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CNN Live At Daybreak

Spirit of America: Can Rudy Run For Three

Aired September 24, 2001 - 07:01   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: And, will New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani run again despite legislation that says he can't? Well, the New York "Daily News" reports this morning that Giuliani plans to ask law makers to repeal term limits.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He gets the most applause, this lame duck New York mayor, whose leadership during this crisis has attracted worldwide praise.

UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN: He had a lot of things that might have to be said.

HINOJOSA: So is there any way, asked some New Yorkers, this mayor can be mayor again?

UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN: I'd like him to stay around for a little bit longer, until the mess is cleaned up and people calm down a little bit.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI (R), NEW YORK: The mayor has been a great mayor. And I'll tell you, if I were a resident of New York City, I'd write him in. But the primary will go forward. The election will go forward.

HINOJOSA (on camera): Making a third term possible for this Republican mayor is nearly impossible, say election officials. New York limits its politicians to two consecutive terms, including write- ins, because that's what voters asked for. So the Democratically controlled state assembly or the heavily Democratic city council would have to overturn the will of the voters.

UNIDENTIFIED OFFICIAL: Our political calendar is closed as far as opening up new candidates for the election. I believe Rudy Giuliani has done an excellent job in this crisis but I also believe we live in a democracy.

HINOJOSA (voice-over): The leading Republican mayoral candidate says the issue is settled.

UNIDENTIFIED MAYORAL CANDIDATE: That would not happen. That scenario would not happen, I don't think so.

HINOJOSA: Voters are mixed about another term for Giuliani. A recent poll showed that more than 90 percent of New Yorkers feel Giuliani is doing a good or excellent job following the attack. But those same voters oppose eliminating term limits so he can run again by a margin of 57 to 33 percent.

Giuliani has said he's ready to step down on December 31. but would he want to stay on.

LARRY KING, HOST: If they could change the law, would you stay?

MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK CITY: I don't know. I don't know. I really have not had a chance to think about that and I don't know what the right, I don't, I honestly...

KING: Yes?

GIULIANI: ... have not had time to -- I talked to the -- I talked to people about that today. I don't know what the right thing to do is. I do not know.

HINOJOSA: For such a decisive mayor, it seems this is one decision he won't get to make.

Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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