Former Mayor Ed Koch, the combative, acid-tongued politician who rescued
the city from near-financial ruin during a three-term City Hall run in
which he embodied New York chutzpah for the rest of the world, died
Friday. He was 88
Koch died at 2 a.m., spokesman George Arzt said. The funeral will be Monday at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.
After leaving City Hall in January 1990, Koch battled assorted health problems and heart disease.
The larger-than-life Koch, who breezed through the streets of New
York flashing his signature thumbs-up sign, won a national reputation
with his feisty style. "How'm I doing?" was his trademark question to
constituents, although the answer mattered little to Koch. The mayor
always thought he was doing wonderfully.
He was also an outspoken supporter of Israel, willing to criticize
anyone, including President Barack Obama, over decisions Koch thought
could indicate any wavering of support for that nation.
Koch was a champion of gay rights, taking on the Roman Catholic Church and scores of political leaders.
A lifelong bachelor, Koch offered a typically blunt response to
questions about his own sexuality: "My answer to questions on this
subject is simply, `F--- off.' There have to be some private matters
left."
"I don't want to leave Manhattan, even when I'm gone," Koch told The
Associated Press. "This is my home. The thought of having to go to New
Jersey was so distressing to me."
"He was fiercely proud of his Jewish faith. He fiercely defended the
City of New York, and he fiercely loved its people. Above all, he loved
his country, the United States of America, in whose armed forces he
served in World War II." (Much more of his story)
No comments:
Post a Comment