Firefighters protest, supporters cheer Giuliani

by Mark Silva and updated with Giuliani press conference.

ORLANDO – Protesting firefighters have staked out the lush floral entrance to the convention hotel where Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, is staging the first of two campaign appearances.

The posters of the International Association of Firefighters bear the name, Guiliani, with the international red circle-and-bar sign over it.

Jon Voigt, the actor, is working the room inside on behalf of the Republican presidential candidate. And inside, supporters are talking about what has drawn them to Giuliani – while collecting some Voigt autographs.

“I think he’s managed a large governmental agency,’’ says Hobie Fisher, an Orlando Republican who sells electrical controls and signed up yesterday to volunteer for the Giuliani campaign – at a time when the ex-mayor is struggling to hold his claim to a big-state election strategy.

“I’ve read the parts where some of the firemen and policemen said he didn’t treat them right,’’ Fisher says. “He’s been under fire, but he’s proven himself. ‘’

Asked what he is looking for in the next president, this staunch Republican – can’t think of a Democratic for whom he has voted – says: “I want a strong leader…. I think our economy is very strong. I think a lot of the business problem we’re going through is fake – the market has been manipulating our economy with false profits.’’

That’s false profits, he makes a point of noting. Not false prophets.

And when Giuliani arrives, he is quick to note how heated the race between the apparent front-runners in his party here has grown -- Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney dueling over each other's perceived lack of experience. The ex-mayor also warns voters here that the Republicans will do well in averting any emulation of the feud between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

"We don’t want to become like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton,'' Giuliani tells the crowd here. "They’re trying to work their way out of it. We don’t want to work our way into it.''

Looking at Tuesday’s Republican primary, this voter had a couple of choices in his own mind: Giuliani and McCain.

But he isn’t too happy with the high-profile Florida Republican who has sided with McCain this week: Sen. Mel Martinez, former chairman of Orange County here in Orlando. “I’m not happy with Sen. Martinez,’’ he says. “I’m not happy with his open-border policy.’’

Susan Burrows, a Realtor in Orlando who has turned out in red for the Giuliani appearance this afternoon, says one issue is driving her vote.

“It’s mostly the war on terror,’’ she says. “That’s the big issue for me – security and border security. We need someone strong.

“Before 9/11, he turned New York around,’’ she says. “He made the city safe again.’’ He also did that with a Democratic city council, she notes – “That proves he can work across party lines.’’

Giuliani, touting his experience as mayor of New York, tells a crowd of little more than 100 that has assembled here: "I believe that the United States needs a president that can be strong in both economic and national security.

"If you listen to my opponents, it is getting a little nasty,'' he says. "Sen. McCain has accused Gov. Romney of not having enough national security experience, and Gov. Romney has accused Sen. McCain of having not enough experience with the economy.

"You know something?'' he says to cheers, "I’ve got both.''

At a brief press conference in an upstairs "salon'' of the hotel, Giuliani repeats his concern about what is happening to the Republican campaign -- while refusing to comment directly on the shortcomings of his rivals -- and denying that he has turned nice because he is losing.

"I'm concerned that some of my opponents are engaging in negative campaign,'' Giuliani tells reporters. "I’m afraid that our primary will descend into some of the things that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have going on… We’ve got to get above that, so I’m not going to be involved in that back and forth.’’

“The reason I’m being positive is because that’s the way to win,'' he says. People want us to be positive. They’re tired of name-calling and finger-pointing.’’

“I belive that we’re going to do very well here on Tuesday because opur message resonates here,'' he adds. "I think it’s already doing very well because a lot of people have voted already.’’