NEW YORK, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Even as many New Yorkers continue to heap praise on Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his stewardship following the Sept. 11 attacks, a growing number is questioning the mayor's efforts to extend his term in office, which is scheduled to end in three months.
"He's done a great job and in actuality maybe it is better to postpone this particular transition," said Wayne Gallo, a 24-year-old graphic artist. "But when you hear experts say that this is the type of political action that could be manipulated by a tyrant, you realize that American laws and regulations were put there for a reason and it is better not to play around with them."
Last week, Giuliani proposed to the three remaining New York mayoral candidates who hope to replace him that his term be extended by three months to help ease the transition.
Two of them, Republican Michael Bloomberg and Democrat Mark Green, agreed. The third, Democrat Fernando Ferrer, refused, saying such action would set a bad precedent.
Giuliani is prevented from seeking a third term because of term limits.
An extension of his tenure would require action by the New York State Legislature and the Governor, George E. Pataki, like Giuliani a Republican.
Ferrer, instead, proposed another role for Giuliani, saying he would appoint him head of a new "recovery authority" should he be elected mayor.
This does not mean, however, that Giuliani is out of options.
Last Thursday, he and Mike Long, the New York state chairman of the Conservative Party, agreed that if the mayoral candidates fail to sign on to an extension, Giuliani could seek a third term as the Conservative Party's mayoral candidate.
Leo Leibovitz said rules should not be altered because of one man's popularity.
"Rules were not changed during bigger crises than this one and there is no reason to change them now," said the 25-year old writer. "With all due respect to Mayor Giuliani, what makes this city strong are its institutions, and no one man could add or subtract from that. Everyone wants Giuliani as a sort of a father figure, but the ultimate father figure is democracy."
Jason Berk said he thinks Giuliani ought to be allowed to run again, but questions the "cagey" way in which he has gone about testing those waters.
"I have been impressed with his efforts and the job he's done," said Berk. "I think that if he just came out and said he was going to run again, then he would have enough inertia with public opinion to get him into office. I don't understand why someone in his position would not be up front about this. If he's going to run again, run again."
In the early aftermath of the attacks, as rumors regarding his intentions swirled in the media and on the streets, Giuliani said publicly that he had not yet had time to mull over the possibility of seeking a third term. Last week however, he began to publicly make the case for continuing on as mayor while privately, reports indicate, he was lobbying lawmakers and business leaders.
Some, however, are asking why Giuliani would want to stick around at all.
"He's being a real jerk," said one newspaper editor on condition of anonymity, as he debates with staff which of the remaining mayoral candidates he should endorse. "He could have left office as a real hero but now he's tarnishing that possibility by jumping back into the political fray."
A member of Giuliani's staff, however, insists this is not so.
"The mayor is focusing 100 percent of his energy on (the crisis), not on politics," said Sunny Mindel, Giuliani's communications director.
New York's firefighters say Giuliani's leadership has made their grim task easier and that they would like to see him remain in office.
"I wish he could stay another three months," said firefighter Gene Szatkowski, 38, of Manhattan's Company 40, which lost 11 men in the collapse of the Twin Towers. "This is war. The new guy who gets voted in is going to need training to learn the ropes of this situation and this is a bad time for that."
