In Boca Raton, Rudy Giuliani discusses Iran, illegal immigration
By Josh Hafenbrack | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
December 1, 2007
BOCA RATON - Stumping in South Florida, Rudy Giuliani took a tough stance on Iran and vowed that, if elected president, he'd beef up border security to halt illegal immigration but also allow more people to come here legally.
The former New York City mayor, now seeking the Republican nomination for president, took a break from increasingly heated rhetoric with campaign rival Mitt Romney. Feisty exchanges between the two have dominated the campaign in recent weeks, but Giuliani didn't mention any other candidates during nearly an hour on stage before a crowded ballroom at the Boca Raton Marriott.
Taking friendly questions from an enthusiastic audience, Giuliani talked up a global economy based on free-trade practices, promised to shrink the size of the federal government and reign in what he termed frivolous lawsuits.
He got some of his biggest applause with a hard stance on Iran and its volatile leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"We should stand up to Ahmadinejad, stand up to Iran and deliver a very clear message to him and to the world," Giuliani said. "If you're going to threaten us … if you're going to threaten the destruction of Israel, we're just not going to let you become a nuclear power.
"We will take whatever action is necessary to stop you."
Giuliani trails in early caucus and primary states Iowa and New Hampshire, where the voting is little more than a month away. But he's banking on a big win in Florida, a state with an early Jan. 29 primary date and where Giuliani has a consistent, wide advantage in the polls.
Earlier Friday, Romney's Florida campaign chairman, former state party chief Al Cardenas, told reporters during a conference call that Giuliani's strategy was to go on the offensive in Florida, citing heated exchanges between the two during campaign events and at a debate this week in St. Petersburg.
Giuliani and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, have sparred over immigration, health care and who was more effective in driving down crime and taxes in their home states.
In Boca Raton, Giuliani never mentioned Romney. Giuliani also never touched on social issues such as abortion and gay rights, where his moderate positions have him at odds with many in the party's conservative base.
Giuliani's top theme on the campaign trail is terrorism, and he staked out support for the Patriot Act and controversial electronic surveillance efforts. He also blamed Democrats for pursuing a withdrawal strategy in Iraq that would've "pulled the rug out from under our military." America shouldn't leave Iraq until the country is "stable and will act as an ally for us in the Islamic terrorists' war against us," he added.
On immigration, Giuliani's moderate stance again is unpopular with some conservatives. Romney has been hammering him on the campaign trail for running a "sanctuary city" in New York, referring to Giuliani's statements that he'd protect people who worked in the city but had an "undocumented status."
Giuliani drew raucous applause Friday when he said the United States should deploy agents and technology to close up the borders, as well as make sure anyone who wants to live here can speak English. But the response was muted when Giuliani said it's not realistic to "throw out" the millions of illegal immigrants already living here and that he wants to expand avenues for legal immigration.
"We're a country that's always open to new people," he said.
Addressing economic issues, Giuliani said he'd cut federal government jobs through attrition and order 5 to 10 percent budget cuts at all nonmilitary departments.
He took a question on China taking jobs from American workers as an opportunity to promote the idea of global trade. "On the economics of it, what we should be thinking about mostly is, how can we sell them more stuff?" he said.
After the Boca Raton appearance, his 22nd in Florida since becoming a candidate, Giuliani attended a private fundraiser at the St. Regis Resort in Fort Lauderdale.
Staff Writer Josh Hafenbrack can be reached at jhafenbrack@sun-sentinel.com or 561-228-5508.
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