Republican Rudy Giuliani was in Del Mar last night to build support for his presidential bid. Giuliani attacked three leading Democratic rivals on taxes. And Giuliani spoke about a few issues special to California, at least briefly. KPBS reporter Andrew Phelps has the story.
When Mitt Romney visited San Diego the other day, he went straight to the border. Rudy Giuliani went to a fundraiser at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Afterward, he galloped over to a rally across the street, at the Hilton.
Some local notables there were Bill Simon, the former candidate for governor, and San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox.
Giuliani emphasized the need for experience in the Oval Office.
Giuliani : This is not a period of time -- is it? -- for on the-job training. Consider the fact that Greg Cox has more executive experience than any of the three leading Democratic candidates. No, I'm serious! That's not a joke.
Giuliani talked a lot about tax cuts. He warned that Democrats say they only tax the rich. But he says an income of $60 to $70,000 isn't all that rich.
Giuliani mentioned California issues in passing -- energy independence and healthcare reform. The speech lasted 17-and-a-half minutes.
He spoke about immigration for 57 seconds.
Giuliani : And we need people. But we need them to come here legally and we need them to come here in a way that they're going to contribute, they're going to pay their fair share. And one of the strict requirements of citizenship should be that you have to read English, write English, and understand it.
Giuliani says he'll be spending a lot of time in California over the next few months. The presidential primary is less than six months away.
Andrew Phelps, KPBS News.
