Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says he can lead America to energy independence, and of course, tells Iowans during a campaign stop in the Hawkeye State that ethanol is one of the keys.

This story in Forbes points out that Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production. And right now, it leads in presidential campaign promises:

Presidents going back to Richard Nixon have promised energy independence, “and we haven’t made much of a real dent in getting there,” Giuliani told a gathering Wednesday at restaurant in Le Mars.

“But we’ve got Brazil way ahead of us on ethanol,” the former New York mayor said. “It doesn’t make sense that Brazil, per capita, would be ahead of us on ethanol.

Giuliani claims to support the current 51-cent-a-gallon tax credit to help the ethanol industry grow. It’s set to expire in 2010.

As an Iowan who has seen many a candidate come through and go through… and usually forget… Iowa after the January caucus, let’s just hope that New Yorker still means it, if he ends up in charge.