Giuliani says he used 'abbreviated' language in 9/11 remark

Rudy Giuliani did not forget about the 9/11 attacks during his speech at a Donald Trump rally Monday, insisting that he was using “abbreviated language" when referring to the lack of domestic terrorist attacks before President Barack Obama took office.

Giuliani introduced Trump and Mike Pence at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday and said that “under those eight years, before Obama came along, we didn't have any successful radical Islamic terrorist attack inside the United States."


The former New York mayor, however, told the New York Daily News that his remarks were misinterpreted.

"I'm not there to give a major 45-minute policy address," he said. "You speak in somewhat abbreviated language. All human beings speak in abbreviated language at times."

Giuliani admitted he could have been more clear during his speech, but he had only a few minutes to speak.

"When you're giving a speech, you only have five minutes, you can't give an encyclopedic explanation," he said. "Could I have repeated it at that point? In a way that you wouldn't be asking me this question today? Sure."

It appears the point Giuliani did not repeat was regarding the PATRIOT Act, as prior to his remark he praised Gov. Pence, a former congressman from Indiana, for his work on the legislation.

"Mike Pence understands this from his time both on the Foreign Affairs Committee, from his very, very timely visit, which I remember, to Ground Zero when we were in desperate need of help, he was there and from his work on Judiciary Committee and helping to fashion the PATRIOT Act," he said right before the remark on terrorist attacks.

The comment attracted a large amount of attention because much of Giuliani's political career after his time as mayor has centered on his work following the attacks. He reiterated, however, that he has not forgotten about 9/11.

"I didn't forget 9/11. I hardly would. I almost died in it," he said.