Giuliani courts Springs

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 10, 2007 at midnight

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COLORADO SPRINGS — Greetings of "Hello, Mr. President" and cries of "How about them Yankees?" greeted Rudy Giuliani Friday when he campaigned at a restaurant before heading off to two pricy, invitation-only fund-raisers.

The presidential candidate and former New York mayor mixed small talk, about growing up in the Bronx and such, and the serious, fielding questions about illegal immigration and energy.

"I like your golf courses," he told patrons at the Olive Branch, as they finished their omelettes. "It's my wife who skis."

Giuliani wouldn't address comments made earlier in the day by rival Mitt Romney, who claimed his opponent operated "a sanctuary city" where illegal immigrants were protected when he was mayor. Giuliani said he believed in Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment of not speaking ill of fellow Republicans.

Instead, Giuliani talked about how the crime rate fell when he was mayor.

"My response is you have to look at the results. New York City had the least amount of illegality per capita of any major city in the country and I brought that change about," Giuliani said.

"When we came into office, New York City was the crime capital of America. When I left office, it was the safest large city in America in just about every single category, which means it had the least amount of illegality of any kind, whether you're talking about illegal immigrants or illegal Americans," Giuliani said.

Giuliani signed dozens of autographs — on T-shirts, his own campaign literature, his book, even a copy of his speech on the third anniversary of Sept. 11.

The terrorist attacks came up several times as he shook hands throughout the restaurant.

"I was in D.C. on Sept. 11," 29-year-old Jacob Bennington called out when Giuliani arrived. "I could see the smoke at the Pentagon."

Democrat Mary Piche later called him a "viable candidate."

"He's like a lot of people in this country. He's liberal socially and fiscally conservative," the Colorado Springs resident said. "I think that's how most Americans are."

Former state Rep. Barbara Philips, R-Colorado Springs, said she believes Giuliani is the best candidate to face a Democrat in November 2008. One reason she supports him is because of his pro-choice stance on abortion while he was mayor.

"If he can just get to that general election he can win," she said. "But getting there is so hard with our system, especially in El Paso County. I hate to say it, but you have to be pro-life here to win."

Philips said seeing Giuliani in person took her by surprise.

"He looks so much taller than he does on TV," she said, echoing the comments of at least two other patrons.

Giuliani also attended fund-raisers at the Broadmoor and at a reception in Aspen.

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