"I was sitting near the front window, when a black Lincoln pulled up," said Dino Riviello, co-owner of City Tobacco.  "We were talking baseball when Rudy walked into the store.  He was very friendly, and after some handshakes, he sat down and talked baseball."

Rudy Giuliani, the former two term Mayor of New York City and former Republican Presidential candidate was in the area stumping for fellow Republican Lou Barletta. 

Barletta is seeking to oust Democratic Congressman Paul Kanjorski, who is seeking election to a fourteenth term in Congress from Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional district. The 11th contains all of Carbon, Columbia, and Monroe Counties. It also encompasses parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, including the cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton.

After picking out a few cigars, "America's Mayor" proceeded to the lounge area and sat down in a high backed leather chair.  The conversation remained non political for the most part, even when Barletta showed up and joined Giuliani for a cigar.

Giuliani laughed and joked while discussing Major League baseball and fine cigars with Riviello.  Riviello, a die hard Phillies fan, sat and talked with the die hard Yankee fan mayor for a good half hour.  The subject never turned to politics

A few customers, including a few die hard Yankee fans stopped back in the lounge to meet the mayor and get an autograph or two.

After about an hour and a half, Giuliani got up from his chair and made his way to a 5pm press conference in Wilkes-Barre.  Before he left, he stopped for a few photographs with Riviello and some of the customers.

"We were pleased to have the mayor here, and we welcome him back whenever he's in town," said Riviello.  "He really enjoyed our smoking lounge."

For those cigar aficionados out there, Giuliani picked up a few Padrons, an Opus X, and a Liga Privada.

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