Giuliani campaign visits Columbia
Published Dec. 23, 2007
Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani's campaign trail hit a rough patch this week after two stops - and an unexpected overnight stay - in Missouri.
While most of his opponents campaigned in Iowa this week to collect support for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, Giuliani made two stops in Missouri, which holds its primary elections Feb. 5.
As the 63-year-old former mayor of New York was departing the swing state Wednesday after stops in Kansas City and Columbia, he began to experience a headache and, according campaign officials, "flu-like symptoms."
The flight was rerouted to land in St. Louis, and Giuliani was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where he remained until Thursday afternoon.
Giuliani campaign spokesman Elliott Bundy said the former mayor was feeling under the weather Wednesday, but that he would continue along his campaign trail after his release from the hospital.
Before his unplanned stay in St. Louis, Giuliani made an appearance in Columbia but was delayed because - as U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., announced to a standing-room-only crowd at the Holiday Inn Select - "the airplane died on him," and that he was traveling to Columbia by automobile from his previous stop in Kansas City.
Giuliani was originally scheduled to begin his speech at 2:15 p.m. but did not arrive at the hotel until after 3 p.m.
Awaiting his arrival near the edge of the hotel parking lot were supporters of candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who toted signs and began to chant the congressman's name as Giuliani walked through a crowd of his supporters toward a CNN interview area set up in the parking lot, where he was interviewed live by Wolf Blitzer.
Giuliani took the stage by about 3:45 p.m. and gave a speech and fielded questions from the audience directly thereafter.
Before his arrival, Republican lawmakers from Missouri - from both the state and national levels - that have publicly pledged their support for Giuliani's campaign took to the stage to discuss political issues and the candidate.
Bond praised Giuliani's experience as a two-term mayor of New York and his response following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
"He's a man of optimism, a man of hope, of enthusiasm and great belief in people." Bond said.
In an interview, Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, said he supports Giuliani because of his views on foreign policy and the national economy.
"I think he's very strong on national defense and a balanced budget," Robb said. "The rest of it is just fluff."
Jed Smock, a Columbia resident widely known as Brother Jed, was in attendance at the event and said he was a Giuliani supporter.
"I believe he's the strongest on national security and the war on terrorism." Smock said.