(Image: CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN)
BY ALYSSA CARTEE
ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE
You're watching multisource politics news analysis from Newsy.
This Sunday-- political shows honored the tenth anniversary of 9/11 this week by hosting politicians directly affected by the disaster.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani says there were positive impacts from the tragedy.
“I think we have much better intelligence today. I think spiritually we're stronger... I don't - we have to remind ourselves of that. We were attacked with the worst attack in the history of this country and we survived it. So the terrorists thought they were gonna destroy this place, this place is twice as big as it was before.” (CBS)
Current New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told CBS’s “Face the Nation,” New Yorkers have a special purpose for the anniversary.
“I think somebody said, ‘It's not about closure. It's about-- maybe the tenth anniversary's a time to rededicate ourselves to look forward.’ And we've really been doing that. New York is back. And the terrorists didn't win. And those are the two real messages here.”
Bloomberg also spoke to the alleged threat to New Yorker’s safety because of the anniversary.
“New York is probably the safest city in the world. We have 1,000 cops dedicated just to intelligence and counter-terrorism... We have more Urdu and Pashtu speakers than the CIA. and the FBI. put together. We have 3,000 cameras. … We spend $8 and a half billion a year on our police department alone.”
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he was pleased with President Bush’s response to the attacks.
“The president was very decisive. He said immediately, ‘We're not gonna pound sand. We're not gonna simply indict some people in Abyssinia and-- and-- fire off a few cruise missiles. We're going to deal with this problem before something this bad or something worse happens to the American people. And we're gonna find ways to--to protect them.”
Senator John McCain told “Fox News Sunday” the War On Terror is far from over.
“It will be a breeding ground for this kind of hatred which has been there but has just manifested itself with the tragedy of 9/11. But we have to also understand that this is also a conflict of ideas and ideals. And I am confident that the things we stand for and believe in over time will prevail over the forces of evil but it’s going to be a long hard struggle.”
McCain also praised the work of the 9/11 commission-- saying he wishes some had followed their recommendations more closely.
“The 9/11 Commission headed by Lee Hamilton and Tom Kean did a very fine job. And they gave us a blueprint I think that both Republicans and Democrats in both administrations have followed. But I wish we had followed all of their recommendations. There are some, including a tremendous overlap and duplication of supervision and jurisdiction in the Congress, but overall, I think we have done a very good job.”
Former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz predicted an early withdrawl from the Middle East could lead to another attack.
“If we come home too fast, I think we’ll get hit again in some way we can’t predict. And if we get hit again we’ll be at war again.”
When asked about running for President, Giuliani said he won’t think about that today.
“I'm gonna sorta put my thinking off for a couple of weeks until I get over the emotion of this and-- and see where everything stands... I understand the realistic problems I'd have getting nominated. So I have to take that into consideration. And around 9/11 I don't like to think about politics as much.”
Construction on the 9/11 Memorial, including Freedom Tower is expected to continue until 2013.
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