HENNIKER, N.H. - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said that America must "stay on offense" against terrorism, addressing a crowd of 400 packed into a small conference hall at New England College.
Giuliani's actual speech lasted only 10 minutes, followed by nearly one hour of answers to 15 questions from the audience.
One audience member asked Giuliani how far he would take electronic surveillance and interrogation policies in the war on terror, citing recent criticism of the Bush administration on those issues.
Giuliani did not condemn Bush's policy, pointing out that America has not been attacked since 9/11, although he and others in law enforcement had predicted more attacks.
"The only way you're going to prevent another September 11 from happening is by being aggressive," he said.
When the World Trade Center was attacked in 1993, Giuliani said, the terrorists were declaring war on the United States, and the 9/11 attacks proved their intentions.
The questioner threw his hands up, asking, "So no rights?"
"You have more freedom than anyone in this world has ever had, and no one is taking that from you," Giuliani said.
Referring to his experience as U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York, Giuliani explained how a terrorist has never knocked on his door to say "we're going to have an attack two days from now." None of the aggressive counter-terrorism policies, he said, violate fundamental free rights. For example, Giuliani said that individuals are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures, but reasonable ones are lawful.
"You don't have a complete right to free speech; you don't have a complete right to own or possess guns," he said. "Liberty and the preservation of it is a balance. It's not that you can just do anything that you want to do."
The former New York City mayor emphasized his supply-side economics policies of less government interference, speaking from experience in New York.
As mayor, Giuliani cut taxes 23 times, turning a $2.3 billion budget deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus. Giuliani claimed his tax cuts caused a 40 to 50 percent raise in tax revenue because more businesses came to New York as people started more businesses there.
"The Democrats threaten all of that by raising taxes and over-regulating," Giuliani said.
Regarding the popular universal health care issue, Giuliani supports market-based health care plans, not a version of socialized medicine that is run by the state. Giuliani advocated health vouchers for those who do not have health insurance.
Dartmouth College Republicans member Max Copello '09 said that Giuliani "hushed up his critics who say he's inexperienced" on Tuesday.
In a Washington Post-ABC News poll released last week, Giuliani led Arizona Sen. John McCain 33 to 21 percent among Republican and Republican-leaning voters asked which candidate they would vote for in the primary. Former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., both trailed behind with 9 percent each.
Responding to a question about repeating sexual offenders, Giuliani said that America ought to consider jailing these criminals "for very long periods of time."
"If they get caught for a second offense, then you should really start thinking about not letting them out," he said.
Speaking about the Virginia Tech shooting, Giuliani expressed frustration that the gun laws regarding mentally disturbed people in Virginia were not applied effectively. If they were, then the attack could have been prevented.
Switching gears to globalization, Giuliani said that China and India's burgeoning economic markets successfully bring 40 to 50 million people out of poverty per year. He encourages looking at these markets not as threats but as opportunities.
"Think like a business," he said. "That's a lot of new customers for the United States."
Giuliani stressed energy independence through developing alternative energy that the United States can sell in emerging markets around the world to help turn around the trade deficit.
Dave Connors, a 69-year-old resident of Warner, N.H., who has trained 3,600 soldiers in the military, said that he endorses Giuliani for his ability to get things done.
"Leaders are made, not born," he said. "Giuliani knows how to lead and bring people together to make decisions."
