Rudy says McCain helped rally GOP support for bailout

By Brian Lawson, PolitickerNH.com Reporter

MANCHESTER-- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani credited John McCain with helping to rally Republican support for the financial bailout legislation that failed in the House of Representatives.

Giuliani made the comments while campaigning in New Hampshire for Executive Councilor Ray Wieczorek (R-Manchester).

"I believe Senator McCain did a very important thing last week when he suspended his campaign, went to Washington, tried to put things together. I think it was mistake for the Democrats to reject him the way they did," Giuliani said at a press conference with local reporters. "I think that Senator McCain actually, in spite of that, played a role in bringing a lot of Republicans along. I think there were only like two or three Republicans supporting it when Senator McCain went there and something like 70 or 60 now support it. I think if everybody can play more of a collaborative role Senator McCain can bring more of them in."

The bill was defeated in the House by a 228 to 205 vote. One hundred forty Democrats voted in favor of the bill and 65 Republicans also voted "yea."

Giuliani also blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not being able to get enough Democrats to vote for the bill.

"I know, simplistically, people want to blame it on the Republicans, but the House Speaker wasn't about to bring along a third of her own members," he added.

Tomorrow Giuliani will attend two economic roundtable discussions on behalf of John McCain and Sarah Palin.

BRIAN LAWSON is a PolitickerNH.com Reporter and can be reached via email at brian.lawson@politickernh.com.

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Comments

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee

posted by jefflz

what else would you expect from Rudy. He is cut from the same cloth as McCain. Birds of a feather. House Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri is a lead negotiator. In an interview on MSNBC, Blunt said Republican presidential candidate John McCain's involvement in the discussion yesterday ``stopped a deal from finalizing.''McCain politicized the process by trying to look like he was in charge. There are 12 Republicans who today have caused every retirement portfolio to loose huge amounts of money. These people have to be held responsible for holding this nation hostage to their power play. This is classic rump Republican tactics. Bush has lost all credibility and has no power over his own party. Are we supposed to believe McCain is in charge? That is a scary joke.

09/29/08 8:53 pm

How much is John McCain's reckless Ambition Worth?

posted by Roark S

Answer: -777 points on the Dow, and over $1 trillion drop in market value.

He clearly failed to rally the support needed to pass the bill, and instead, through his political grandstanding, emboldened house republicans to resist the bill.

So let me see if I follow this theory. John McCain did a good job because he persuaded 60 or so republicans, and Nancy Pelosi failed because she rallied the rest of the 205. Which is more than 60. And she failed because she failed to deliver the remaining 9 or so votes. The republican mode of reasoning is getting more and more foreign to me. Do they think people are stupid?

09/30/08 12:04 am