LAUGHTER)

He lost total control of himself. Forgot who he was dealing with. He
leaned over. He grabbed the president of the United States in this
massive bear hug, and he started squeezing him.

(GIULIANI GESTURES THE HUG)

(LAUGHTER)

And the Secret Service agent standing next to me, who wasn't happy about
any of this, instead of running over and getting the president out of
this grip, puts his finger in my face and he says to me, "If this guy
hurts the president, Giuliani, you're finished."

(LAUGHTER)


I didn't know what to say. I was kind of shook when the -- and I said --
the only thing I could think of, and it's the moral of the story, I said,
"But it would be out of love."

(LAUGHTER)

GIULIANI: I also remember on that same day, as I'm sure Governor Pataki
does, the heart-wrenching visit President Bush made to the families of
our firefighters and our police officers at the Javits Center. I'm sure
some of you remember it.

I remember receiving all the help and the assistance and support from
the president, and even more than we asked for. For that, and for his
personal support of me, I am eternally grateful to President Bush. He
helped to get me through.


And I remember the support being bipartisan and actually standing hand in
hand Republicans and Democrats, here in New York and all over the nation.

During a Boston Red Sox game in the seventh inning there was a sign that
read, "Boston loves New York."


You're not going to see it now with a 4.5 game spread between the
two teams.

And then one of the most remarkable experiences was, I was driving along
and I saw a Chicago police officer directing traffic in the middle of
Manhattan, sent here by Mayor Daley of Chicago, who was a good friend
of ours, and is. And that's what I mean about no Democrats or Republicans.

GIULIANI: Well, the guy is directing traffic. And I got out to thank
him, and I did. And then I went back in my car and all of a sudden,
I had this thought: "I wonder where he's sending these people."

(LAUGHTER)

I think some of them are still driving around the Bronx, but it was very
reassuring to know how much support we had, and I thank all of you for
it, because you all gave us support -- Republicans, Democrats, everyone.


And as we look beyond this election and realize that elections do
accentuate our differences, let's make sure that we rekindle that spirit
that we had, that we are one America. We are united to end the threat
of global terrorism as one people.


Certainly President Bush will keep us focused on that goal. When
President Bush announced his commitment to ending global terrorism,
he understood, I understood, we all understood that it was critical to
remove the pillars of support for the global terrorist movement.

In any plan to destroy global terrorism, removing Saddam Hussein needed
to be removed.


Frankly, I believed then and I believe now that Saddam Hussein, who
supported global terrorism, slaughtered thousands and thousands of his
own people, permitted horrific atrocities against women, and used weapons
of mass destruction; he was himself a weapon of mass destruction.


GIULIANI: But the reasons for removing Saddam Hussein were based on
issues even broader than just the presence of weapons of mass destruction.

To liberate people, give them a chance for accountable, decent government
and to rid the world of a pillar of support for global terrorism is
nothing to be defensive about. It's something for which all those
involved, from President Bush to the brave men of our armed services,
should be proud. They did something wonderful. They did something that
history will give them great credit for.


President Bush has also focused us on the correct long-term answer for
the violence and hatred emerging from the Middle East. The hatred and
anger in the Middle East arises from the lack of accountable governments.

Rather than trying to grant more freedom, or create more income, or
improve education and basic health care, these governments deflect
their own failures by pointing to America and to Israel and to other
external scapegoats.

GIULIANI: But blaming these scapegoats does not improve the life of a
single person in the Arab world.

It does not relieve the plight of even one woman in Iran.

It does not give a decent living to a single soul in Syria.

It doesn't stop the slaughter of African Christians in the Sudan.


The president understands that the changes necessary in the Middle East
involve encouraging accountable, lawful, decent governments that can be
role models and solve the problems of their own people.

This has been a very important part of the Bush doctrine and the
president's vision for the future.


Have faith in the power of freedom. People who live in freedom always
prevail over people who live in oppression.


That's the story of the Old Testament.

That's the story of World War II and the Cold War.

That's the story of the firefighters and police officers and rescue
workers who courageously saved thousands of lives on September 11, 2001.

President Bush is the leader we need for the next four years because
he can see beyond just today and tomorrow. He can see in the future. He
has a vision of a peaceful Middle East and a safer world.


GIULIANI: Don't be discouraged. Don't be cynical. We'll see an end to
global terrorism. I can see it. I believe it. I know it will happen.


You know, right now, it may seem very difficult and a long way off. It
may even seem idealistic to say that. But it may not be as far away and
idealistic as it seems.

Look how quickly the Berlin Wall was torn down and the Iron Curtain
ripped open and the Soviet Union disintegrated because of the power of
the pent-up demand for freedom.


When it catches hold, there is nothing more powerful than freedom. Give
it some hope, and it will overwhelm dictators and even defeat terrorists.


That is what we've done and must continue to do in Iraq. That's what
the Republican Party, our party, does best, when we're at our best.

GIULIANI: We extend freedom, and it's our mission. It's the long-term
answer to ending global terrorism. Governments that are free and
accountable.

We have won many battles in this war on terror, at home and abroad. But
as President Bush told us way back on September 20, 2001 it will take
a long-term determined effort to prevail.

The war on terrorism will not be won in a single battle. There will be
no dramatic surrender. There will be no crumbling of a massive wall.

But we will know it. We'll know it as accountable governments continue
to develop in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

We'll know it as terrorist attacks throughout the world decrease and
then end and we save lives. And then, God willing, we'll all be able on
a future anniversary of September 11th to return to Ground Zero, or to
the Pentagon, or to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and to say to our fallen
brothers and sisters, to our heroes of the worst attack in our history
and to our heroes who have sacrificed their lives in the war on terror,
we will be able to say to them that we have done all that we could with
our lives that were spared to make your sacrifices build a world of real
peace and true freedom.


GIULIANI: We will make certain, in the words of President Bush, that
they have heard from us, that they've heard from us a message of peace
through free, accountable, lawful and decent governments giving people
hope for a future for themselves and their children.

God bless each one we have lost, every soul, every single person, here
and abroad, and their families. God bless all those who are currently
at risk and in harm's way defending our freedom. And God bless America.