When was ed koch mayor

After he left office, Koch -- whose ebullient personality made him popular nationwide -- practiced law, hosted a radio show, was a newspaper columnist and made countless appearances on TV series as himself. For two years starting in , he was the judge on the syndicated show "The People's Court. He also reviewed movies online at The Mayor at the Movies site mayorkoch. In his later years, Koch became politically motivated again. In , he grew upset after President Barack Obama called for Israel to return to its pre borders, with land swaps, as the basis of a Mideast peace deal.

In his anger, Koch crossed party lines to support Republican Bob Turner in his bid to represent perhaps the most Jewish district in the country, which covers parts of Queens and Brooklyn. Koch's endorsement was widely seen as a turning point in a race that few expected a Republican to win.

I helped get him elected," Koch said at Turner's election night party. But in September , Koch said he was impressed with Obama's handling of the Palestinian bid for statehood at the U. Edward Irving Koch was born in the Bronx on December 12, The family moved to New Jersey when he was 8. After he left the service as a sergeant in , he studied law at New York University.

He meant what he said. He fought for what he believed. May he rest in peace. Jesse Jackson, a national black leader who also battled with Koch, similarly tempered his comments Friday. I have an appreciation of his work as a public servant," said Jackson in a formal statement.

The mayor dismissed his critics as "wackos," waged verbal war with developer Donald Trump "piggy" and mayoral successor Rudy Giuliani "nasty man" and once reduced the head of the City Council to tears.

When President George W. Bush ran for re-election in , Democrat Koch crossed party lines to support him and spoke at the GOP convention. He also endorsed Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election efforts at a time when Bloomberg was a Republican. Koch described himself as "a liberal with sanity. In a statement, Bloomberg said the city "lost an irrepressible icon" and called Koch its "most charismatic cheerleader. Koch was also an outspoken supporter of Israel, willing to criticize anyone, including President Obama, over decisions Koch thought could indicate any wavering of support for that nation.

I never felt that way," he said. Under his watch from to , the city climbed out of its financial crisis, thanks to Koch's budget cuts and other tough fiscal policies, and subway service improved enormously. But homelessness and AIDS soared through the s. Many critics charged that City Hall's responses were too little, too late. Koch said in a interview with The New York Times that he had few regrets about his time in office but still felt guilt over a decision he made as mayor to close Sydenham Hospital in Harlem.

Koch was a champion of gay rights, taking on the Roman Catholic Church and scores of political leaders. A life-long bachelor, Koch offered a typically blunt response to questions about his own sexuality: "My answer to questions on this subject is simply, 'F off.

Andrew Cuomo for campaign posters that proclaimed "Vote for Cuomo, not the homo," when Koch lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary to then-lieutenant governor Mario Cuomo, the current governor's father. Koch was fast-talking, opinionated and sometimes rude, becoming the face and sound of New York to those living outside the city. When Koch took over the mayor's office from accountant Abe Beame in , one thing quickly became apparent — with this mayor, nothing was certain. Reporters covered him around the clock because of "the Koch factor," his ability to say something outrageous anyplace, anytime.

Koch's middle initial. Actually, it stood for Irving. As mayor he established a merit system for judges and initiated extensive housing programs. He was known as an unconventional Democrat—a strong supporter of the death penalty and an early gay-rights advocate. His straight-talking style elicited both positive and negative answers to his catchphrase question, "How'm I doin'?

Because I say exactly what I think. But I am the sort of person who might give other people ulcers. Many of the white liberals in the city were Jewish, and despite Cuomo's endorsement from Bella Abzug , Koch took them.

He also won more conservative Jewish voters who had gone to the incumbent, Abe Beame, in the initial primary. What Koch did next has faded into distant history: he earned the minority vote in the primary. The only demographic that didn't go for Koch was the white Catholic vote, the same group that would later anchor his coalition.

In this first primary, they chose the more liberal, but white Catholic candidate: Mario Cuomo. Koch faced Cuomo again in the general election, the latter running on a third-party ticket having lost in the primaries. Cuomo thought that with more conservative and white Catholic voters in the general election, he'd have a fighting chance.

And indeed, Koch saw dips in his more conservative districts, thanks to an influx of non-Democratic voters. Had Beame's and Cuomo's support from the primary voted in the general, Koch might have lost.

Fortunately for Koch, liberals and minorities saved him.