Best known for his joking manner, even in running the city, former mayor Edward Koch passed away early friday morning. Born December 12, 1924 to a family of conservative Polish immigrants living in Newark, New Jersey. In 1943 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the 104th Infantry as a sergeant, and was honorably discharged in 1946. He attended law school and received his degree in 1948, and practiced from 1949-1968 either alone or with a firm. He then moved his interests toward politics and ran for city council against Carmine DeSapio. Koch defeated DeSapio for Democratic party leader, and again in 1969. He served on the city council from 1967-1969. Koch became the U.S. Congress representative from NY Congressional District 17 in 1969 and served until 1973 when he was moved to District 18. post as Mayor.
Koch, running against Mario Cuomo, Bella Abzug, and Abe Beame, he ran on a law and order/public safety ticket, and the Blackout of ’77 helped promote his public safety ideals. Running again in 1981 on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, Koch easily defeated his Unity party opponent, Frank J. Barbaro with a landslide 75% of the vote. That year, he ran for Governor of New York but was defeated by then-Lieutenant Governor Mario Cuomo, his old Mayoral opponent. Koch often drifted from the typical Democratic ideas and had a strong pro-capital punishment stance, as well as advocating for broader powers for police when dealing with the homeless. Koch was elected again in 1985, winning with 78% of the vote against Republican candidate Diane McGrath, and Liberal Party candidate Carol Bellamy. A long time advocate for gay rights, Koch responded to the demand to close gay bath houses by shutting down the heterosexual clubs as well, in an effort to be fair. In the years following his Mayoralty, Koch remained an active member of the political community, commenting on the goings on of the country, as well as returning to his old job as a lawyer. He also took to reviewing restaurants and movies, even creating the web video show, Mayor at the Movies. He passed away early in the morning on February 1, 2013 in New York Presbyterian Hospital, the same one where he was born, his funeral took place on February 4, 2013. Koch wrote his own epitaph including a hebrew prayer and the last words of journalist Daniel Pearl, as well as a concluding description of himself.
He will always be remembered as the man who changed the car horns of the street sweepers to a recording of him shouting, “Move it Will ya!” Or for changing the no parking signs to read, “Don’t even think of parking here.” When riding the subways during his time as mayor, he would ask people he saw, “How’m I doin’?” or when running for mayor, he told the public, “If you agree with me on nine out of twelve issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on twelve out of twelve issues, see a psychiatrist.” Koch was, in my opinion, the supreme New Yorker, he will always be missed.
-Harry
