Rudy calls

While the scene wasn’t quite as raucous as that of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, tempers did run high Friday at a local reelection rally for President Bush.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was the keynote speaker at the event, which was held in a lot in front of a mural of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo at Ninth and Montrose streets.

Flanked by Councilman-at-Large Frank Rizzo Jr. and Sen. Arlen Specter, Giuliani championed Bush’s doctrine of preemptive action against terrorists.

"America has gone from being a country that was on the defensive to one that is on the offensive," he told a cheering crowd of close to 100 Bush supporters, who braved the sweltering heat for more than two hours.

Chants of "Rudy! Rudy!" drowned out cries from supporters of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, who stood behind barriers that closed off the small lot.

The appearance of the opposition — some of whom hoisted "Italian Americans for Kerry" signs in the air — incited Bush fans before the rally began.

Lewis Gilchrist, a retired West Philly ward leader and 20-year Army veteran, jawed with two elderly men who identified themselves as vets who backed Kerry.

At one point, Gilchrist shouted, "Shut up, Guido," at a Kerry fan.

"I simply asked him how he could support Bush as an African American," said Jason Bernstein, the Kerry supporter on the receiving end of the ethnic slur.

Bernstein was alluding to reports of African Americans having their votes fall by the wayside in Florida’s 2000 presidential election.

"I mean, I’m Jewish, but I was still offended that he said that," Bernstein said.

Gilchrist denied any wrongdoing and said he had only argued with a few Kerry supporters.

Though Bush and Kerry backers found plenty of fodder for disagreement, there was nearly unanimous admiration for Giuliani, whose strength and poise during and after the World Trade Center attacks earned him the nickname "America’s Mayor."

"I’m very interested in what he has to say. He did some amazing things for New York," said one man who identified himself as an independent voter.

Rizzo called Giuliani’s appearance in the Italian Market a smart move by the Bush-Cheney campaign.

"My only regret is that I’ll have to introduce him as my second favorite mayor," the councilman quipped.

After finishing his speech, Giuliani posed for pictures and signed autographs as he made his way back toward his SUV.

The former mayor also paused to defend Bush’s record while offering a parting shot at Kerry.

"The president needs to get his record of leadership out there. He’s taken an important approach to fighting the war on terror, and people need to know they can count on that," Giuliani said when asked what Bush must do to win a swing state like Pennsylvania.

"And unlike John Kerry, his position doesn’t change every few weeks or with every public opinion poll," he added.

Yet Bush has come under fire in recent weeks over a top homeland security issue — adding local rescue workers.

According to America Coming Together, a grassroots voter-contact plan aimed at ousting Bush, the president has said no to adding more first responders in the country, including 4,157 in Pennsylvania.

First responders — a job description assumed by police officers, firefighters and EMTs — played a crucial role in saving thousands of lives in New York on Sept. 11, 2001.

Still, Giuliani maintained that "no president has done as much for homeland defense or committed as much support to police, firefighters and rescue workers as President Bush."