Republican Rudy Giuliani said yesterday the USA Patriot Act "seems to be operating pretty darn well" and that he knows of no changes he would propose as President.

"I don't know of any areas in which it isn't operating well," he said yesterday. "I can't think of anything I would add to it, but sometimes you think of things as you go along."

The former New York City Mayor said the war on terrorism requires Americans to "take on certain burdens," but he said he does not believe they are sacrificing personal rights and freedoms.

He said extra safety measures for air travelers are "a small price to pay, but it is one we have to pay to check people more carefully,"

The government "does need to have more information about people coming into the United States," he said. "If that requires a little more inconvenience, it's necessary.

"This is all a question of how much do you minimize the risk. If you have the Patriot Act, if you have electronic surveillance and if you have aggressive questioning, it doesn't mean that you're going to pick up every attack, but it does mean you give yourself the better chance of doing that," he said.

He said the Democrats want to "cut back" in these areas.

"Sometimes, when I listen to the other side, they seem to be more interested in the wrongs to the terrorists than the wrongs being done by the terrorists," Giuliani said.

Giuliani said that as President, he would "remind everyone that our first preventers are our police officers. They are our eyes and ears in the community. They should be trained to look for the things that suggest a terrorist attack."

He noted that the terrorist plot against Fort Dix, N.J., earlier this year was first picked up by a local police officer and a store clerk.

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"That's the kind of thing you have to make sure police officers all over the country are alert to," he said.

Giuliani said Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff was "the first person I hired" when he learned he would be U.S. Attorney in New York City in the 1970s. He called Chertoff a "very good choice" for his current post "because he understands law enforcement really well."

Giuliani said he supports the joining of border security agencies under the homeland security umbrella and the agency also "empowers" local law enforcement to deal with terrorist attacks.

He said he is committed "to get every community in America at least up to a basic level of preparation. The Department of Homeland Security should evaluate the level of preparation all throughout the country and find out who needs help to get up to a level that, if there were an anthrax or a biological attack, or a dirty bomb, they'd know how to spot it, react to it and take the first three or four steps before the federal government or the state can come in and help."

Giuliani said he sees no need for a military draft. Morale in the military is high, he said, while "politicians" and the mainstream media "have the morale problem."

He said military officers have told him, "There is great strength with a volunteer force."

Giuliani said that as the GOP nominee, he would ensure that New Hampshire's delegates are seated at the national convention next year, despite punishment against the local party by the Republican National Committee.

He said the two major political parties trying to dictate a nominating schedule "is a big mistake."