During
my career in politics in two states I’ve had the pleasure of working with two
of America’s most effective and famous Mayors.
Ed Koch of New York City and Ed Rendell of Philadelphia, both of whom
were born in the Bronx, a borough of NYC, but were raised and built their
political careers elsewhere. Both
consummate political campaigners and they became the recognized symbols of
their cities during the years they served. And, both were, while loyal
Democrats, independent in their approach to government and willing to work with
and sometimes assist officials from the other political party.
I
met Ed Koch when he first ran for Mayor of New York City in 1977. As a newly serving state assemblyman I stayed
out of the fractious Democratic primary but when it resulted in a two person
run-off I endorsed Koch. He was an
indefatigable campaigner. He would walk
into stores and shake hands with the customers.
He loved beauty parlors and the women sitting under their hair dryers
were always both amazed and pleased. He
would enter a bank, especially on social security check day when there were
lines for the tellers and he would shout out “This isn’t a hold up. It’s me Ed
Koch and I’m running for Mayor.” People
loved it.
I
missed two opportunities to campaign with Koch.
Once in the summer of 1977 it was 104 degrees and he was going to walk
the commercial strip of my home neighborhood - a fifteen block strip with no
trees or shade. I couldn’t do it. He did.
And the second time was when after the primary I and a group of other
leaders were preparing to endorse him for the run-off. Since his run-off
opponent was from Queens he much wanted me there. And I came for the press conference. However my first daughter had just been born
and I had a limited time to get back to the hospital. Koch was late so I had to leave and get back
to the hospital. He was gracious enough
to send flowers and always thereafter asked after her.
Whenever
I faced a primary contest he was always there to campaign for me. As Mayor he was often irascible, he was
sometimes infuriating, but, he was always independent. He kept his word when we
differed he often tried to compromise. Once he asked Gov. Cuomo to veto a bill
I had sponsored which was of tremendous importance to my neighborhood. Cuomo obliged but said he would sign it the
next year unless the Mayor compromised.
His staff wouldn't give in so we re-passed it and Cuomo signed it. At
that point the Mayor sent a letter to my constituents saying I had passed the
bill they wanted and done a great job for them.
He was in a word known to New Yorkers of all backgrounds a Mensch.
Once
when we were campaigning in Astoria I told him he should take the show on the
road and run for Governor. He said
“they’d never accept me upstate” Unfortunately, he didn’t listen to his own
instincts; and, though almost the entire party establishment supported him he
lost the gubernatorial primary to Mario Cuomo the man he had beaten in the
Mayoral run-off. Koch often joked that
he was the only candidate who was 120 points ahead in the polls and then lost. He
served twelve years as Mayor of New York City losing his fourth primary contest
in 1989.
I
had moved from NYC in 1987 to Delaware Co. PA.
Not living in Philadelphia all I knew of Ed Rendell was what I saw on
the television news. Until he ran for
Governor and as Delaware County Democratic chairman I supported him for the
party nomination. Despite the long held
belief that a Philadelphian couldn’t win statewide, Rendell did. He defeated the front runner in the primary
and then went on to win the general election against the Republican who was
expected to beat the Philly Mayor. He
took his show on the road and the folks throughout the state reacted as did
those in the suburbs - they loved him. I
remember his first foray into Nether Providence in our county at a house party
where he told the assembled guests (none really active in politics) that as
Mayor of Philadelphia he had visited a school in Tinicum (in our county not the
city) and read to the school children.
The media dubbed him America’s Mayor he certainly was seen by the voters
as Pennsylvania’s Mayor.
When
Obama ran for President in 2008, Ed Koch offered to be a surrogate speaker. He
came to Martin’s Run in Broomall to speak to a mostly Jewish audience about why
they had nothing to worry about in Obama as President. I saw him there and introduced him to the
crowd. He needed no introduction. They all knew who he was and he did his usual
stand-up terrific job. I’ve often thought that if I had the privilege of
introducing Ed Rendell to a New York audience the same would be true - they
would know who he was and he’d do a swell job.
Ed
Koch and Ed Rendell two Jewish boys who were born in the Bronx and then rose to
be the symbols of the cities they grew up in and served for so long. Neither was ever seen as a Jewish candidate.
Both in their way transcended ethnicity and both surpassed partisanship. I knew
one and know the other and campaigned for both.
1
Feb. 2013
