Rudy! demeans the Ground Zero workers

It is one thing for Giuliani to wrap himself in the 9/11 mantel and perform his patented America’s Mayor kabuki but there is a whole other level of egomania at work here.

Speaking to reporters at a Cincinnati Reds ballgame he caught between fund-raisers, the GOP front-runner said he helped 9/11 families and defended himself against critics of how he managed the attack's aftermath.

"This is not a mayor or a governor or a President who's sitting in an ivory tower," Giuliani said. "I was at Ground Zero as often, if not more, than most of the workers. I was there working with them. I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to. So in that sense, I'm one of them."

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.

Rudy! just walked into a political hornet's nest. Pissing on the sacrifice those that worked Ground Zero is a big no-no. The backlash on this thing is going to hurt him badly, as well it should.

UPDATE: Well that didn't take long. Rudy! is already backing away from his incredibly stupid statements but it looks like his damage control is a little too late.

Giuliani's explanation further angered his ground zero critics, prompting several to issue a statement demanding an apology.

"He is such a liar, because the only time he was down there was for photo ops with celebrities, with politicians, with diplomats," said deputy fire chief Jimmy Riches, who spent months digging for his firefighter son.

"On 9/11 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don't think he's taken a shower since." [Emphasis mine]

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some Democrat needs to hire this guy as their spokesman.