Giuliani Focuses on Sept. 11 in New Ad

Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007 | 5:21 a.m.

TITLE: "Freedom."

LENGTH: 1 minute.

AIRING: National cable, Florida, New Hampshire.

SCRIPT: RUDY Giuliani: "Right before Sept. 11, and months before, I had read this book about the greatest generation written by Tom Brokaw. And the book explains how brave and how persistent and how courageous the people were in the generation that won the Second World War. And during the day of September 11, living through the things that I saw and observed, immediately when I saw people helping each other, I saw the picture of the firefighters putting the flag up, I said these are the children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the greatest generation. They have the same resolve. The same understanding.

"When you challenge Americans, there's no country that stands up stronger and better than the United States of America. When you try and take something away from us like freedom, my goodness, Americans are going to be one in resisting you.

"So, the Islamic terrorists would make a terrible mistake if they confuse our democracy for weakness. Our democracy means we disagree with each other, but when you come and try and take away from us our freedom. When you try and come here and kill our people, we're one and we're going to stand up to you and we're going to prevail. I'm Rudy Giuliani and I approved this message."

KEY IMAGES: Photos of World War II soldiers in landing craft, a woman welding, the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. Images of firefighters at ground zero during the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Triumphant servicemen. A moon landing and the space shuttle lifting off. A young boy and a man in silhouette standing before the flag.

ANALYSIS: The ad Giuliani watchers have been waiting for. How would the former New York mayor use the 9/11 terrorist attacks in making his pitch to voters? For weeks, Giuliani has portrayed himself as the leader who oversaw the social and economic turnaround of a city. But he had kept his role during the hours and days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks out of his ads.

Now, with the New Hampshire primary less than two weeks away, Giuliani draws attention to that tragedy with a national ad meant to get widespread attention. The ad tells a narrative about unity against outside threats. Giuliani establishes the foundation by referring to Brokaw's book, "The Greatest Generation." When he speaks of 9/11, Giuliani describes what he saw, not what he did. The images illustrate Americans fighting challenges - victory in World War II, the United States winning the race against the Soviet Union to place a man on the moon.

As other candidates begin to make their closing statements by depicting themselves as the right leader for the times, Giuliani tries to capitalize on what polls show could be his biggest asset - the candidate who would stand up to terrorists.

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Analysis by Associated Press Writer Jim Kuhnhenn.

On the Net: http://www.joinrudy2008.com/