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American Morning

America's New War: Giuliani For Another Term?

Aired September 24, 2001 - 09:02   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: Well, the Associated Press and the "New York Daily News" are both reporting that Mayor Rudy Giuliani wants to remain mayor of New York, and he may have something to say about that today.

More on this now from CNN's Maria Hinojosa.

Nice to see you in person for a change. Usually, I'm talking to your reports on camera.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you, too, Paula.

Well, Paula, up until last night, Mayor Giuliani had essentially been saying that he was not interested in running, or he was not clear, that he wanted the election to go on without him. Then last night some of his friends started saying that perhaps he had changed his mind. And interestingly enough, what had happened was that when I was out in Central Park yesterday, even people who said that they really disliked Mayor Giuliani for the four or even eight years, they were having a change of heart as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was never a supporter of the mayor until two weeks ago, and now along with a lot of other people I think he is marvelous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'm voting for Bloomberg. I mean, I would like Giuliani. I mean, if he could still stay, I would definitely, you know, vote for him to stay another term.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not even sure who I want to vote for anymore. I mean, honestly, if I could vote for Giuliani again I would, and not just because of what went down the last 12, 13 days. I always thought he was probably the best mayor that we have ever had.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HINOJOSA: Now, the mayor is expected to speak to New Yorkers at 9:45 this morning, and we don't exactly what he is going to say, but whatever happens, it will be complicated. We don't know if the mayor is going to say he wants to stay on for six months, for a year, for another four years. But this is a situation where the city council has to get involved, Governor Pataki, even perhaps the federal justice department would have to get involved to approve any kind of change in what's happening in the democracy.

And many of the Democratic leaders, at least, are saying, is this a time when we really want to change the Democratic rules of the game, at a time when democracy has been attacked? So we will just have to wait and see to hear what mayor Giuliani has to say, Paula.

ZAHN: Have you been able to get any reaction from all the men who will be racing in a primary tomorrow for this job.

HINOJOSA: This is where it gets complicated, because, essentially, they have to decide, do I come out and support the mayor in this? Does that mean that my campaign just goes by the wayside? They have been very quiet up until now, their campaigns have been suspended since September 11th. So we haven't heard much, though they have been opening the doors as to any position that Mayor Giuliani might take on once they were elected mayors, and whether or not that door is open or how large that door is open, we still don't know. It is very much up in the air, Paula.

ZAHN: Maria, thanks so much for that report.

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