Republicans hear Rudy; Democrats gather with state, U.S. reps

The former mayor of New York urged support for President Bush.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- Politicians and political celebrities visited the Mahoning Valley on Sunday, urging people to get to the polls.
A standing-room-only crowd of about 150 people filled Mahoning County Republican headquarters on U.S. Route 224 to hear former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. His message was to get people to return President Bush to the White House for four more years.
Earlier in the day, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, and state Representative Sylvester Patton spoke at a rally at the Buckeye Elks Youth Center on Youngstown's North Side to drum up support for U.S. Senator John Kerry. Patton is challenged this year by Nicholas Keller in the 60th District.
Said country is safer
Giuliani said that since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the country has been safer under Bush's watch. Since 9/11, the war on terrorism has been justified, he said.
"It's a war with an enemy that we didn't start," he said to chants of "Rudy, Rudy."
"We don't have a choice. They came here and attacked us," he said.
Giuliani said that Bush will not allow Osama bin Laden to influence the election, and that the president will continue to support troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We need George Bush more than he needs us. He will continue to make us safe against terrorists," Giuliani said.
Strickland and Patton, who took part in a Vote or Die Rally, blasted Bush's record. The rally was set up to get minorities to vote Tuesday. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was supposed to appear at the rally but was unable to make it for undetermined reasons.
Cited problems
Patton said that under Bush, 400,000 Americans have lost their health-care coverage, unemployment for blacks has increased statewide and nationwide, and the United States has suffered the credibility loss in the eyes of its allies by its handling of the war in Iraq.
"It's time to make a change. He refuses to admit he's done anything wrong. It's a recipe for disaster to go down the same path," Patton said.
Strickland speculated that if Al Gore had become president in 2000, our foreign policy and priorities would be different.
"If Gore won, we would not be in a war today," he said. "If we weren't in a war, over 1,100 of our troops would be alive today."
Strickland predicted that Kerry, if elected, would reach out to our allies and either get out of Iraq or ensure there's enough soldiers to do the job.
Strickland blasted the Bush administration for cutting funds for job training programs, Head Start and health-care benefits for veterans.
Celebrities
In other campaign activity Sunday, a caravan of celebrities organized by Bring Ohio Back, an Ohio-based nonprofit political group, stopped in the Valley. About 300 attended a rally with the celebrities at Youngstown State University. Among those stars attending were Hillary Swank, Julianna Margulies, Chad Lowe, Matt Dillon and Timothy Hutton.
The celebrities then went door-to-door in Girard to encourage residents to vote on Tuesday.
Michael Reagan, the syndicated talk show host and son of the late President Reagan, was to be in the Valley today. He was to make stops in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties in support of Bush.