Insensitivity Training, Part III

Take One
"I was at Ground Zero as often, if not more, than most of the workers. I was there working with them. I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to," courtesy of Rudy Ghouliani.

Battalion Chief John McDonnell, head of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association in New York: "I have a real problem with that statement. I think he's really grasping and trying to justify his previous attempts to portray himself as the hero of 9/11."

Take Two
"What I was trying to say yesterday is that I empathize with them because I feel like I have that same risk," he said.

"There were people there less than me, people on my staff, who already have had serious health consequences, and they weren't there as often as I was," Giuliani said, "but I wasn't trying to suggest a competition of any kind, which is the way it come across."

"He is such a liar because the only time he was down there was for photo ops with celebrities, with politicians, with diplomats," said Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy Riches, who spent months digging for his firefighter son.

"On 9/11 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don't think he's taken a shower since."

[Also see: Insensitivity Training Part I & Part II.]