RNC 2008 - Rudy Giuliani

Pouco depois, chegou a vez de Rudy Giuliani, ex-Mayor de Nova Iorque, abrir as hostilidades. No seu estilo pessoal - informal, familiar e, por vezes, castiço -, Giuliani chegou às pessoas e agitou as hostes, falando das grandes diferenças de capacidade entre os candidatos. Fez aquilo a que muitos chamam o «crowd energizing», aumentando a expectativa e o sentimento de luta política, tendo reacções constantes do público. Utilizou as palavras de Joe Biden e a retórica de Barack Obama contra eles próprios («Hope is not a strategy!» ficou no ouvido). Destaco, sobretudo, a defesa que Giuliani fez da experiência (verdadeira experiência, verdadeiros desafios) de Sarah Palin:

«Gov. Palin represents a new generation. She's already one of the most successful governors in America and the most popular. And she's already had more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket combined. She's been a mayor. I love that. I'm sorry -- I'm sorry that Barack Obama feels that her hometown isn't cosmopolitan enough. I'm sorry, Barack, that it's not flashy enough. Maybe they cling to religion there.

Well -- well, the first day -- as far as I'm concerned, the first day she was mayor, she had more experience as an executive than -- than Obama and Biden combined. Then she became governor. She's reduced taxes. She's reduced government spending. She's encouraged more energy exploration. She's been one of the most active governors -- she's been one of the most active governors in the country, and Alaska can be proud of having one of the best governors in the country. She's got an 80 percent approval rating. You never get that in New York City, wow. As U.S. attorney, a former U.S. attorney, I'm very impressed the way she took on corruption in Alaska, including corruption in the Republican Party. This is a woman who has no fear. This is a woman who stands up for what's right. She -- she -- she is shaking up Alaska in a way that hasn't happened in maybe ever. And with John McCain, with his independent spirit, with his being a maverick, with him and Sarah Palin, can you imagine how they're going to shake up Washington?»