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9/11 Families, Firefighters Protest Giuliani's Orlando Appearance
Posted: 11:48 am EST January 21, 2008Updated: 2:50 pm EST January 21, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani made a campaign stop in downtown Orlando on Monday morning at the presidential ballroom at Church Street, but he wasn't alone. September 11 families and New York firefighters protested outside.
VIDEO: Protestors March Outside Giuliani's Orlando Stop
VOTE 2008: Special Section On Local, National Elections & News
Protestors say Giuliani lied to the public about his 9/11 record and they say they traveled to Orlando because they believe he can't be trusted.Giuliani greeted supporters in downtown Orlando after he was introduced by Orlando native and New York Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon.In front of a banner that read "Florida Is Rudy Country," Giuliani said the two most important things during the election are economic and national security. But protestors outside Giuliani's rally don't believe he's qualified."I need to make sure everyone knows the truth. That's all I ask," said Maureen Santora.Santora said her son was riding in a fire truck on his way to the World Trade Center on September 11 before he died. She said Giuliani endangered the lives of firefighters and emergency personnel before and after September 11 by not improving or updating technology and not unifying New York's command structure.Santora and about a dozen others said they had defective radios, poor equipment and were lead by an Office of Emergency Management that was deemed useless and unimportant by the 911 Commission."We just feel that we need to educate Florida, which he's counting on for a win," she said.Eyewitness News tried to talk to Giuliani about what Santora and others had to say before he was escorted away without commenting.The protestors are backed by a union called the International Association of Firefighters. It has more than 280,000 members nationwide.Other Republican candidates were also making their rounds in Central Florida on Monday. Mike Huckabee is scheduled to greet supporters in Orlando on Monday afternoon. Mitt Romney started his day in Jacksonville and then plans to make stops in Daytona Beach, Orlando, Titusville and Cape Canaveral. John McCain is spending the day in MiamiThe Democrat candidates are skipping over Florida during their campaigns since the state refused to move back its January 29th primary.
VIDEO: Protestors March Outside Giuliani's Orlando StopVOTE 2008: Special Section On Local, National Elections & NewsProtestors say Giuliani lied to the public about his 9/11 record and they say they traveled to Orlando because they believe he can't be trusted.Giuliani greeted supporters in downtown Orlando after he was introduced by Orlando native and New York Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon.In front of a banner that read "Florida Is Rudy Country," Giuliani said the two most important things during the election are economic and national security. But protestors outside Giuliani's rally don't believe he's qualified."I need to make sure everyone knows the truth. That's all I ask," said Maureen Santora.Santora said her son was riding in a fire truck on his way to the World Trade Center on September 11 before he died. She said Giuliani endangered the lives of firefighters and emergency personnel before and after September 11 by not improving or updating technology and not unifying New York's command structure.Santora and about a dozen others said they had defective radios, poor equipment and were lead by an Office of Emergency Management that was deemed useless and unimportant by the 911 Commission."We just feel that we need to educate Florida, which he's counting on for a win," she said.Eyewitness News tried to talk to Giuliani about what Santora and others had to say before he was escorted away without commenting.The protestors are backed by a union called the International Association of Firefighters. It has more than 280,000 members nationwide.Other Republican candidates were also making their rounds in Central Florida on Monday. Mike Huckabee is scheduled to greet supporters in Orlando on Monday afternoon. Mitt Romney started his day in Jacksonville and then plans to make stops in Daytona Beach, Orlando, Titusville and Cape Canaveral. John McCain is spending the day in MiamiThe Democrat candidates are skipping over Florida during their campaigns since the state refused to move back its January 29th primary.
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