Giuliani endorses Mitt Romney, slams Obama, at GOP Victory Office in Boca Raton
By Dale M. King
BOCA RATON – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was back in Boca Raton last Friday to stump for presumed Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and to offer an intense indictment of President Barack Obama — from his failed economic policies to his wishy-washy support of Israel.
Out of a door at the back of the long, thin office that houses Romney’s victory headquarters in the Fifth Avenue Shops plaza, Giuliani emerged just a few minutes past his appointed 4 p.m. speaking time. He was hustled to a riser where he stood next to Republican congressional candidate Adam Hasner to deliver his blistering speech listing Obama’s faults and failures. About 200 people packed the room.
The ex-mayor of the Big Apple roasted Obama in the blisteringly hot office, chiding the chief executive for continuing his failed effort to boost economic growth. Giuliani, a 2008 president hopeful who spoke that year at the Boca Raton Marriott, talked of “horrible” economic numbers that came out that very day.
“This morning’s numbers on the growth of our economy were so horrible, so anemic, [1.5 percent], that Barack Obama should have walked outside the White House and apologized to the American people,” Giuliani said. (The Commerce Department had announced the figure for economic growth in the second quarter of the year Friday morning.)
“I guarantee you that if we elect Mitt Romney, our economy next year will boom,” said Giuliani, who praised the successes of the former Massachusetts governor while blasting Obama for his string of shortfalls. He said voters this November should give the White House to “someone who is successful.”
After taking the president to task, Giuliani noted that while Romney is traveling to Israel, Obama has not been to the Jewish state since becoming president.
“He had time to go to Egypt. He had time to kiss the hand and bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia. He’s had time to do thousands of fundraisers and play hundreds of rounds of golf and he hasn’t had time to go to the state of Israel,” Giuliani said. “This president is better to our enemies than he is to our friends.
Giuliani is no stranger to Boca Raton. He frequents the community as a visitor, and became friends with former Mayor Steven Abrams following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks when Boca was in the midst of an anthrax scare also tied to terrorism.
Last Friday was a two-banner day for local Republicans. Not only did they greet Giuliani at the Victory Office in East Boca, but they held a grand opening for another political gathering spot at the Boca Greens Shopping Center at 19635 State Road 7 in West Boca. The GOP held a meeting that included a candidates night and also featured live music, the National Anthem sung by Lou Galterio, food and door prizes.
