Rudy Giuliani

Experience, or lack there of...

He served as mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. That's about it.

An issue record lacking as well...

Education

As a major advocate of school vouchers,

"New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani proposed a two-year pilot program to send 3,000 poor kids a year to private schools.... 'This is an idea whose time has come,' Giuliani declared, adding that he would like to 'blow up' the city's board of education." (National Review, 05/31/99)

However, as mayor of New York City,

"Between 1994 and 1997 he drained more than $2 billion out of the school system. He also cut $4.7 billion from the school construction budget in 1999." (The Nation, 06/17/02)

The 'blow up' the board of education comment was made only days after the 04/20/99 Columbine High School shooting.

Fincance & Taxation

"New York City went from a $3 billion budget surplus in 1998 to a $4.5 billion deficit after Giuliani left office." (The Nation, 05/30/02)

Foreign Policy

He joined the Iraq Study Group, then failed to attend a single meeting.

Immigration

Giuliani said in the Republican Presidential Candidate debate on Fox News,

"The focus on immigration should be to know everyone who is in the United States. We should have a tamper-proof ID card. We should have a database in which we can identify the people who are in this country." (Fox News Channel, May 15, 2007)

Religion & Morality

While he claims to be a devout Catholic, he is married to his 3rd wife, without an annulment on the 2nd marriage. His 1st marriage was with his 2nd cousin. The priest who married them without a dispensation from the church, and then annulled the marriage, was "stripped of his priestly powers because of allegations against him involving the sexual abuse of four minors." He is in direct opposition to the church through his abortion policy. For these reasons, he is not allowed to accept communion. He does not attend mass regularly either. He describes this as "devout." (see the special on Rudy in The Village Voice)