ITA with Damian.

If this were his first appearance at the annual remembrance, I would understand the outcry. But he's been there each and every year. As mentioned above, had he not come, he would have been criticized for being too wrapped up in his campaign to remember the victims and their families. As usual, people are not happy unless they have something to be offended and outraged about.

Tammy P, Brunswick, Ohio

Without 9/11, Giuliani is consigned to the dustbin of history and thankfully forgotten. He has ridden tragedy to personal enrichment and been proclaimed a hero while doing so. He did nothing that that Bloomberg would not have done better. Why was the NYC Command Center in the WTC? Rudy put it there. Why were emergency radios so woefully inadequate? Because Rudy didn’t give the issue the managerial attention it deserved. Giuliani gave no credit to an agency (NYC Transit) that offered immeasurable help in the aftermath. Why? Because it wasn’t an agency under HIS direct control. Pataki would have gotten that credit. Even in tragedy he played politics.
On one horrific day he managed to conduct a press conference without wetting his pants and sounded empathetic while doing so. Those visuals erased the realities of his prior performance. Those who now believe him to be a leader we need also believe Bush was the Second Coming. You people need to start packing. Rapture starts at 6pm sharp.

Edward C. Marczewski, Bethpage, NY, USA New York

Thank God for President Bush. I fear the day for the United States if democrats rule the White House. I can see the U.S. being attacked if Hillary or Osama (er, Obama) wins the election. The dems have no backbone and feel that diplomacy is the only way to have peace. You don't negotiate peace with killers. You wipe them out before they wipe you out.

Vince Chiaravalli, Traverse City, MI

I think it is absolutely horrendous that Rudy insisted on speaking. He should have shown even just a little integrity and sat with the rest of the mourners and not spoken.

He like many of us knew too many lost that day. He alone used it to make a personal fortune for himself and his closest staffers and commissioners. He may say that he's not running on 9/11 but there hasn't been an instance around the campaign trail when he hasn't mentioned 9/11 and his role which seems to grow daily in it.

The 9/11 Commission Report hasn't been as complimentary to RUdy as of course he's been to himself. But they based their assessment on facts on the ground and he's basing his assessment on what he needs it to be to carry him into the White House. Lack of viable plans even though WTC had already been a terrorist target, that he knew for years that the firemen didn't have the radio communication they needed, that there was no inter-agency communications .. all of which were his direct control.

Katy, New York, NY

Most of the so called firemen who are complaining, are the “Union” bosses – They are part and parcel of the Democrat Party – At the memorial service at Madison Square Garden, Hillary Clinton was booed by the rank and file NYFD and NYPD! People seem to forget it is the Islamic Extremists and OBL that should be blamed for what happened on September 11, NOT President Bush, or Giuliani! The USA is an extremely open society, and it that which allows the likes of the 19 Islamist Fascists to enter the country, move around the country, and eventually try to destroy it! When will people understand that there is an agenda on the part of these extremists to conquer the world and covert it to ISLAM! Europe wake up before it is too late, it may already be too late in France and the UK, but not in the USA. Even Switzerland is waking up to threat of criminal elements in the immigrant community and plan to deport such individuals. Peace!

Jeff, Fort Myers, FL

NYC can count itself blessed that Rudy was Mayor the day this heinous attack took place. As a former New Yorker, who left Manhattan for good before Giuliani took office, I can say upon revisiting in 2004 that Giuliani did wonders for a city that was on the ropes in the early 1990s. And he came through like a real leader should when it counted most. If Giuliani can do for the whole of the U.S. what he did for New York both before and after 9-11, then ideology and politics aside, he could make the best president this country has had since JFK.

Bruce Dorminey, Valdosta, USA/GA

How ridiculous to have some people wonder why he is there. Of all the people in attendance, former Mayor Giuliani SHOULD be there. What politics is being played is by the Fireman's Union bosses that are in Hillary's back pocket. They should be ashamed of themselves for making such a comment. The headline of this article is in typical of what the press has been doing to politicize the event. Do the reporting and keep opinions on the editorial pages.

Mitch Malcolm, Marion, Iowa

Giuliani's use of HIS role in the 9/11 disaster should come as no surprise to anyone cognizant of U.S. political history. At least HIS was an 'accidental' involvement.

FDR used the 'surprise' bombing of Pearl Harbour to retain the presidency and Eisenhower, Kennedy and George HW Bush each played up THEIR WW2 records for political gain.

Is this limited to Americans? We now know Hitler's conspirators arranged the burning of the Reichstag to gain the Chancellery - a lesson from the deliberate sinking (marine archaeologists proved) of the U.S. battleship Maine which propelled Teddy Roosevelt to the presidency.

"Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser" (Patton). Savvy power seekers understand this and (some) will stoop to ANY despicable deed to exploit it - even the deaths of thousands of their own.

NYC authorities could’ve saved many that day by installing escape systems such as these http://www.escapeconsult.com/ - will they now?

Larry, Middletown, USA/NY

I don't see any problems with him trying to exploit the event for political gain. After all, that was what the whole thing with 9/11 was about - political gain. Bush cetainly imporved in the polls as a result of 9/11.

Dave, Daylesford, Australia

Candidate or not for the US Presidency, and like him or not, Giuliani was Mayor of the CIty of New York on this sad day a mere six years ago, when the Manhattan skyline was forever changed by suicidal agents of the forces of hatrred.

Six years ago, knowing what he knew then-not what hindsight and revisionism tell us today-Giuliani rose to the challenge when he valiantly picked up the blood soaked gauntlet tossed upon New York.

Giuliani was on the ramparts strewn apart by the sub-humans whose vile actions on 9.11 broke our hearts, while steeling our national resolve. The vermin like promoters of Islamic fascism and terrorism shall not be victorious any more than were their Nazi predecessors; but they too will ultimately be vanquished by the resolute dedication of the rational freedom loving peoples of a united world...regardless of who is the next occupant of the most expensive public housing project in the United States, to wit The White House.

Edward B (Woody) Ryder , greenlawn, USA/NY

Rudy Giuliani now claims to be an expert on terrorism solely based on the fact that he was Mayor of New York on 9/11... that's rather like the mayor of Nagasaki claiming to be an expert on nuclear weapons, isn't it?

Keith England, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Rudy Giuliani deserves great praise for how he and all New Yorkers responded on September 11th.

It's so very easy with hindsight to say this or that should have been done, but who ever thought airplanes would be flown into the Towers. It was the type of action that no one could prepare for - the actions of madmen are totally unpredictable.

I won't vote for Rudy on the basis of September 11th, but I certainly will honor him for how he acted then.

Linda, New York City, USA

This is a non-news story, whipped up for political reasons.

He was the mayor when the disaster happened. Can you imagine the outcry if he did not attend the ceremony?!

Damian, London, Uk