This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6145760.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Giuliani to launch presidency bid Giuliani tests presidency waters
(about 4 hours later)
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is preparing to run in the 2008 presidential election. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has taken a key step towards running in the 2008 US presidential election.
He is setting up an "exploratory committee", the first step in any presidential bid, officials from Mr Giuliani's Republican party say. He is setting up an "exploratory committee", the first stage in any presidential bid, his representatives have said.
Mr Giuliani shot to national prominence after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Mr Giuliani was widely praised for his response to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.
He is known as a moderate Republican who supports gun control, same sex civil unions and abortion rights. He is known as a moderate Republican who supports gun control, same-sex civil unions and abortion rights.
Being mayor, even in a city as big and important as New York, is not commonly regarded as normal preparation for a presidential campaign. "Mayor Giuliani has not made a decision yet," his spokeswoman said in a statement on Monday.
But for Rudolph Giuliani everything, including his own political ambition, changed on 11 September 2001. "With the filing of this document, we have taken the necessary legal steps, so an organisation can be put in place and money can be raised to explore a possible presidential run in 2008."
In the chaos which followed the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, Mr Giuliani emerged as a defiant and unifying leader, earning him the honorary, wholly unofficial title of America's mayor. Under US law, setting up such a committee allows Mr Giuliani to travel the country to gauge support for a candidacy without formally declaring himself as a candidate.
Since then Mr Giuliani has remained in the public eye and has remained popular with the American people, particularly Republicans. 'America's mayor'
That said, Rudolph Giuliani's relatively moderate views may make it difficult for him to persuade mainstream Republicans that he should be their presidential candidate. Being mayor, even in a city as big and important as New York, is not commonly regarded as normal preparation for a presidential campaign, says the BBC's Jeremy Cooke in New York.
His support for same sex civil unions and embryonic stem cell research would put him to the left of most of his party members. RUDOLPH GIULIANI 1944: Born in Brooklyn1983: US attorney in New York 1993: Elected New York mayor1997: Re-elected mayorMarried three times, three children href="/1/hi/world/americas/1817966.stm" class="">Profile: Rudolph Giuliani href="/1/hi/world/americas/5006788.stm" class="">2008 presidential hopefuls
To win the nomination, Mr Giuliani will have to overcome a tough Republican field which seems likely to include, among others, the Arizona Senator, John McCain, and the Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney. But he adds that in the chaos which followed the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center, Mr Giuliani emerged as a defiant and unifying leader, earning him the honorary, wholly unofficial title of "America's mayor".
Since then, Mr Giuliani has remained in the public eye and has remained popular with the American people, particularly Republicans.
His relatively moderate views may make it difficult for him to persuade mainstream Republicans that he should be their presidential candidate.
HAVE YOUR SAY Giuliani would be a sentimental choice who is past his best Harry Send us your comments
His support for same-sex civil unions and embryonic stem cell research would put him to the left of most of his party members.
One potential rival for the Republican Party nomination is Arizona Senator John McCain, who said on Sunday that he planned to set up his own exploratory committee.