Rudy Giuliani praised a would-be gubernatorial opponent, ripped the current governor and spoke highly of a former president. But the former mayor still wouldn't say whether he would run for governor next year.
The Gipper continues to be an inspiration to "America's Mayor" and could provide a lesson for the heavily taxed Empire State, Giuliani said yesterday at the GOP's annual Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner in Albany.
"Ronald Reagan did for the federal government what needs to be done for the state," Giuliani was quoted as saying in the Daily News. "He cut spending. He made government efficient."
What the city needs now is a "Reagan reorganization," Giuliani added.
Giuliani earned high marks in a Siena poll that came out before the dinner, defeating Gov. David Paterson, 56-29, in a hypothetical head-to-head contest.
The former mayor also heaped praised on potential 2010 gubernatorial foe Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, whose star continues to rise as Paterson's popularity continues to plummet.
"Andrew is a person I consider a friend, and I think Andrew is a very formidable person in every respect," Giuliani told the Post. "I think he would be a very strong candidate."
