October 9th, 2007
06:45 PM ET
15 years ago
Giuliani: Despite bashing, America is most attractive, envied
Rudy Giuliani, sometimes referred to as "America's mayor" was very pro-America during Tuesday's debate.
(CNN) – Former New York City Mayor Giuliani tried to rile up voter confidence in the U.S. brand during a debate in Michigan Tuesday, saying millions of people want to come to the U.S. and Americans need to get their heads up.
"I don't care if they bash us all over the world. What country do they most want to come to? What country do they most want to copy?” Giuliani said. “[T]he United States of America.”
The topic arose when he was asked if London would replace New York as the financial capital of the world, to which the former Big Apple mayor responded "No way, no how!"
–CNN Assignment Editor Katy Byron
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This is the kind of crap talking politicians should avoid, even if they think it. This makes us look arrogant in the eyes of the world, as if we don't care what people think and we can do whatever the heck we want. This is the wrong thinking.
He must live in looloo land or in a distant past. That kind of nationalistic talk does not do well with public figures in the highly global exchanges of today.
This kind of comments just prove how unfit people like Rudy are for the US Presidency. Humility is more attractive than Arrogance. The common American is humble and THAT makes this country great. People like Rudy just screw that image up.
For once, this joker is right. Try traveling anywhere, and you'll agree. However, there are "leaders" at all levels of our government who want to take away our freedom, erase our borders, dissolve our sovereignty, and reduce "the rest of us" and our standards of living to the level of every other pawn in the Third World.
Have you ever heard of the New World Order? If these "leaders" have their way, we'll be dressed in gray tunics and standing in line for a loaf of bread, just like the Soviet citizens in the bad old days of the USSR, while they, our "leaders" are living it up in their mansions and country clubs.
Don't be fooled. "They" can't be trusted.
Rudy has some points,,,Democrats and the left want to BLAME AMERICA FIRST for everything...I mean these people would rather throw Bush in jail then Bin Laden,,The left have lost all sense of reality and thank God the GROWN-UPs are making the tough decisions in the White House...
I am from South America,I legally came to The USA because it is a GREAT country with great people.Certainly America is powerful and copied.You are a role model for other countries, and people look up to role models. There is nothing wrong if other countries want to copy your good things.I think Americans must be proud of this instead of bothered, but please don't allow this power convert America into a bully. I'm sure most Americans don't want this. Arrogant attitudes like Giulianni's creates tension among the International Community. America is not the only country in the earth. Don't isolate yourself from the rest of the world. A position like Giulianni's will never allow Americans find the peace and tranquility they want. America needs a Leader that could be able to unite not a one that divides.
That's the "good ole boy" club talking again. How many times must we subject ourselves to their lunacy? All they want is money and power, at OUR EXPENSE, and they (Bush, Guiliani, Romney, etc.) will say anything to get America to listen to them, even if they don't believe what they themselves are saying. The saddest part is most of you guys do listen. America, we really need to start listening to reason. If more than half the country is against the war, and someone running for president is trying to keep us there, DON'T PUT HIM IN OFFICE. Intelligent thinkers are what we need, rather than people pleasers. Sorry folks, but we've really messed up for the past so-and-so years, and it's time that we start to fix our own mess.
I've traveled the world and seen alot the hate Rudy references. Guess what, most of it is rooted in envy and spread through a bias media.
Reading the posts here, its easy to see why people get democrat confused with unpatriotic.
Giuliani shows short-sighted selfishness towards his wives, his children and again towards America with the wonderful "constitutional" murder of the line-item veto. So he got NYC 200 million back at the expense of putting back 200 trillion waste back into the government. And we're supposed to cheer because hey, he defeated Clinton...yes and every other president and taxpayer thereafter. Moron.
While I disagree with Guliani on most social issues, I agree with him on the 2 most paramount issues of our time: Terrorism and protecting our borders.
In addition, contrary to the many whiners on these message boards, I believe that America is a source of goodness in the world.
In response to the comment above, how can one confuse "democratic" and "unpatriotic"? Disagreeing with the Republican ideals does not make one a Democrat. And, though I do not claim any party affiliation, a lot of the Democratic candidates have stronger, more grounded arguments than the Republican candidates do. Give me ONE sound argument that ONE Republican candidate has given, and I will listen.
Of course people want to come here especially with politicians like Rudy who want to exploit people for cheap labor and save the corporations (whose lobbyists outnumber the actual politicians in Washington) money. Immigration laws be damned! C'mon in and we'll give you free healthcare, free education, free food & shelter etc etc. Oh never mind those tax paying citizens who bear the financial burden of our broken borders. This man is a complete moron and if he is voted for president, forget the financial capital of the world moving to London, I'm moving to London.
" In the end, we'll stick together to defend ourselves…we always do, whether we like each other or not! It's what we "ugly" Americans do!
Posted By Kay, Las Vegas, NV : October 9, 2007 7:40 pm
Your joking, right? No...this is what YOU ugly americans do...ruin it for all of us.....
couldn´d get his act together in NYC, and he wants to be president?, only idiots like him will cast a vote in his favor. GOD SAVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Stop saying America, it is not.
Every myth has a basis in truth. Giuliani is correct that millions of people want to come to the United States but not because they think this country is the most attractive.
Millions of people from South America may want to come to the United States only because of our close proximaty. The same thing is happening to European countries as well. The United States is not unique in this regard.
If millions of people from affluent nations, not third world countries, were clamoring to get into the United States then I'd place a value on Giuliani's statement. The reality is that Giuliani once again is only pandering to the audience with empty rhetoric.
So is Rudy saying that having a lot of people want to emigrate to your country makes you great? Because if so, then that makes Saudi Arabia a great country.
Right on Jon, right on.
You "Americans" that don't think this is the greatest country in the world, don't let the door hit your fat privileged asses on the way out.
The only point that Rudy is making is that people want to come here, because for all of our "issues" nobody has a better overall standard of living and more chances to grow, prosper, learn and earn, the whole package.
If you don't like Bush, fine, I don't either, but I will be damned if I am going to read about how much this country sucks and is hated, from people that enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
Hop in your $40,000 SUV, pack your 30 gig IPOD, IPHONE, cell phone and stop at the carryout so you have food that is edible and leave, try Canada.
I will send you your absentee ballot that allows you to vote freely without fear, so you can all come back in 2009 when Hillary wins and there will be no sickness, suffering, hurricanes and nobody will even consider bombing our embassies, WTC, ships etc, etc, because we will be so loved again.
Is this bigoted or narrow-minded thinking by Rudy? Don't think so, as in my MANY travels I have heard other countries and people think THEIR WAY IS THE BEST WAY.
Good for them, they SHOULD feel that way and I don't hold it against them.
I don't even like Rudy, but he is right as hell here.
I support your right to bash America, I supported that right by serving proudly, everybody else is still fighting for "second place" IMHO.
So basically Giuliani does not care about how the rest of the world views us. Isn't that why we were attacked in the first place. Because we piss people off and don't care. Thats the attitude to have Giuliani. He will get us all killed by carrying on what Bush is doing. Bravo.
I'm pretty sure that no matter what he says – the left will find fault. "I don't care if they bash us all over the world. What country do they most want to come to? What country do they most want to copy?” – is any part of this untrue? Giuliani is a moderate....who speaks to everyone (not corrupted by the left wing that believes their party didn't authorize the war....nor continue funding it) – just listen to what he is saying....we are the best country in the world....we had a couple issues with wanting to police it and getting into situations we didn't need to be in.....but overall – we are an excellent country – and when Mr Giuliani becomes President Giuliani..I think we will once again be great – supreme court justices are retiring next couple years – America needs a social liberal AND a fiscal conservative (I know...the unions don't like him....but they know their time has come and gone)
Alec, Orlando, FL
I'm with you. Well said.
No other country in the world has a Government that believes their responsibility is to Police and reign in every other Nation around the Globe.
Then their surprised when these Nations try to fight back to perserve their rights and freedoms. The US Government somehow believes they can dictate to other Nations as to what form of society, government, doctrines, and religion other countries must adopt and employ.
If a country doesn't want to live as a Democracy it is their choice. Why would any Nation assume they would have the authority to invade and restructure another Nation?
Turn the tables and what do you think America would do in Iraq's situation?
If all Nations would mind their own business and refrain from interfering in the business of other Nations and their people what a wonderful world it would be.
Too bad they ever found oil.
If all Nations would mind their own business and refrain from interfering in the business of other Nations and their people what a wonderful world it would be.
I agree "Trish", I wouldn't give another country a dime and when people are being slaughtered and raped, we should just turn our backs as that would be interfering.
Let these other countries fight their own battles and feed their own people.
Let the United nations do their jobs and police and take care of the world.
What a "wonderful world it would be".
Tom, Dedham Mass:
Exactly Tom.
But just when has the US shown empathy for the citizens being raped and slaughtered in countries that are not producing oil?
Are there US troops in Africa? Mikinduri? Darfur? ETC ETC ETC ... NO
You know as well as the world knows that OIL is what war is all about...Scores of Military Heros in Iraq are being slain because of OIL...And now the same old rehetoric is being used on Iran. Could there be a possibility that Iran might thwart the attempts to win the war on OIL?
If the US announced tomorrow they were sending troops to Darfur I would be the first to applaud their compassion.
And I'm sure many UN Nations would be thrilled to aid such gallant and humanitarian missions. But, fear not, it won't happen.
A Community based group in PEI has made two trips to Mikinduri and raised enough money to provide eight wells and clean water and are currently working on providing more wells. Canada has donated ten thousand per year to Afghanistan. And Afghanistans have become second families to many Canadians. We like many are peace loving people.
But it seems many here are quick to condemn UN Members. But, many of those members have troops on the front lines in Iraq as we speak although they vehemently frown upon war and strive for Peace. Albeit, the majority of members sent troops to Iraq under duress as we all know many Nations questioned the necessity for military action.
So although my viewpoint may seem utopian to you, many Nations have negotiated peace without the disastrous aftermath of war. But of course, they put their people and country before power and the insidious wrath it utlimately bestows upon the world.
I wonder what our many Heroes from days of yore are saying, As Poppies Blow in Flanders Field.
World wars 1&2 were not over oil and we bailed peoples asses out, just to name a few times.
I am tired of being the policemen of the world (I was half agreeing with you), no matter what happens, everyone looks to us for help and NO MATTER WHAT, someone gets pissed off at us.
If we went over to Darfur, some like you would applaud us, and an even higher percentage would hammer us for killing people innocent or not while trying to HELP PEOPLE OUT.
In a perfect world we would not have to do that, but this world is not perfect and neither are we, we MAKE MISTAKES even when we THINK we are doing the right thing (see Iraq).
To even infer that we are NOT the MOST GENEROUS, CARING and GIVING people in this whole WORLD, is frankly BS.
In this case, everyone else is fighting for a distant second place.
Anti-war people like to portray people that don't agree with them as pro-war, who the hell is pro-war, war sucks, but is sometimes needed.
If we did nothing to help anyone and stopped giving to other countries including CANADA, think how much easier it would be on us, it would seem like a UTOPIA for us, but the rest of the world would crumble, think about that next time "your country or another country" needs us.
And someone will.
What an opportunist he is.