Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch Dead at 88

The brash politician leaves a mixed bag of opinion in his wake

Former three-term New York City mayor Ed Koch died from congestive heart failure this morning at the age of 88, reports Reuters. The Democrat, TV star, professor, author and lifelong, unabashed New Yorker has been dubbed by the current mayor of NYC, Michael Bloomberg, a "quintessential" man of Gotham.

Business Insider passes along some of Koch's thoughts from years past on topics ranging from from the city vs. suburb debate to ex-president Jimmy Carter, of whom Koch was apparently no fan:

"Have you ever lived in the suburbs?" Koch asked Playboy interviewers in 1982. "It's nothing, it's wasting your life, and people do not wish to waste their lives once they've seen New York!"

It was this comment that sunk Koch's shot at being the governor of the Empire State, notes BI. And in an interview with Real Clear Politics in 2008, Koch shared his reasons for why Jimmy Carter is his most "despised living person." In short, it's his fellow Democrat's perceived hostility toward Israel:

I was popular with the Jewish community, and when I would not campaign for him unless he changed his position, he called me to his hotel in New York when attending a fundraiser and said, "You have done me more damage than any man in America."

I felt proud then, and even more today, since we now know what a miserable president he was then and the miserable human being he is now as he prepares to meet with Hamas.

The New York Times has penned a full obituary for Koch, which includes coverage of his controversial role in the burgeoning AIDS crisis in the early 80s. Read it here.

Via Reuters, Business Insider and the New York Times.

Would Ed Koch's feisty, politically mixed style play well today?

[NTBFW]

I didn't always agree with him but he was always entertaining.

[thejimbo]

Love him or hate him, Ed Koch WAS New York, with all the good and bad. Much more than I can say about the current mayor or his successor, whoever that may be.

[DARSB]

The Mayor was fun to watch, for sure. I think his modern day avatar is Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, NJ, both unmarried populist mayors of troubled major cities.

[bsking]

Nobody ever accused koch of being gay

[DARSB]

@bsking And one was a short Jew and the other an athletic African American. So, nu?

[bsking]

@DARSB one wonders why on a tribute article to Ed Koch you need to push little Cory Booker?

[DARSB]

@bsking Merely an observation on the historical continuity of a particular type of north eastern mayor. I take it you think that's demeaning to Mayor Koch?

[bsking]

@DARSB I do think it's demeaning to mayor koch to promote your perception of another politician's attributes in a tribute thread to ed koch.

[ConserveUSA]

May he rest in peace with no more suffering. He will be missed no matter what politics.

[PNWest]

He was quite a character. New York did well under his leadership. Rest in Peace good man.

[Dan_Tien]

"we now know what a miserable president he was then and the miserable human being he is now" It is not easy to say something kind about a man who has died when his eulogy includes scathing remarks that he made about another man.

[PNWest]

I think we should also take this time to acknowledge the passing of one of the smartest members of the Bush family, Barney Bush also passed away today. He will be missed. I am sure that Millie Bush is up in heaven welcoming him.

[martydotcom]

He was the spirit of NYC fun times during his tenure. He was a great guy would see him frequently ( lived a few a few buildings away from his apt) The joke used to be about his successor Dinkins - put him in a white jacket and he looked like every men's room attendant in the city

[bsking]

I remember Ed Koch as a very likable an honest man. I remember during the blizzard of 77 when asked by a reporter something about what people could do... he said " they should get a 6 pack of beer and stay home "

..... he was the old fashioned kind of politician who considered all of the people not just the ones who voted for him.

[botsmom]

Mayor koch had the single most important qualification for representing new york. He LOVED new york!

[Denizen_Kate]

"The People have spoken … and they must be punished." -- Ed Koch.

[kathyparsell]

A man who spoke his mind. Period.

[Slambo]

I see red when I even think about anything new york since that puke Bloomberg has waged war on our second amendment and considering that Koch was a supporter Bloomberg supporter .....I've got nothing nice to say.