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Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York City during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. He commonly cites his work to help victims and rebuild the city after the tragedy as one of his political accomplishments.
He also cites the tragedy to criticize political rivals. In his role as a surrogate for Donald Trump, he most recently used it to attack Hillary Clinton while at a rally for Trump in Ocala, Florida.
“I was there that day,” Giuliani told the crowd. “I don’t remember seeing Hillary Clinton there.”
Technically, Giuliani’s assertion is true. On the day of the attacks on Sept. 11, Clinton, then a senator repreenting New York, was not in New York City, but in Washington, D.C. However, neither were most government officials, including former President George W. Bush, who learned about the attacks during a visit to an elementary school in Florida, before flying to various Air Force bases and finally back to D.C. Most of the people at ground zero the day of the attack were victims or first responders.
However, if the implication Giuliani was trying to make is he did not see Clinton in New York City to help with the aftermath of 9/11, there’s plenty of evidence that proves otherwise. Not only was Clinton in New York City the day after 9/11, getting one of the few flights going into the city with fellow New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, but photos show her standing right by Giuliani surveying the damage.
Giuliani said he heard Clinton say she was there that day. It’s unclear where he heard Clinton say this, since she has said in multiple interviews that she was in D.C. She did describe the aftermath she saw on Sept. 12, 2001 in a recent interview with CNN, but never claimed to be in the city that day.
Giuliani apologized Wednesday for claiming Clinton had said she was in the city on Sept. 11.
“I made a mistake. I’m wrong and I apologize,” Giuliani told The Associated Press.
After Giuliani’s comments, CBS News reporter Sopan Deb said Trump has made unproven remarks that he helped after the attacks as well.
Giuliani has previously credited Clinton for her help in getting aid to the families of victims of the attacks a few months ago. In July, he said Clinton had been “enormously helpful” after 9/11.
“Hillary Clinton, like Senator Schumer, like the entire Senate and House of Representatives, like every Republican and Democrat that I know, was enormously helpful. She and Senator Schumer and [now] Senator Gillibrand and Representative Peter King were probably some of the most helpful in getting aid for the families of 9/11 victims,” Giuliani said.