Giuliani to Testify Before 9/11 Panel

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May 19, 7:09 AM (ET)

By DEVLIN BARRETT

(AP) New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, left, President Bush, right, and New York Gov. George Pataki look...
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NEW YORK (AP) - Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose steady, reassuring presence after the Sept. 11 attacks led some to dub him "America's mayor," was no stranger to prickly public confrontation during his years as head of City Hall.

That experience may come in handy Wednesday, when Giuliani could be forced - or feel compelled - to defend the work of his most trusted aides before the Sept. 11 commission.

On Tuesday, his deputies were publicly challenged over what some panel members said were long-running problems with the city's emergency response systems.

"The mayor's prepared to present the facts tomorrow," said his spokeswoman Sunny Mindel, adding he is "very sympathetic and empathetic" to the families of the 2,749 people killed at the World Trade Center.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040519/D82LK0RG0.html