America, f–k yeah!Photo: iStockphoto
You’re an ex–New York City mayor running for president, and your opponents accuse you of being too soft on illegal immigration. Of course you’re soft on illegal immigration — how else would you have run New York? Sadly, that line of reasoning is not going to play well in the kind of town where they haven’t seen a Mexican since Charlton Heston played one in Touch of Evil, which is precisely the kind of town you need to win over. What do you do?
If you’re Rudy Giuliani, and God help you if you are, you go to Geno’s Steaks, a Philadelphia cheesesteak shop that made the news last year for posting a sign “This is America. When ordering, please speak English.” The sign is still up, reports the Daily News, and the shop’s owner Joey Vento (a real Mayflower name, that) is an avowed Giuliani supporter — but Rudy, of course, just happened to pick the shop. Sop to the right accomplished, deniability preserved. What the Daily News story does not mention, however, is that Giuliani might have been going for a subtle twofer: Vento is both anti-immigration and pro–death penalty. He is one of Philadelphia’s most vocal supporters of late cop Daniel Faulkner — “murdered by Mumia Abu-Jamal,” says another sign in his window, next to yet another sign proclaiming “Management Reserves the Right to Refuse Service.” What a cheery little sandwich shack!
No Giuliani Beef at Philadelphia Cheese Steak Shop [NYDN]
