MANCHESTER, NH -- Giuliani made a deliberate effort today to focus beyond his association with the 9/11 terrorist attacks, speaking at length about his experiences at the Justice Department and as a US attorney.
“I know how to get big tasks accomplished,” he said here at a town hall. “Look at what I did about organized crime as the United States attorney. Look at what we did about political corruption in New York City. Go back and look at what we did about drugs when I was in the Reagan Administration. And go look at what I did when I was mayor of New York City. I did things of that scope.”
Giuliani used his experiences to outline plans for curbing illegal immigration. When asked about who he would pick as a running mate, Giuliani spoke of being in the Reagan Justice Department on the day Ronald Reagan was shot. “My mother used to have this picture ... of my shaking hands with Ronald Reagan. It was the day that
Hinckley attempted to assassinate him,” he said, noting he had to handle logistics for Hinckley’s arraignment as acting associate attorney general. “I’ve lived through that, so I am very aware of the fact that any president, like any of us, could be gone at any minute, so you better have a vice president who can step in and take over.”
The focus on Giuliani’s pre-mayoral days was supposed to coincide with a new online video, but campaign officials said they are holding off the release for a day, in order to stretch out the media coverage. The campaign is expected to tout his experience as the youngest associate attorney general, which includes his fight against violent crime and terrorism.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/05/448909.aspx