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CNN Live Event/Special
America's New War: Giuliani Finds Time To Walk Bride to Alter
Aired September 17, 2001 - 04:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: New York's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, rather, is widely seen as having shown impressive courage and leadership after these attacks. Even his political enemies say that he's done much to help the city through possibly its most difficult period ever.
And now as CNN's Candy Crowley reports, he's trying to get New Yorkers to believe that happier times may eventually be possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunday, the mayor of New York put a smile on his face, a tux on his back, and escorted a Brooklyn bride down the aisle. He was making good on a promise he made several weeks ago, to the mother of the bride, who told him she had lost a son, a husband and a father within the last year.
RUDY GIULIANI, MAYOR, NEW YORK: I asked her how she bear it, and she said because she feels the pain of it, she allows the pain to happen, but then she focuses on the good things that are left in life, like her daughter's wedding. And that's what you have to do, she said. You have to focus on the good things in life.
CROWLEY: For a city that's endured five days of bottomless grief and endless agony, focus on a good thing seemed like the right thing. But then, Rudy Giuliani has been doing a lot of things right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's such a strong man, I think he carries everybody with his strength.
CROWLEY: There are raves for his honor in nearly every corner of this vast, aching city.
They applaud as he walks by now, a salute for a guy who seems never to sleep and nearly always to know the answer.
GIULIANI: Basically, what the medical examiner needs are toothbrush, hairbrush, items, personal items, that would contain cells, hairs, that you can use to do DNA analysis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's giving the public information as he gets it. He seems to be very thorough and on top of things.
CROWLEY: Within hours of the twin tower attacks, Giuliani had twice addressed his city, shaken but steady with a gut instinct for what needed saying.
GIULIANI: We ask the people of New York City to do everything that they can to cooperate, not to be frightened, to go about their lives, as normal. Everything is safe right now in the city.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has really just been an inspiration of leadership and of stability and made us all remain calm and comfortable here.
CROWLEY: Term-limited, the mayor is in his final months. After seven-and-a-half years, his exit has been to now singularly ungraceful, captured fairly efficiently in a short exchange with the press last June over questions about a messy private life.
GIULIANI: Don't be a jerk. Thank you. I said, don't be a jerk.
CROWLEY: Tenderness, caring and empathy have not been hallmarks of his tenure, until September 11th.
GIULIANI: And people should know that they're not alone, that there are a lot of people suffering with them, there to help them and support them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's -- comes cross very caring and very sympathetic and, yeah, very sincere. And he's very certain.
CROWLEY: He has been known as a mayor who made the city work with a tough, no-nonsense approach. Criticized as combative and uncompromising, this week he was praised for it.
GIULIANI: One of the best things they can do to show how strong we are and how terrorists can't cower us is not to be cowered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For a city like New York, we need a tough mayor like him, no matter how you look at it.
CROWLEY: Politically, Governor George Pataki and Mayor Giuliani have never cared much for each other, but they have bonded over their care for this city.
CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK: For our governor and our mayor, for being with us at every step along the way.
CROWLEY: You would not be surprised to know that on the street they're saying they wish Giuliani could run for mayor again now, and perhaps he will run for something again soon, but whatever happens, this much remains, in New York's worst hour, Rudy Giuliani gave his best. When his city was in danger of crumbling, Rudy was a rock.
Candy Crowley, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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