Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani hit on some familiar themes this morning as he addressed and encouraged dozens of volunteers at the state Republican Party/John McCain campaign office in Maryland Heights.

The crowd yelled a newer slogan — “Keep the Change!” — as Giuliani, standing on the loading dock at the back of the building, talked of the higher taxes that he and McCain believe Democratic rival Barack Obama would impose if he’s elected president on Tuesday.

Giuliani also asserted that McCain would hold a tougher line on terrorists and does “not underestimate Islamic terrorism.”

Obama, said Giuliani, would try to “charm them..like he’s charmed the American media.”

Giuliani also repeated the GOP call for the LA Times to rlelease a video tape that shows Obama several years ago at an event for a Palestinian activist. (The Times has declined to do so, citing a mandate from the tape’s source. The newspaper has described what was on the tape, which apparently does not include any volatile comments from Obama.)

As Giuliani spoke, one of the volunteers shouted from the back, “He’s a terrorist!”, followed a few seconds later by, “He hangs around with terrorists!”

The volunteer, standing right behind yours truly, declined to give his name.

Later, in an interview, Giuliani said he didn’t share such sentiments and ascribe the man’s comments to that of overzealous supporters. “I’ve heard things shouted about Sarah Palin that I don’t want to repeat,” the former mayor said.

Giuliani was joined by U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., who said he was encouraged by the momentum he was seeing in favor of McCain. Said Giuliani: “My prediction. It will be real close, and John McCain and Sarah Palin win.”

Giuliani was then headed for Nevada and New Mexico.

Bond was headed for other communities in Missouri, including Springfield, where Obama is to appear tonight.

Bond defended his comments in an oft-played video, which came from Thursday’s Palin rally in Cape Girardeau.

Bond said his words were “taken totally out of context. My point is, it’s Congress’ job to take care of the needy people,” not the courts or judges.

Congress, he said, has “developed compassionate programs to help the needy,” and that McCain shares the sentiment that those programs cannot be expanded to the point that the nation cannot afford them.

His broader point, Bond said, was that Obama wanted “liberal judges in…(who) want to legislate from the bench.”was that it was