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Giuliani stuffs in a Tulsa stop

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani (left) talks with Steak Stuffers owner George Van Wyck as he samples the restaurant’s food during a campaign stop Friday. STEPHEN HOLMAN / Tulsa World
 
By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
Published: 9/15/2007  2:55 AM
Last Modified: 9/15/2007  2:55 AM

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

By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer

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Ray Smith, Tulsa (9/15/2007 4:21:48 PM)
I hope that nobody is stupid enough to vote for ghoulianny just because he dropped in the Full Moon and said he liked the food. Many people base their vote on stuff like that.

Ron Paul in 08 - a return to real freedom

Report Comment
David Malcom, New York, NY (9/15/2007 5:05:21 PM)
I think Rudy Giuliani is going to make a great president. This country needs someone we can trust and it's obvious that Ron Paul and of course our friend Hil had many issues with trust in their careers.
Report Comment
Derek, Columbia, MO (9/15/2007 6:58:44 PM)
Rudy can be summed up in one sentence: The ends justifies the means.

Can't people see that he has no "anti-terrorism" experience? He was the mayor of New York when 9/11 happened. That gives him zero experience, he just has name recognition from it. The firefighters of New York hate him. He is an authoritarian that abuses people's rights. Do some research on him and you will find he was corrupt as the Mayor of NYC. We have seen no evidence that he would be anything but corrupt as President also. He mouths Hillary because he knows that anti-Clintonism resonates with the Republican party. Look a little closer and you will see that Hillary and Rudy are a lot more similar than you would like to believe.

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johnnyb, Amarillo, Tx (9/15/2007 7:09:15 PM)
What are you talking about David Malcom?

"it's obvious that Ron Paul and of course our friend Hil had many issues with trust in their careers."

Study up on Ron Paul a little bit and I bet that you will realize that he is the most honest man in government, and in no way should be placed in the same catagory as Hillary who makes Slick Willy look like an amatuer when it come to being full of crap.

Just read up on Ron Paul, and I think that you will see that we have never had a more moral, principled and consistent man run for office since Washington.

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mike, afton (9/15/2007 7:34:47 PM)
Look at his past. How many mistresses and other things came to light after he left office. I wouldn`t trust him as far as i could throw him. There`s not a nickels worth of difference between the two parties. I`ll vote for the best person for the job.
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V. Thompson, Tulsa, Ok (9/16/2007 8:32:47 AM)
You think Rudy Guilanni is great....yea right...great at adultery, kicking his wife out of Gracie Mansion in NYC, while laying up with his new woman in the same house....and as far as 9-11 goes, Rudy is despised by the New York Firefighters (they're really the true heros of 9-11)...Americans are always getting things twisted. Wake up..9-11 happened on Bush's watch...and we have all seen he is incompentent on every level. Rudy will follow in his vile footsteps.
Report Comment
Yoda, 74105 (9/16/2007 12:08:16 PM)
All politicians are corrupt, duh. You guys are all kidding yourselves if you think a republican will be voted in again. Who the heck is Ron Paul anyway? America's main political problem is we've pigeon holed ourselves into a 2 party system. Thank the media, money, and greed for that. Hence, all politicians are corrupt.
Report Comment
Joshua, (9/17/2007 9:21:51 AM)
The 800 pound gorilla in that room was the

new Oklahoma state legislation against illegal

immigration. No mention of that in the article.

Report Comment
M ike Cantrell, Ada (9/21/2007 6:54:45 PM)
In my view Rudy is a breath of fresh air. He is not perfect and doesnt claim to be. He may be wrong on an issue or two,but unlike most other politicians you know where he stands and he doesnt change to run for President.
 

 
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