GIULIANI TO LEADERSHIP 100 “I THINK I AM’
Naples, FL – Rudy Giuliani told some 500 people attending the Leadership 100 Conference here tonight, “You may want to ask me if I am going to run for President and the answer is, ‘I think I am’.” His remarks were in response to accepting the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence, the first time the 721-member Greek American organization that supports the ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, gave the award to someone outside if its community.
In his keynote address before the organization, Giuliani, who has been traveling across the country since launching an exploratory committee to run for President, spoke of his admiration for the late Archbishop Iakovos, whom he said had consoled him when he lost his first bid in running for Mayor of New York, said that sometimes “you learn more from losing than from winning”.
The former Mayor, who gained national attention in his leadership of the city and nation during the tragedy of September 11, delighted the audience by praising Greek Americans has playing a key role in preserving their Orthodox faith and Hellenic heritage, values, he said, that are at the very basis of our respect for human life, our democratic freedom and our civilization. “By preserving these values you not only help yourself, but all of us.”
Citing the terrorist attacks on America, Giuliani said Americans don’t want to be at war, but “they attacked and are at war with us.” He said the country is not going in the wrong direction and that we have nothing to be pessimistic about and that we can solve the problems of terrorism, energy, education and immigration from strength. He said no nation has had more wealth and opportunity and lifted more people out of poverty.
Regarding immigration, the former Mayor said, we should recognize that we are the nation everyone wants to come to and that groups like Greek American, who have preserved their traditions, while successfully integrating as Americans, should be role model for others.
The Grand Banquet ended the four–day 16th Annual Leadership 100 Conference. Leadership 100 Chairman, George D. Behrakis, spoke of the record increases in membership, contributions,investments and assets, but stressed to increased commitment of the organization to the ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church and in promoting Orthodoxy and Hellenism in America.
Archbishop Demetrios of America, the Primate of the Church, reminisced on being with Mayor Giuliani on September 11 and credited the Mayor with exhibiting exemplary leadership, speaking of the response that day as having met an “explosion of hatred” with an “explosion of love”.
