September 27, 2007
NEW YORK - Republican presidential candidate
Rudy Giuliani met privately Wednesday with Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani and indicated that he would
keep a U.S. presence in Iraq for as long as
necessary, campaign aides said.
The former New York mayor is one of the few GOP
candidates who has never been to Iraq. Talabani, in
New York for the U.N. General Assembly, provided
what Giuliani aides described as an optimistic
report about progress in the region during the
meeting.
Giuliani, in turn, emphasized his support for a
unified Iraq and indicated that he would keep a U.S.
presence in that country for as long as necessary,
aides said.
The Republican front-runner in national polls has
long backed the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq as well as
this year's troop build-up. He often answers
questions about the war by deferring to military
commanders and has waded less into the specifics of
how he would handle the conflict if he were to win
the presidency. |
Presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Rudy
Giuliani, left, meets with Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007, in New York
|
The downside of a presidential bid was evident
Wednesday as Giuliani's campaign said its top
finance official, deputy campaign manager for
finance Anne Dunsmore, had left the operation. Aides
said the departure, days before the Sept. 30
deadline for reporting fundraising for the third
quarter of the year, was amicable and was unrelated
to fundraising.
Republican fundraiser Jim Lee will now serve as
national co-chair and head the finance operation,
with day-to-day responsibility for all fundraising
operations.
Giuliani was raising money Wednesday in New Jersey,
attending a fundraiser for Somerset County
Republicans and a house party where givers were
being asked for $500 per person. Polls show Giuliani
leading the Republican field in New Jersey.
AP
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