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| Ex-Mayor
Rudy Giuliani speaks to Capitol Inside outside New
York coffee shop |
September 2, 2004
Oh So Close! Texas GOP Delegation
Almost Lands Rudy G for Breakfast
By
Mike Hailey
Capitol
Inside Editor
NEW YORK - The Texas delegation has enjoyed a star-studded
lineup of speakers at its daily breakfast meetings during
the Republican National Convention in the Big Apple this
week. Texas delegates have been treated to breakfast speeches
by some of the state's top elected officials and a few out-of-state
guests such as Matthew Dowd, the campaign
pollster for President George W. Bush.
But on Thursday, the really big fish got away.
Texas Republican Vice-Chairman David Barton
confirmed that the Texans had a line on former New York
Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has emerged as
the national convention's second biggest star behind the
president himself. Forget about Arnie Schwarzenegger.
Walk on by, Zell Miller. Thanks for the
memories, Dick Cheney. In New York City
this week, Giluliani's the man.
Never mind that Giuliani is probably the most liberal Republican
in the land. "We love the guy," Barton, who is
not liberal by any stretch of the imagination, said Thursday.
"He really hit a home run."
Barton said that he and State Chairwoman Tina Benkiser
received a telephone call Wednesday with news that the ex-New
York City mayor would be available for breakfast on Thursday
if the Texas Republicans wanted him. Barton denied that
he'd vetoed Giuliani as a breakfast speaker due to his political
views. Quite the contrary, Barton said. He and Benkiser
returned the call and said they definitely wanted Giuliani
to speak to the delegation's final breakfast session on
the closing day of the Republican's quadrennial gathering
in midtown Manhattan.
But Barton said they were disappointed to learn that Giulianihad
just accepted an invitation to speak to the Ohio delegation's
breakfast instead. Presumably, that makes more sense, considering
that Ohio is a battleground state while Texas is invariably
Bush blue.
Capitol Inside caught up with Giuliani coming out of a
coffee shop Thursday morning. The former mayor who became
an international celebrity during the September 11 aftermath
reiterated the same general themes that he outlined to delegates
during his Monday night speech and subsequent meetings -
and he explained why he was proud of the job New York City
has done as the convention host.
Why he chose Ohio over Texas for breakfast, Giuliani did
not say.
Close, but no cigar.
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