I figure that the political career of Rudy Giuliani political career is about to end tonight in Florida. My hope is that Rudy will drop out of the presidential race and head back home with his tail between his legs.
I thought it was poor taste that Rudy Giuliani used the September 11th tragedy in his city as a tool to prop up his failing administration as New York City mayor. He used it to make money on a speaking tour. Then he used it again to become a POTUS candidate. For most of last year he was the leading candidate in the Republican Party for the presidential nomination.
Giuliani's rise in national prominence was hard to take for many NY residents. Every poll showing Giuliani ahead in the polls last year added to the simmering anger of many people of African descent who had an entirely different view of the man. Many of us remember that Giuliani fueled racial tensions in New York City with his endorsement of police brutality. His "quality-of-life" campaigns against hot dog vendors, jaywalkers, publicly-funded art and cab drivers showed his disdain for civil rights.
Villagers, do you recall how Giuliani's Police Department came under fire in 1997, when Abner Louima, who is Black, was sodomized with a broomstick in the 70th Precinct station house? Two white police officers were convicted of carrying out the attack and four others were found guilty of lying about what happened.
Do you recall an incident that occurred two years into Giuliani's second term where an African immigrant named Amadou Diallo was shot 19 times in the vestibule of his Bronx home by four white police officers? The officers said they thought he was reaching for a gun. It turned out to be a wallet. Thousands protested at police headquarters, but Giuliani stood behind his officers, who were acquitted in February 2000.
It
appears that Florida republicans will put a stake into the heart of the Giuliani presidential campaign. I'll be surprised if he stays in the race beyond this week. And, in my view, that is a good thing. It could just be me ... but, I think that there are many people of African descent who will have a large smile when we hear that Giuliani turns out to be one of the biggest failures in this national election cycle.
Rudy Giuliani failing as presidential candidate is karma for Louima and Diallo. Do you agree?
I thought it was poor taste that Rudy Giuliani used the September 11th tragedy in his city as a tool to prop up his failing administration as New York City mayor. He used it to make money on a speaking tour. Then he used it again to become a POTUS candidate. For most of last year he was the leading candidate in the Republican Party for the presidential nomination.
Giuliani's rise in national prominence was hard to take for many NY residents. Every poll showing Giuliani ahead in the polls last year added to the simmering anger of many people of African descent who had an entirely different view of the man. Many of us remember that Giuliani fueled racial tensions in New York City with his endorsement of police brutality. His "quality-of-life" campaigns against hot dog vendors, jaywalkers, publicly-funded art and cab drivers showed his disdain for civil rights.
Villagers, do you recall how Giuliani's Police Department came under fire in 1997, when Abner Louima, who is Black, was sodomized with a broomstick in the 70th Precinct station house? Two white police officers were convicted of carrying out the attack and four others were found guilty of lying about what happened.
Do you recall an incident that occurred two years into Giuliani's second term where an African immigrant named Amadou Diallo was shot 19 times in the vestibule of his Bronx home by four white police officers? The officers said they thought he was reaching for a gun. It turned out to be a wallet. Thousands protested at police headquarters, but Giuliani stood behind his officers, who were acquitted in February 2000.
It
appears that Florida republicans will put a stake into the heart of the Giuliani presidential campaign. I'll be surprised if he stays in the race beyond this week. And, in my view, that is a good thing. It could just be me ... but, I think that there are many people of African descent who will have a large smile when we hear that Giuliani turns out to be one of the biggest failures in this national election cycle.Rudy Giuliani failing as presidential candidate is karma for Louima and Diallo. Do you agree?
