Is Gulliani overrated?

RanDum72

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2001
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I mean, he was pretty good during what happened during Sept. 11 and doing the 'right' things but surely ANY mayor in the U.S. would have done
the same thing if it happened in their city. Its like, every move he makes is elevated to the actions of a GOD or something. I fully support the people of New York
and of course, the mayor, for their extreme difficulties, but isn't he kinda blown out of proportion for what he really is?
 

Antoneo

Diamond Member
May 25, 2001
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No, he's not overrated.


<< but surely ANY mayor in the U.S. would have done the same thing if it happened in their city. >>


This is like saying every president is the same in a time like this. There are so many different ways a mayor could handle the tragedy. Not only is he handling the Sept 11 attacks appropriately, he has been effective in other times as well. Crime rate has gone down significantly and I have noticed it. He is not praised all the time. When he implemented the no jay walking law people complained but got over it. Do you really want to criticize leaders at this time? That's like criticizing President Bush. Anyway Guiliani without a doubt is one of the best, if not THE best mayor so far for NYC imo.
 

Lankin

Senior member
Nov 4, 2001
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Hes done alot. Hes dropped the murder rate of NY by a HUGE margin. Puts the past mayors to shame when it comes to crime/murder rate.
 

RanDum72

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2001
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Well, I can tell you one thing. Every President would have received the same support from the people in times like these. It doesn't matter to
what degree they do things right or wrong. It becomes right when there is public support. Me, I personally support the war, New York and the Mayor
but I think he's still overrated. And I think I'm being very objective so far.
 

Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
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<< No, he's not overrated.


<< but surely ANY mayor in the U.S. would have done the same thing if it happened in their city. >>


This is like saying every president is the same in a time like this. There are so many different ways a mayor could handle the tragedy. Not only is he handling the Sept 11 attacks appropriately, he has been effective in other times as well. Crime rate has gone down significantly and I have noticed it. He is not praised all the time. When he implemented the no jay walking law people complained but got over it. Do you really want to criticize leaders at this time? That's like criticizing President Bush. Anyway Guiliani without a doubt is one of the best, if not THE best mayor so far for NYC imo.
>>



Good points. I agree, the praise he has been given (mostly for 9/11) is extraordinary, but clinton was a rather average leader, yet he enjoyed extraordinarily high marks in public polls. Gulliani has a lot of charisma, and the ability to emphathize. Cripes, man was willing to go to nearly any 9/11 funeral if asked, hes has literally been to hundreds and hundreds of funerals, many of them his good friends. Whats the count for hillary clinton, 3? Or is it 4 now?

All the while presenting a tough, determined, and empathetic exterior to the rest of the world. I cannot imagine the personal pain he has (and probably still is) going through.

On his abilities aside from his personality, he certainly does deserve praise for dropping crime, and I dont think you can attribute all of the drop to other causes.
 

d1abolic

Banned
Sep 21, 2001
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That's like criticizing President Bush

Let me assure you, you will be hearing a LOT of that very soon. Bush just lost a silent war to Russia. Just weight when the media catches on!
 

Antoneo

Diamond Member
May 25, 2001
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<< Well, I can tell you one thing. Every President would have received the same support from the people in times like these. It doesn't matter to what degree they do things right or wrong. It becomes right when there is public support. >>


I disagree with that. Certain actions made by any president during times like these will not receive public support. For example, if bush decided to send in ground troops to fight immediately after the WTC attacks (instead of the bombing runs), do you think the public will like that? It's a far off illogical example but the answer is no. Of course anything becomes "right" when there is public support for it. Majority wins. Guiliani may be overrated for you, but where I live which is NYC, Gulliani has done his job well.
 

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
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I liked him before all this crap happend. I wish he would move down here and be mayor so the Dick in office here would stop fscking us.
 

RanDum72

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2001
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disagree with that. Certain actions made by any president during times like these will not receive public support. For example, if bush decided to send in ground troops to fight immediately after the bombings (instead of the bombing runs), do you think the public will like that?

Actually, polls conducted shortly after the WTC attacks indicated the public was more than willing to send in ground troops. Its the enormity of the situation that generated support.
If only 10 people were killed, I don't the public will feel it justified to send ground troops. With 5000 people dead, the knee-jerk reaction would be "screw it, a few more wouldn't
hurt to get the bin Ladin bastard" . Like I said, it doesn't matter who was sitting on the white House, Republican or Democrat. The significance of the event WILL generate
public support.

And I DO like Gullliani, even before when he was DA. I just feel he's overrated.
 

Antoneo

Diamond Member
May 25, 2001
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<< immediately after the bombings >>


Doh! I meant the WTC attacks... I'll edit my post. Sending troops in without the help of bombing runs from above would obviously result in a lot of US casualities and the public would object to it. That was the point of my argument if this makes any sense...

Well I guess its your opinion that Guilliani is overrated and I respect it.
 

hopefloats

Senior member
Sep 10, 2000
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Guiliani certainly is a man of great spiritual fortitude.

He attended most, if not all the funerals of the lost 9/11 service people and that responsibility must have been an incredible experience; to shoulder so much grief and to know how important to the healing process his presence at these events was to the families as well as the citizens of New York City.

If you believe that your life has a higher or greater purpose, than this time definitely showed Guiliani what his was, because nothing in his political career as Mayor of NYC alone, could have possibly prepared him for what he has just gone through.
 

morkinva

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 1999
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I've heard he brought NYC back from near bankruptcy and made the place a lot safer, but ask some minorities and they hate him. So, I dunno. Oh he also took down John Gatti when he was prosecutor.
 

RanDum72

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2001
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Guiliani certainly is a man of great spiritual fortitude.

But he certainly didn't have enough of it to not have an affair and keep the mistress in the official mayor's resdience while
the wife is out there, isn't it?;) Anyway, any wise politician would definitely keep up the public presence. Heck, I'll attend all
funerals if I have to if I was the mayor.
 

hopefloats

Senior member
Sep 10, 2000
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I just did a search on Giuliani because I didn't know about his involvement in the Gatti thing and found this series of memo's from his U.S. Attorney's office that had been reprinted in Spy Magazine. Funny. :D

Summer Boat Ride 1988
 

Sepen

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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All of the above that have responded to the topic's question, how many are in NYC and were affected by his disicions? I guess what I am getting at is if one of you were from say Florida or Texas, and you said yes he is overrated. Then I guess I would have to say how in the hel* do you know if he was or wasn't?
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
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Accomplishments:

He dramatically lowered the crime rate.

He completely transformed Times Square from a smut filled high crime slaughter house that kept tourists away into a commercial powerhouse that attracts more tourists than ever before.

Pulled the city back from bankruptcy by focusing on attracting new income, rather than punishing the existing tax base.

He dramatically reduced the welfare rolls in the city.

And he isn't all conservative, either.

He supports a woman's right to choose.

And he supports equal rights for gays and lesbians.

He even supports more gun control (something I strongly disagree with).

Love him or hate him, he has pulled New York from a crime ridden sewer into a town that feels safe again. Something no one has seen since the 50s.

His actions related to the 9/11 attack are simply the crowning performance in one hell of a job as Mayor.

And no matter how much his detractors try to smear him, they cannot deny that NY is a MUCH MUCH better place to live now, than it was when he took office.
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
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In big cities a good mayor is tough to come by. I think he has done an outstanding job as mayor of NYC. In the crisis he has gone way beyond what could be expected of even the best mayors. Prior to the crisis, he was the best one could want in a mayor of NYC.
 

sciencetoy

Senior member
Oct 10, 2001
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Before 9/11, he was generally respected as mayor, but not by everyone.

His response to 9/11 has been awesome. Yes, any mayor could have risen to the occasion. However Guiliani DID rise to the occasion. I think he did an awesome job keeping the city going. If you are not in NYC you have no idea how bad the situation is, not just at ground zero but in the entire area. The scope of things affected is enormous. Guiliani has done an awesome job of trying to keep the various elements of the city from going completely haywire.

I personally was glad to see him constantly on TV in the first hours/days after the attack, I was pretty shaken and he gave me the feeling that someone out there was doing something - unlike the president, who wasn't visible at all. Just my own feeling, of course.

Is he overrated? Heck yes, the media is going nuts - nobody is that fantastic. But his response to the disaster has been first class.
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
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No, he's not overrated.

He completely cleaned that city up BEFORE 9/11. He was great before then.