Friday April 11, 2003; 2:37 a.m. EDT
Pataki: Melt Down Saddam Statue for Ground Zero
New York Gov. George Pataki told a support-the-troops rally at Manhattan's Ground Zero Thursday that the massive statue of Saddam Hussein that was toppled by liberated Iraqis in Baghdad the day before should be melted down and included in the steel used to rebuild the World Trade Center.
"Let's melt it down. Let's bring it to New York and put it in one of the girders that's going to rise over here as a symbol of the rebuilding of New York, of the rebuilding of America," Pataki said as the crowd erupted in cheers.
The videotaped image of Iraqis hauling down Hussein's statue was broadcast around the world Wednesday morning, signaling the fall of Baghdad.
The rally was organized by the Building and Construction Trade Council of Greater New York, which represents more than 100,000 union workers. An estimated 15,000 New Yorkers turned out to hear Pataki, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and an array of local officials cheer the U.S. victory.
"Look at the Iraqis dancing in the streets of Baghdad, embracing our troops and cheering our president," Dole told the crowd, according to NY1.com. "The gulag that Saddam and his henchmen took three decades to create, Tommy Franks and his coalition forces took only three weeks to dismantle."
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was appointed to a coveted post on the Senate Armed Services Committee in January and who has made 9/11 constituent services her cause celeb, did not attend the support the troops rally.
Pataki: Melt Down Saddam Statue for Ground Zero
New York Gov. George Pataki told a support-the-troops rally at Manhattan's Ground Zero Thursday that the massive statue of Saddam Hussein that was toppled by liberated Iraqis in Baghdad the day before should be melted down and included in the steel used to rebuild the World Trade Center.
"Let's melt it down. Let's bring it to New York and put it in one of the girders that's going to rise over here as a symbol of the rebuilding of New York, of the rebuilding of America," Pataki said as the crowd erupted in cheers.
The videotaped image of Iraqis hauling down Hussein's statue was broadcast around the world Wednesday morning, signaling the fall of Baghdad.
The rally was organized by the Building and Construction Trade Council of Greater New York, which represents more than 100,000 union workers. An estimated 15,000 New Yorkers turned out to hear Pataki, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and an array of local officials cheer the U.S. victory.
"Look at the Iraqis dancing in the streets of Baghdad, embracing our troops and cheering our president," Dole told the crowd, according to NY1.com. "The gulag that Saddam and his henchmen took three decades to create, Tommy Franks and his coalition forces took only three weeks to dismantle."
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was appointed to a coveted post on the Senate Armed Services Committee in January and who has made 9/11 constituent services her cause celeb, did not attend the support the troops rally.
