NEW YORK: For his courage and determination, he emerged last year as “America’s mayor.” Now, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani has become a high-priced consultant, biding time ahead of a likely return to politics.

In the weeks that followed the September 11 attacks that toppled the twin World Trade Center towers, the man everyone knew as “Rudy” felt so irreplaceable that at one point he considered seeking a legal manoeuvre that would have allowed him to extend his term by six months.

Succeeded January 1 by billionaire business mogul Michael Bloomberg, Giuliani has signed two hefty book deals — for a management text dubbed “Leadership” and a memoir — for almost three million dollars.

Named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine, Giuliani landed at the top of the professional lecture circuit, ready to dispense reflections and commentary to business meetings and other conferences for a fee.

Giuliani’s rates are among the country’s highest: almost $100,000 a speech — just about what former president Bill Clinton charges for a few words of lunchtime or dinnertime wisdom. That made 2002 a very profitable year for Giuliani, earning him about eight million dollars.

He also has gathered some of his closest advisers from city hall and founded, in association with the accounting and consultancy firm Ernst and Young, a consulting firm called Giuliani Partners.

Among its vice presidents are former police chief Bernard Kerik, former fire chief Thomas Von Essen and the head of the city’s emergency services, Richard Scheirer, who coordinated rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.

From its posh Times Square offices, the firm offers blue-chip clients such as investment bank Merrill Lynch and telecom giant Nextel access and costly advice on issues from security and finance to crisis management.

Riding high on a wave of popularity that has not ebbed and polls that show him as nothing short of a national idol, Giuliani is also actively campaigning at fundraisers for Republican candidates in November’s midterm elections.

Giuliani’s name is frequently mentioned as a possible nominee for a senior position in President George W. Bush’s administration or that of his successor. He does not get into speculation, but is careful to point out that he has not ended his political career.

In the past few months, he has taken a lower profile, turning down the vast majority of requests for interviews.

This week, he broke his silence in an interview with Time magazine, saying of the World Trade Center site’s future: “If it were up to me, I’d devote the entire 16 acres (six hectares) to the memorial.

“A soaring structure should dominate the site,” he said, “taking its place along New York City’s wonderful skyline.”

His opinion may not carry official weight, but as Baruch College public affairs professor Douglas Muzio said, “Rudy is still an 800-pound gorilla, and you don’t want to get in a fight with him.”

The media have pressed New York Governor George Pataki and officials in charge of rebuilding to react to Giuliani’s remarks, but none of them care to clash with his stand.

And Giuliani will be there, front and center, on the dais next week for the ceremony marking the first anniversary of the September 11 terror strikes.—AFP