Blogs for Rudy is proud to present the following interview with the new Sr. Communications Advisor for the Rudy Giuliani campaign, Mike McKeon. Mr. McKeon served as New York governor George Pataki’s Director of Communications, and as the Governor’s chief spokesman. He was responsible for overseeing the State’s crisis communications, during and after the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Prior to joining the Pataki administration in May 1995, McKeon worked for more than 10 years as a reporter for three New York newspapers, winning several awards for local and political reporting.
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KWN: What drew you to Mayor Giuliani’s campaign?

MM: I’ve known Rudy and his team for a long time. We worked very closely together during 9/11 when I worked for Gov. Pataki, so I’ve seen Rudy in action up close at a time that was of critical importance to our country. So I came to have a great deal of respect for the job he did at the time.

KWN: For those that may be unfamiliar with New York, could you explain the differences between what it takes to accomplish a conservative agenda there versus other parts of the U.S.?

MM: In NYC they have a city council that I think at present has three Republicans and 59 Democrats. In NYC, a moderate Democrat is kind of an oxymoron, at least among the elected officials. There are only a handful of people that I think would even want you to describe them as moderate. At one point there was a candidate running for office in Manhattan here who when he knew that I was going to be on TV talking about his race urged me to describe him as “ultra-liberal” because that was better for him and his campaign. It just happened to be true, so I was happy to do it because he is ultra-liberal. That’s the kind of situation that you have here in the city. So it’s very difficult in that kind of setting to get the kind of things done that Rudy did. It made his accomplishments all that much more significant I think. When you consider the fact that he cut taxes 23 times here in NYC, when you have a city council that has to approve the budget that is overwhelmingly Democrat, which is overwhelmingly self-described as very liberal; then you really get a great appreciation for the kind of job that he did. When you consider the fact that he reduced welfare to record lows… Those are tremendous accomplishments in a city that is 5-1 among Democrat to Republican registered voters. So I think that his accomplishments in that regard are really truly heroic, and required him to demonstrate the kind of leadership that this city hadn’t seen and needed badly.

KWN: Would a good example of the misunderstanding of the way NY politics work be the debate surrounding Rudy’s judicial appointments?

MM: Well, you know there are only so many people to choose from in Manhattan and I think Rudy, when it comes to finding kindred spirits, did as good a job as possible. And when you look at the record on crime, and you look at the historic reductions in crime, it wasn’t because he was shy and retiring and just allowed it to happen, it was because of his active leadership.

KWN: As a top strategist and Chief Spokesman for campaigns that resulted in the two largest margins of victory for a Republican in New York State history, you must have unique insight into what it takes for a Republican to win in Blue States. What should a Republican do to have success in Blue State America?

MM: I think Rudy speaks to that. His whole campaign, his whole person speaks to that. He’s a guy who unites people and draws people from all spectrums to his side. He provides the kind of leadership qualities that we need right now, especially in these troubled times. So I think in the first instance Rudy does very well with voters around the country because they saw him in action themselves. He was on their TV screens everyday for many, many days in a row during a very difficult time for this country. So they came to see him, they came to know him, they came to respect him. But if people understand that that kind of leadership extended itself to reducing crime by historic amounts, by cutting taxes twenty-three times, by reducing the size of government, reducing welfare rolls to historic lows; they’re coming to see that this is a guy who we can unite behind to lead this country. He provides the kind of leadership we need across the board and is a unifier. So I think that’s reflected in the polls in both the Republican primary and the general election. He’s got the numbers that bare out his tremendous record.

KWN: The latest Rasmussen survey showed Rudy pulling 20% of Democratic voters away from a Democratic candidate. Conversely, we know from the crosstabs of GOP polls that Rudy’s base of support is from the most conservative and strident Republican voters, the voters that have stood by President Bush through thick and thin. Is it a miscalculation for someone to believe those two things must be mutually exclusive? Is it realistic to expect that trend to continue to a significant degree as the campaign progresses?

MM: Yes, I would think that that would absolutely continue and even grow. Because I think that a lot of Republicans desire strong leadership in a very difficult time and view Rudy as the guy that can provide that kind of leadership. Democrats on the other hand, Rudy is a guy that can bring the Reagan Democrats back into the fold and he cannot just carry the Red States but some Blue States as well. He has very broad appeal and it all stems from the kind of leadership that he brings to the table. And as people learn more about his record; you know people care about their pocketbooks, the war and the troubled times and the leadership that we need. But they also care about their pocketbooks and Rudy is a guy who has cut taxes, he reduced the size of government, he reduced the welfare rolls, he’s someone that people, across the board, can embrace.

KWN: You were responsible for overseeing the State’s crisis communications during and after the September 11th, 2001 attacks, what would be one thing that you would like to convey to people that were not in NY about that day?

MM: I think there was a heroic response by a lot of people, and it took strong leadership from Rudy Giuliani, from Gov. Pataki and others to really pull together. The kind of leadership that Rudy demonstrated was tremendous: it was hands-on, on-the-ground. But there was also such a great degree of compassion for the people that were lost and for the things that happened that day. It was the kind of leadership you really hope for in an elected official. It’s lucky and fortunate to find. It’s so rare. I think people will remember that, and they value it.

KWN: What is your opinion of the IAFF controversy?

MM: I think there is always going to be some individuals that harbor their own agendas. The truth is that he remains immensely popular among the rank-in-file firefighters. The bottom line is: you saw him, I saw him, everyone all over the country saw him on their own TV sets. They have their own informed opinions because they watched him, they listened to him, they saw for themselves. So if a couple of people or union officials have gripes I think people are going to recognize that for what it is and it’s really not going to have much baring on people’s opinions and impressions because they formed them themselves. I don’t need the media to tell me how Rudy did on 9/11. I don’t need the union officials to tell me how he did on 9/11. I saw him myself. I have my own opinions, and they’re deeply held.

KWN: Mayor Giuliani has stressed the importance of nominating constructionist judges. What is it in Rudy’s personal political philosophy that makes that characteristic so critical?

MM: Well, I think that’s who he is. Working in the Reagan White House, working in the Reagan Justice Department he developed an appreciation early on for judges who don’t legislate from the bench. That’s the kind of position he took here in NY when he was Mayor. He was very strongly against the kind of junk justice where judges were legislating from the bench and finding new ways to set criminals free; and he was pretty outspoken on that front. It’s very consistent with his record as Mayor and his training from early on.

KWN: What would you say to those who believe that Mayor Giuliani’s own personal social views would prevent him from nominating constructionist judges?

MM: Again, I think you need to take a look at who he is and take a look at his overall record. This is the guy who says what he means and means what he says. He is very straightforward about his positions and his views and he is not looking to get over on anybody and is going to tell you what he feels and he’s going do what he says . His whole record is of a guy who keeps his word. I think people know Rudy, they trust Rudy, so when they hear him make that kind of pledge they can take it to the bank.

KWN: The National Review Online’s Contributing Editor, Deroy Murdock, recently wrote an op-ed where he described the lack of understanding of Mayor Giuliani’s complete record of conservative governance in those outside of NYC and conservative intellectual circles. Conservative commentator George Will has described Rudy’s record as the most successful episode of conservative governance in the past 50 years. What are people missing in understanding Rudy Giuliani’s complete conservative record?

MM: I think the people who have watched him closely like George Will and Deroy have seen it all and get it completely. The polls reflect that most Republicans get it as well. There’s always going to be a few pundits and others that want to encourage the scrum because, you know, the scrum is more fun for those who observe. I think that at the end of the day, Rudy Giuliani is a guy who’s going to trust the American people and trust that when they take a full look at his record, will get it. That in an overwhelmingly Democratic city, with overwhelmingly Democratic city council, with a lot of people who are self-described very liberal legislators, he was able to cut taxes twenty-three times, he was able to reduce the size of the welfare rolls by a historic amount, he was able to reduce the size of government. They’re going to appreciate that this is a guy who can get things done in a very difficult place. He was able to work across party lines to get things done in government. At the end of the day, you’re going to have to work with everyone to be able to get things done when it comes to reducing taxes, reducing welfare, and reducing the size of government, he demonstrated that he can get it done even in the most liberal city, at least on the East Coast for sure, and maybe in the country.