Ron Mills- News And Commentary: Giuliani Misleads On 9-11 Response

Friday, July 13, 2007

Giuliani Misleads On 9-11 Response

Last night on Hannity Radio, Rudy Giuliani defended himself against criticism for his decision to put New York's emergency command center in the World Trade Center, by saying that in the aftermath of 9-11, they had a new command center up and running in "half an hour" at Police Academy.

But it's not true. The reality, documented in his own book (and the media) is that he and others traipsed around Manhattan for THREE HOURS trying various sites out before settling at the police academy.

From the Democratic Party's research team, here's the timeline:

Option 1: WTC 7 Evacuated Shortly After 9 AM. Giuliani wrote that "Now that the second plane had hit, the command center was being evacuated …quot; it was too near to the attacked buildings and could itself be a target...We had to set up a new command center." [Giuliani, Leadership, p. 5-6]
1 Hour Later: 75 Barclay, Picked On The Run, Is Another Brief Stop. According to Giuliani's book "Bernie [Kerik] and his staff had already identified a building at 75 Barclay Street, just northeast of 7 World Trade Center." [Leadership, p. 6] He wrote that "at about 9:50 A.M. we commandeered the offices at 75 Barclay." [Leadership, p. 10] There the group was trapped and had to escape through the basement into 100 Church Street [Leadership, p. 12]

Another 90 Minutes Later, Tower 1 Falls, Government "No Longer Had A Place To Work." Giuliani wrote that after Tower 1 fell at about 10:30 AM, "There was no way to find out what was going on." [Leadership, p. 15]

Now NYPD Searching For New Command Post, Hotel Tribeca Grand Rejected On Arrival. "Bernie had sent a couple of his guys ahead to the Tribeca Grand to set up phone lines and clear the place out, like a scouting party in an Old Western." Finding this space unsuitable, the group moved on again. [Leadership, p. 15]

Next Stop: Locked Out From Firehouse With A "Couple of Working Phones." Giuliani wrote that as they continued to seek a new command post, "Somebody mentioned Engine Company 24, a firehouse at Houston Street and Sixth Avenue. We made our way the few blocks north." [Leadership, p. 15] Because the firefighters were at the World Trade Center, the door was locked and "the entire city government…quot;mayor, deputy mayors, commissioners …quot; spent several minutes trying to get into the firehouse." [Leadership, p. 15] Once inside "we found a couple of working phones. [Leadership, p. 16]

Three Hours Later, At Noon: City Government Finally Settled At Police Academy. After a continuing search for a workable location, "Bernie [Kerik] had heard back from his scouts and suggested the Police Academy on 20th Street." [Leadership, p. 19]

"We arrived about noon, and nearly every member of my administration crammed into the small administrative offices. Soon we were at work, planning our response." [Leadership, p. 19]