http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/13/GIULIANI.TMP'100%' in president race, Giuliani tells tech group
Ex-N.Y. mayor lauds Schwarzenegger in Silicon Valley talk
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, insisting he is "100 percent committed" to running for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, wooed Silicon Valley's tech leaders Monday -- saying he "definitely'' believes in global warming, praising Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for being a "progressive'' leader on the environment and calling for immigration policies that welcome "people who make contributions" to America's economy.
Giuliani spoke to about 500 members of the Churchill Club, a Silicon Valley business leaders organization, at the Hyatt in Santa Clara Monday, meeting privately beforehand with a handful of top tech executives and then with about 100 potential supporters at a VIP reception before an hourlong talk to the crowd, where he was warmly received as a leading presidential hopeful.
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"I do believe there's global warming, yes,'' said Giuliani, in response to reporters' questions following his talk to the Churchill Club. "The big question has always been how much of it is happening because of natural climate changes and how much of it is happening because of human intervention.''
But "the overwhelming number of scientists now believe that there is significant human cause,'' he said, adding the debate on the existence of global warming "is almost unnecessary ... because we should be dealing with pollution anyway.''
He also delivered a sharp jab at former Vice President Al Gore, saying his Academy Award-nominated documentary about global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth,'' serves to "frighten people ... but it doesn't really recommend solutions,'' such as nuclear power.
Giuliani, who met with Schwarzenegger for more than an hour in the past weekend -- and discussed the issue of climate change with him -- said Monday he was unfamiliar with all the details of the governor's landmark bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. But, "I generally agree with Gov. Schwarzenegger,'' he said. "He's a good friend and a progressive leader.''
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