The Daily Background

I’ve been reading everybody’s thoughts about Rudy Giuliani’s recent comments, equating himself to a 9/11 rescue worker, and claiming that he risked the same health effects as people who worked at ground zero for hours every day for months and months at the time, including those who have died as a result of their health problems (video of his claims is above). I agree with Todd Beeton’s take over at MyDD, that Giuliani has delusions of grandeur.

What’s the reaction of the 9/11 rescue workers themselves? Outrage:

His statement rang false to Queens paramedic Marvin Bethea, who said he suffered a stroke, posttraumatic stress disorder and breathing problems after responding to the attacks.

“I personally find that very, very insulting,” he said.

“Standing there doing a photo-op and telling the men, ‘You’re doing a good job,’ I don’t consider that to be working,” said Bethea, 47.

Ironworker Jonathan Sferazo, 52, who said he spent a month at the site and is now disabled, runs a worker advocacy group with Bethea and called Giuliani’s comments “severely” out of line.

“He’s not one of us. He never has been and he never will be. He never served in a capacity where he was a responder,” Sferazo said.
[…]
“[Giuliani] is self-absorbed, arrogant and deluded,” said [International Association of Fire Fighters] spokesman Jeff Zack.

Added Battalion Chief John McDonnell of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association in New York, “I have a real problem with that statement. I think he’s really grasping and trying to justify his previous attempts to portray himself as the hero of 9-11.” Fire Captain James Riches, whose son, also a firefighter, died on 9/11 was even more blunt, saying “That’s insulting and disgraceful. He’s a liar.”

Finally, here’s a video of John Graham, a 9/11 rescue worker featured in SiCKO, responding to Giuliani’s remarks and promoting a fundraiser Michael Moore will be holding for people like him.

Filed under: Z-TDB Blog