Wednesday, April 22, 2009

RUDY GIULIANI THANKS FIREFIGHTERS FOR MAKING HIM RICH, FAMOUS AND MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER BEFORE


By : Mr. Rudolph W. Giuiliani, “America’s Mayor;” Former Mayor of the City of New York (1994-2001); Senior Partner, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, A Law Firm Specializing in Service to the Fossil Fuel Energy Industry (2005-present); Director and Founder, Giuliani Partners LLC, a Leadership Consulting Firm Specializing in Courage & Integrity for Corporations and Governments (2002-present); Director, Founder and Shareholder, Giuliani Capital Advisors LLC, an Investment Bank Specializing in Bankruptcy Consulting (2002-present); Desirable Speaker on the Lecture Circuit (2002-present); United States Attorney (1981-1989); Presidential Candidate (2008); Leader; Orator; Hero; Scholar; Author of the Bestseller Leadership; Enemy of Enemies of Freedom; Crimestopper; Graduate, New York University School of Law cum laude (1968); Millionaire; Republican; Yankee Fan.

I have lived a great life. It’s amazing, but my career just keeps getting better. I thought I had reached the top as New York City Mayor. Then September 11, 2001 happened. On that terrible day, many heroes died. But I stepped up to the plate and gave this Nation hope. I provided determined leadership at a time when the country seemed lost. At the time, it looked like I genuinely cared about the tragedy that befell the City and the Nation. I told the press that we had lost more people in the attacks “than we could bear.” That struck a chord. My words and actions told people I was not only a great leader, but also a caring human being with feelings. The whole world was looking at me. Overnight, I became a superstar.

After the smoke cleared, my term as Mayor ended. I suddenly found myself a national celebrity. My career boomed like never before. I have been very successful in my life (look at my resume), but I have never been as successful as in the years after September 11. People wanted to hear me talk about leadership, courage, dedication, honor, self-sacrifice and perseverance. This suited me fine; I wasn’t mayor anymore, so why not go into private business? I just give the people what they want. I get phone calls from everyone. They all want me to speak out at some function or other. They all want to hear my voice. They want inspiration from “America’s Mayor” to guide them through tough times. Everyone from South Adelaide Children’s Cancer Hospital in Australia to Belt Parkway Community College in Brooklyn books me for speaking engagements. I am always happy to oblige. Since 2002, I have become a regular on the speaking circuit. I talk about September 11, freedom, terrorism, sacrifice, vigilance, leadership, principle, high ideals and other values that make people feel all gooey and proud. I enjoy it, too, even if the coffee and food is bad in some lecture halls.

But inspiration costs money. I don’t speak for free; hiring “America’s Mayor” for a lunch chat is a major expenditure. My speaking fees start at $100,000 per engagement, plus travel expenses. If a school can’t fork over the cash, the students do not get to hear me talk about nail-biting emergency response, vigilance and security measures. I won’t even talk about how I reduced crime in New York using Federal money in the 1990s. In fact, without full payment in advance, my lips are sealed; I won’t even show up at your campus. I have more lucrative business to address.

People have criticized me for charging too much. But not everyone is “America’s Mayor.” When you hire me, you are not hiring some two-bit “motivational speaker” with a polyester jacket and a toupee. You are hiring the King of New York, the man who took on bin Laden and won. When I speak, you hear real words of wisdom, not corny slogans recited from a cheap overhead projector. In short, I am worth every penny, because not everyone is a leader like me. How can you criticize me? I defeated the terrorists. I protected you. Don’t I deserve some compensation after a lifetime serving this country? And how can you criticize my speaking fees when a crook like Bill Clinton racks in mucho speech cash every day? Sure, he might donate his fees to charity, but the fact remains: He charges a lot, too. And let’s be honest here about making money: Don’t hate; appreciate. I am just living the American dream.

Since 2002, I have averaged about $8,000,000 gross from my speaking engagements. But that is not my only income source. After realizing how much people liked me, I decided to start some consulting firms. Giuliani Partners LLC offers top-notch professional advice on leadership, crisis management and organizational culture for business and government. After all, companies like take-charge guys like me. When CEOs and business managers saw me on TV marching through dust-covered streets on 9/11, they said: “Now look at him! That’s a can-do guy! We need guys like that in our boardrooms!” Sure enough, once I left the Mayor’s office, my phone started ringing off the hook. Just about every Fortune 500 Company wanted some leadership tips from Rudy. I brought in some old hands from the Mayor’s office and we started giving private speeches to business leaders all over the country. We taught them about emergency procedures, integrity, values, security, accountability and ethical organizational structures based on principles. And I believe in equal opportunity: I even provide advice to companies I used to prosecute as U.S. Attorney. I have a good heart; I can let bygones be bygones. I love this country because we forgive even those who trespass against us.

Our consulting fees begin at $1,000 per hour per consultant or $125,000 per month for straightforward cases. Most companies don’t complain about the cost; they can afford it. And quite honestly, we provide real value. After all, wouldn’t you love to know that Rudy Giuliani certified your corporate culture and emergency response protocols? Wouldn’t you love to know that Rudy Giuliani gave his seal of approval to your security measures? Of course you would. That is why we deserve to be well compensated for our services. To be blunt, I know what I’m talking about. Not everyone can claim to have single-handedly defeated al-Qaeda, taken down the mob in New York, inspired a Nation, banned bad art from Brooklyn museums, imprisoned slander-spewing “artists,” stopped crack dealing in Washington Heights, cleaned up the streets, brought tourism back to Times Square, jailed the junk bond swindlers and chased the homeless from Manhattan. But guess what? I have done all these things and more. I have cultivated a culture of success. And when I consult, I put that culture to work for my clients. If you can’t afford me, well, what can I say? You can’t afford the best. You’ll have to take your chances or hire some low-grade hustler to manage your security needs.

Since September 11, I also have had time to write. In 2002, I published Leadership, a biographical memoir detailing my response to the terrorist attacks and the values that make me so great. I highly recommend reading my book. You might learn something about character, values, determination, integrity and purpose for your life. It is essential to be modest; but it is also essential to give credit where credit is due. Put simply, all the critics agree that Leadership is a tour de force from “America’s Mayor.” It is a “must-read” for anyone who wants to learn “effective management strategies” from America’s most experienced manager. These are their words, not mine. Don’t take my word for it; I am just telling you what the critics said. Do yourself a favor: Read Leadership. Be a leader. Learn from the best.

Sometimes I wonder: How would my life have turned out if September 11 had never happened? Would I be charging $100,000 per speech in North Dakota if my career as Mayor ended quietly? Would I have written bestsellers about crisis management, leadership skill, national pride and terrorism? Would I have been speaking at the Republican National Convention in 2004, then running for President myself in 2008? Would people have sought me out as a consultant on leadership issues? Would I have started my own investment bank? I readily admit that 9/11 boosted my image beyond all recognizable bounds. Before 9/11, people criticized me as a mean-spirited, boastful, unrepentant, petty, oppressive tyrant with a Napoleon complex. After 9/11, my critics vanished and I became an unassailable American hero in the same league as Nathan Hale and George Washington. No one dared say anything bad about the man who saved this country from terror. Perhaps if September 11 had never happened, I would have faded into relative obscurity as “just another former New York Mayor,” like poor old Abe Beame or—worse—David Dinkins. That thought bothers me. That is why I am grateful to all those who helped me win my fame. I am talking about the firemen.

Who can forget the firemen? I honor you for rushing into those burning towers. People remember you. When they think 9/11, they think about you. Your sacrifice provides me with endless material for speeches, anecdotes and consulting strategies. When I talk about courage, integrity and dedication, I mention you. Sure, I was courageous, dedicated and fearless when I coordinated disaster relief on 9/11. But you are the real heroes. You charged into burning buildings and died trying to save people. What a story. People always respond to it. It is a rhetorical gold mine; it just keeps on giving. I have been telling your story for almost 8 years now and I still get phone calls asking me to tell it again. I am a hero, too, but your bravery allows me to illustrate my theories about heroism, sacrifice, honor and freedom with real examples. Your bravery allowed me to write a bestseller and pursue my political ambition to the highest levels of American government. I am eternally indebted to you. I am not indebted to you in a legal sense, but you know what I mean.

I fought al-Qaeda on 9/11 and gave a Nation hope. You died to save others. Nonetheless, you are not as successful as I am. I use your stories to win consulting jobs and gain oil industry clients for Bracewell & Giuliani. Everyone wants to hear about the firemen. I tell them what they want to hear. When I talk about leadership and courage, I mention you. You have propelled me to national stardom. Thanks to you, I am at the top. I have never been so rich or famous; and I am not coming down. On the other hand, assuming you survived the collapse, you likely have life-threatening respiratory illnesses. You live on meager pension checks. You probably suffer from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. I am very sorry for that. But that’s the way life goes. I cannot offer you employment at this time, nor can I support you financially or medically. All I can say is that I am doing fine. My prostate cancer is in remission and I am doing extremely well financially.

My heart and my thanks go out to all the New York firefighters who participated in rescue efforts on 9/11. You made my career what it is today. I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors. God bless you.

If you wish to hire me for a speaking engagement at a Fire Department function, please contact my agent to discuss fees.

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