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CNN Live Event/Special

Giuliani and Tom Ridge Tour World Trade Center Site

Aired November 16, 2001 - 07:41   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we take you straight back to ground zero where Governor Ridge, Mayor Giuliani are taking some questions.

TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR: It is the victims we will always remember. Their courage and their heroism and the result of those who responded so quickly and the resolving commitment that you and everybody else have in this community, to rebuild and to be bigger and stronger in the years ahead.

That's New York. That's the spirit - that's the spirit that America has captured and seen reflected through you, reflected through the men and women who rushed into a 100-story burning building to save their fellow citizens - people they didn't know. I mean literally stories of people running from blocks away into the towers to try to help.

And I think those who would undermine our way of life and those who would bring this tragedy to the greatest city in the world have picked the wrong city, the wrong country, the wrong leaders. As I said to somebody the other day, you had to be living in a cave not to know that we'll work through this and be bigger and stronger in the - in the years ahead.

But I'm grateful that you take the time - I just wanted to reiterate one more time that the president has made a commitment to you and to this city, to take care of the recovery cost; to replace the public infrastructure; to work with you on economic development issues; and it's a minimal $20-billion commitment and I just wanted to assure you on behalf of the president of the United States, that is his word is as good as gold ...

(CROSSTALK)

RIDGE: And if you need the $20 billion, you probably will - you're going to get it.

MYR. RUDY GIULIANI, NEW YORK CITY: Thank you very much.

We know that and the president has made that point over and over again, and we're absolutely confident that that's the case, and so far the money that we've asked for we've gotten just as quickly as we've asked for it and the reality is that we've gotten more help than we've even asked for. The cooperation on the part of the Bush administration and the federal government has been absolutely 100 percent. And I thank you very much for it.

RIDGE: Thank you very much. Thanks mayor.

GIULIANI: Questions (INAUDIBLE).

QUESTION: Just wondering in look, when you look at the scene in person, does it change your perception? Is it bigger ...

(CROSSTALK)

GIULIANI: Well I'm -- I've told the mayor when I was governor of -- we had this tradition in Pennsylvania -- we have The Pennsylvania Society of New York that comes here the second weekend of every December. Over 100 years we've been doing it and we have frequented this area, and I actually hosted events in the windows of the world and (INAUDIBLE) the day it occurred my stomach was turning and my heart was beating faster and walking out there with the mayor.

I mean it just -- it just affects -- it affects you physically because of the sacrifice and the heroism and the courage and but when you see it in person, it does affect you -- it affects you at a very real and a very personal and a very emotional way. But I think the other thing that you take -- the other quality that you take away from this is that the resolve and the -- and the courage and the commitment that the men and women who responded -- those first responders and the sustained resolve and optimism that is reflected in the mayor; reflected in the workers; and reflected in this city. But your stomach turns. Your heart beats faster. The sacrifice and the courage, it's palpable.

QUESTION: The mayor has a lot more work to do here ...

RIDGE: Sure does.

QUESTION: ... in New York before he leaves office. Would you -- wouldn't you like to see him come down to Washington and ...

RIDGE: I would like to see the mayor after his extraordinary stewardship, relationship in this city. I think the mayor ought to do whatever he wants to do.

(CROSSTALK)

GIULIANI: I got to tell you a great story. I've got one of the people we first - we got on our staff is a former lieutenant at Ladder Company 12 (ph) here - Mike Burn (ph). He was working - he's working for the federal emergency management - where's Mike? There he is - come on Mike. And Mike was telling me that several years ago when he was still working for the fire department in New York - it was like two or three in the morning - I don't know whether it was a main break or a fire and he turned around and 3:00 a.m. in the morning he said, there's the mayor. He said mayor, did you get any sleep? So I think the mayor's stewardship and leadership of this city particularly before the crisis and since this challenge, he's earned the right to do whatever he wants to do rather than what other people want him to do. But as we all know, the mayor make up his mind, and he'll do what ...

(CROSSTALK)

RIDGE: ... he thinks is right for him and this city.

GIULIANI: You try to get rid of me ...

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Clearly, a very relaxed Rudy Giuliani and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge. The conclusion of their remarks after Governor Ridge toured the site and one of the most interesting phrases that New York - will click (ph) up New Yorkers ears was the promise by Governor Ridge to - do you want $20 billion to rebuild New York, we'll give it to you. That happens to be considerably less than Governor Pataki asked for when he made his last trip to Washington - something clearly that'll be debated down the road. But once again, the governor saying the terrorists picked the wrong city and the wrong country to launch these horrific attacks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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