Giuliani: I misspoke about ground zero

Washington- Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani said Friday that he misspoke when he said he spent as much time,if not , more , at ground zero exposed to the same health risks as workers combing the site after the Sept. 11 attacks. " I think I could have said it better", he told nationally syndicated radio host Mike Gallagher."You know ,what I was saying was, 'I'm there for you." The former New York mayor upset some firefighters and police officers when he said Thursday in Cincinnati that he 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. So in the sense, I'm one of them,"he told reporters at a Los Angeles Dodgers -Cincinnati Reds baseball game. Fire and police officials responded angrily, saying Giuliani did not do the same work as those involved in the rescue, recovery and cleanup from the 2001 terrorist attacks, which left many workers sick and injured. On Friday Giuliani said he was trying to show his concern for the workers' health. " 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 comes across. Giuliani' s explamation further angered his ground zero critics, prompting several to issue a statement demanding an apology. " 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 9/111 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don't think he's taken a shower since" By Libby Quaid at Yahoo

BUD FINES SHEFFIELD FOR FIB FLAP

GARY SHEFFIELD has been fined an undisclosed amount for his latest inflammatory diatribe,in which he said commissioner Bud Selig was lying about not knowing of a steroids problem in baseball in the '90s, the Daily News has learned. According to sources , a furious Selig considered suspending Sheffield for his remarks in USA Today July 27 , but insted settled on a fine. In the USA Today story , Sheffield was quoted as saying he was "sick of Bud Selig and Major League Baseball and the way they have been grandstanding " on the issue of steroids. He then went on to call the commissioner a liar." Why doesn't Bud Selig tell the truth? he asked. "Why does he keep lying and saying he doesn't know nothing about (steroids in baseball in the ' 90s). He knew what we all knew". ----Bill Madden -N.Y D.N.--P-56- 8-11-07

GENERAL SPEAKS OF THE DRAFT

WASHINGTON---Frequent tours for U.S troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft.President Bush's new war adviser said yesterday. Army Lt. General Douglas Lute told National Public RAdio that President Bush doesn't think restoring the draft is necessary, but he said " it has always been an option on the table". President Nixon abolished the draft in 1973.

News wire services from N.Y.D.News --8-11-07 P-10