Giuliani says it’s time to fight for McCain

Rudy Giuliani asked an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 people today at a rally in Mesilla to prove the polls wrong and elect John McCain on Tuesday.

In a speech full of shots at Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson and the media, the former GOP presidential candidate and New York mayor said the polls have been wrong before.

“You gotta go get them,” Giuliani told those in attendance in urging them to find friends and family members to take to vote on Tuesday. “… New Mexico is so important to winning this election, and we can do it.”

Giuliani’s was the latest in a series of high-profile visits to New Mexico as McCain makes a play for the swing state. McCain is trailing in most polls here and across the nation, but his campaign insists he can prevail in New Mexico, and it’s trying to win over conservative Democrats and others who may still be undecided. Two weekends ago, Sarah Palin was in Roswell. Last weekend, McCain was in Albuquerque and Mesilla. In addition to Giuliani’s visit, Mitt Romney was in Farmington and Albuquerque today. McCain will be in Roswell on Monday.

Speaking on a small, outdoor stage at a park in Mesilla, Giuliani seized on Biden’s recent statement that Obama would face an international crisis in his first six months in office “to test the mettle of this guy.” Giuliani said McCain has spent a lifetime proving that he’s tough.

“Nobody tested Ronald Reagan. Nobody tested Dwight Eisenhower. And, you know, nobody’s going to test John McCain,” Giuliani said. “… We have someone ready to be in the White House. We have someone who’s proven that he can handle crisis. John McCain spent more time in the Hanoi Hilton than Barack Obama has spent in the Senate.”

Giuliani also used a Friday statement by Richardson to attack Obama on taxes. Richardson said Obama would give a tax cut to those making $120,000 and under. Obama has most often said his tax cut would apply to those making less than $200,000, but once said it would apply to those making less than $150,000. Biden also confused the issue by using the $150,000 number.

“I’ll tell you why they can’t get their stories straight — because they’re not telling the truth,” said Giuliani, who pointed out that he’s a former prosecutor.

Giuliani then used the redistribution-of-wealth line of attack to accuse Obama of socialism.

Speaking about the edge Obama has in the polls, Giuliani called Obama “media-anointed” and poked fun at his celebrity. Making fun of the stage on which Obama gave his acceptance speech at the Democrats’ presidential nominating convention in August, Giuliani said Obama plans to erect “temples” at his inauguration and arrive on stage through a cloud of smoke.

“Isn’t the best thing we can do mess that up?” Giuliani asked, to which the response was a resounding “Yes!” and loud applause.

Miranda Thomas, 9, was dressed as Palin at the event. While attacking Obama as inexperienced, Giuliani asked the girl to join him on stage. He took the opportunity to praise Palin and, referring to Thomas, said she “is a lot better prepared” than Obama to be president.

In contrast to Obama, Giuliani said McCain “has been fighting for us since he was a teenager.”

“Now it’s time for us to fight for him,” Giuliani said.