The GOP presidential hopeful had known the Steak Stuffers' owner many years before.

George Van Wyck had a hard time convincing some of his regulars that Rudy Giuliani -- yes, that Rudy Giuliani -- was coming to Van Wyck's sandwich shop Friday afternoon.

Van Wyck wasn't even so sure himself.

"I got off the phone and said to my wife, 'You're not going to believe this.' "

But there the former New York City mayor and Republican presidential hopeful was, as promised, a few minutes past 3 p.m., shaking hands and signing autographs and sitting down to a sampling of the menu at the Van Wyck's Steak Stuffers restaurant, 1932 E. 51st St.

"Great sausage," Giuliani told Van Wyck.

The two had met many years ago when Van Wyck owned four Steak Stuffers restaurants in Philadelphia, but Giuliani visited Friday on the recommendations of U.S. Rep. John Sullivan and his predecessor, Steve Largent, both Republicans representing Oklahoma's 1st District.

Both are regular customers, Van Wyck said.

Unlike other presidential candidates, Giuliani commonly schedules public appearances such as Friday's in conjunction with fundraisers.

After a fundraiser late Friday at the Summit Club downtown, Giuliani was to fly to Ada and a session with the patrons of the Blue Moon Cafe.

That accessibility could be one reason Giuliani is an unlikely favorite among Oklahomans in general and Oklahoma Republicans in particular.

Despite a liberal record on social issues and a tumultuous private life, Giuliani is leading GOP candidates in the state at the polls and at the bank.

"He's a great speaker, and he's very experienced," Nate Waters of Tulsa said.

Then, taking a dig at GOP candidate Fred Thompson, Waters added, "Rudy's not an actor. He knows what he's talking about."

Pat Highland of Broken Arrow said of Giuliani: "I don't agree with him on social issues, but I'm here to see what he has to say. I'm very interested in his stand on terrorism."

Nearby, Nancy Parsons of Skiatook said, "We need leadership, and he has shown leadership ability."

Swinging from the heels at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton doesn't hurt Giuliani in Oklahoma, either.

In brief remarks, he again criticized Clinton for what he called "a vicious attack" on Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Clinton this week questioned the accuracy of some of Petraeus' remarks during his appearance before a Senate committee to which she belongs.

Giuliani said his ability to defeat Clinton is one reason he should get the Republican nomination.

Not everyone at Steak Stuffers was a fan, though. Two Ron Paul supporters showed up with campaign signs, and Joe Picorale of Broken Arrow began shouting at Giuliani as the event wound down.

"What about the first-responders who are dying?" Picorale asked, a reference to New York emergency workers who are suffering from respiratory illnesses after working at ground zero, where the World Trade Center crumbled after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

But Picorale was a minority of one, drowned out by by chants of "Ru-dee! Ru-dee!" as Giuliani climbed into a white SUV and drove away.

Randy Krehbiel 581-8365
randy.krehbiel@tulsaworld.com