Legal Commentary

McCain Embraces Giuliani's 'Tough on Crime' Stance

By TChris

John McCain's approach to crime:

Asked what he would do about crime, Mr. McCain pointed to Rudolph W. Giuliani’s success lowering crime in New York City.

You'll recall that the Giuliani approach sacrificed civil liberties for "safe streets" and encouraged the NYPD to engage in misconduct and brutality. New York City residents who were homeless, particularly those who tried to make a living by washing windshields with squeegees, were endlessly harassed so that more affluent residents could have a better "quality of life" (i.e., a life that didn't expose them to the less fortunate). Giuliani is not a model we should want anyone to emulate. [more ...]

It isn't surprising that Giuliani was a fan of harsh law enforcement tactics. Remember that Giuliani refused to condemn waterboarding or, for that matter, any other specific form of torture when questioned during the primary debates.

When questioned about rampant police misconduct during the Giuliani administration, McCain did say he would "commit to using the Justice Department to investigate accusations of such misconduct." But that empty promise echoes the sudden enlightenment that Giuliani claimed after the police torture of Abner Louima became headline news. Giuliani apointed a "task force to review police-community issues" and "immediately criticized the task force's majority report."

The mayor complained that the task force had ignored the drop in crime in the city.

In Giuliani's world, the ends justified the means. This is McCain's crime-fighting hero?

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 02, 2008 (boomark / email).