Thread: Bomb threat snags Giuliani campaign stop in Florida

Bomb threat snags Giuliani campaign stop in Florida Wed Jan 9, 6:42 PM ET



MELBOURNE, Florida (Reuters) - Republican Rudy Giuliani, who regularly touts his leadership of New York City during the September 11 attacks, saw his plan to jump-start his presidential campaign tripped up by a bomb threat in Florida on Wednesday.

ADVERTISEMENT


The threat threw off his schedule and reduced the turnout for the former New York mayor's speech in Melbourne from what his campaign manager Bill McCollum said was initially expected to be "several hundred" people to about 50.

The anonymous threat was called into the headquarters of communications equipment maker Harris Corp at about the same time Giuliani's plane landed at the airport for his scheduled appearance at the company, according to Melbourne Police Commander Ron Bell.

All 500 Harris employees were evacuated and sent home while the presidential hopeful waited at the airport for police to secure a hangar as an alternative site for the event and check reporters and supporters with bomb-sniffing dogs.

"There was no specific threat made to Mayor Giuliani at any time," Bell said.

An hour behind schedule, Giuliani, with former Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes positioned behind him, spoke about his tax reform plan, which includes proposals for cuts in income, corporate, estate and capital gains taxes.

"This is about taxes and making sure this country remains strong," Giuliani said.

After the speech, Giuliani declined to answer a reporter's question about whether his campaign strategy was working.

Giuliani did poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two high-profile contests in the state-by-state votes to pick the Republican candidate for November's presidential election, after spending little time or money in either state.

Giuliani has spent considerable time in Florida, however, and hopes a victory in the state's January 29 primary will give him momentum for "Super Tuesday" on February 5, when more than 20 states hold nominating contests.

McCollum insisted the campaign was on track.

"Florida has always been the target. I think it's a good strategy and it will work and it is working," said McCollum.

(Reporting by Barbara Liston; Editing by Tom Brown and Eric Beech)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080109/pl_ ... iuliani_dc

It appears that we have a very emotional elections on the horizon.

Dixie