Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke in Boulder last night and was sharply critical of Ethnic Studies professor Ward Churchill during a question and answer session, even though none of the students had asked for his opinion.

“If you don’t ask me, I’m going to tell you what I think,” Giuliani told the crowd of nearly 4,000 largely supportive attendees at the University of Colorado….”I know some of the people (Churchill) was talking about, and I know their families even better,” Giuliani said. “Some of the only solace that they have is that their loved ones died a meaningful death.”

Giuliani endorsed Gov. Bill Owen’s call for Churchill’s dismissal:

“I’m sure I would have done exactly what the governor did,” Giuliani said.

As to the big question, will Giuliani run for President in 2008, he said to ask him in two years. The Denver Post reports the 4,000 students in attendance were largely supportive of Giuliani. The Rocky Mountain News reports some had doubts, particularly as to his analogy between Churchill and a professor who teaches the world is flat:

“I think that was really off base. I don’t think the examples related,” said CU freshman Seth Schy, adding that so long as a teacher taught a course well, his opinions were not relevant.