The drumbeat for a Ray Kelly mayoral bid grows stronger every month. The latest Mayor Kelly push comes from former state GOP Chairman William Powers, who is in charge of the party’s newly created statewide “advisory committee." Powers tells the Post's Fred Dicker that Kelly could defeat City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in the general election, even in predominantly left-leaning NYC. "Remember, a lot of people didn’t think Rudy could beat Dinkins because he was a Republican, and he did," Powers tells the Post, adding "BWAHAHAAHA!" more ›

The last mayor to live in Gracie Mansion—the home of the mayor of New York City since Fiorello La Guardia moved in in 1942—was Rudy Giuliani. And if our current billionaire mayor from Boston has his way, Rudy'll remain the last. After a Journal story yesterday suggested the next mayor might reside in the storied building (designated by Robert Moses for the job holder), Hizzoner got all huffy and expressed his opinion that it would be so "wrong" for a mayor to move into the building. Seriously, doesn't everyone have a multimillion dollar townhouse or two? more ›

It is safe to say that our billionaire mayor from Boston will not be following in the footsteps of former mayor Ed Koch when he leaves office. Where Koch has spent almost a decade now reviewing movies as a side gig (see: The Mayor at the Movies), Mike Bloomberg "once told a friend he had seen only 10 movies in his life." Make that 11—he admitted he went to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg gave his annual "State Of The City" address in the Bronx today—and while that speech was filled with "bombshells" and a glimpse at how he views his legacy, the star-studded video which introduced him kind of overshadowed much of that. After all, how often does one get to see Hizzoner awkwardly bop and jerk to his favorite musician and make-out partner, Lady Gaga? more ›

There is literally nothing we find more interesting than what current and former NYC mayors think about Occupy Wall Street. Obviously Mayor Bloomberg's bipolar responses to OWS have been well-documented, as he's wavered between damnation for any "class warfare" and respect for free speech. And Rudy Giuliani has made no secret of his hatred for “disgruntled bums” and “leftover hippies from the ’60s and ’70s.” Now, it's Ed Koch's turn to weigh in on OWS: "I’ve concluded the N.Y.P.D. acted superbly and made the people of the City of New York feel proud of the police officers’ professionalism under great provocation." more ›

At a breakfast for ABNY this morning in Midtown, Mayor Bloomberg told a room of the 1% exactly what it wanted to hear: those kids in Zuccotti Park are misguided. "It was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis," Hizzoner said, "It was, plain and simple, Congress who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp." You hear that Attorney General Schneiderman? Leave those innocent banks alone! more ›

Now that former New York City mayor and current bridge Ed Koch feels that he got what he wanted out of his support for winning GOP candidate Bob Turner in Anthony Weiner's former district, he's ready to be friends with Democrats again. "I believe the recent vote in the 9th Congressional District in New York affected in a positive way the policy of the U.S. on the Mideast," Koch wrote in an email blast to supporters. "I'm now on board the Obama Reelection Express." Yeah, doesn't it feel good to get off the "Backstabby Crybaby Bus?" more ›

During his weekly radio address this morning, Mayor Bloomberg looked into his crystal ball and saw a grim, violent future if the masses don't get a job. "We have a lot of kids graduating college, can't find jobs," Bloomberg said. "That's what happened in Cairo. That's what happened in Madrid. You don't want those kinds of riots here." Especially not if you live in one of those extravagant mansions that angry mobs just loooove burning down, amirite Mike? The mayor then went on to voice his qualified support for Obama's jobs bill, acknowledging that "at least he's got some ideas on the table, whether you like those or not." Hopefully those ideas include federal funding for fireproof panic rooms. more ›

Former Mayor Ed Koch, the GOP endorsement machine and author of "Giuliani: Nasty Man,", was on WNYM-AM yesterday saying perhaps he has misjudged his old foe, who is pondering a 2012 presidential run: "I think he's a modern Republican, and I think that he would be advancing positions that I could overwhelmingly support, so I wouldn't rule an endorsement out." As he did with his recent endorsement of Bob Turner, the Daily News reports that Koch made sure this one was backhanded too, saying that Giuliani "had a personality problem." more ›

As promised, former NYC mayor Ed Koch endorsed Republican Bob Turner yesterday for Anthony Weiner's seat in the 9th District special election on September 13, but it probably didn't go down as Turner wanted it to. According to the Daily News, Koch blasted the GOP for their handling of the debt ceiling crisis: "I think the Republicans are scoundrels in the way they're handling the matter." Turner tried to put on a happy face: "That's vintage Ed." He's a great man. I'm not going to take issue with a couple of political shots in the grand scheme of things." Presumably Turner then said, "Haha! 'Scoundrels!' Ed can I talk to you in private for a second?" more ›

It's no secret that former NYC mayor and structure that helps people get from Manhattan to Queens Ed Koch is angry at President Obama for suggesting that Israel and Palestine begin negotiations at the 1967 borders. Koch has strongly hinted that he'll endorse GOP candidate Bob Turner over Democrat David Weprin for Anthony Weiner's empty seat in the 9th District to exact a Scott Brownian revenge on Barry. It appears that Koch will do just that: the Daily News reports that Koch will make "an announcement" to the press at 11 a.m. on Monday. "I'll be endorsing [Turner], but you'll have to come to get the reason," Koch told the paper. Et tu, Eddie? more ›

Former NYC mayor Ed Koch is pissed that President Obama suggested this spring that a Palestinian state should be created from the 1967 borders. So much so that he's written, "If President Obama does not change his position, I cannot vote for his reelection." Nevermind that what the president actually meant was that negotiations would start from those borders and work outward, Koch wants to "put a shot across Obama's bow," and is doing so by endorsing GOP candidate Bob Turner over Democrat David Weprin for the special election in former Congressman Anthony Weiner's Ninth District. Orthodox Jew and New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is not happy about this, calling Koch's behavior "totally inappropriate." more ›

Former Mayor Ed Koch complained that NY State Republicans are dragging their feet on making good on redistricting reform. Yesterday, at a press conference, he pointed out how Republicans promised reform during last year's election but have now reneged, "You know, you either have to honor your pledge or you’re, in my judgment, dishonorable." And one of those "dishonorable" lawmakers is State Senator Majority Leader Dean Skelos. more ›

We've heard from a lot of people about the possibility of renaming the Queensboro Bridge after former Mayor Ed Koch. And now Koch himself is chiming in again. When asked what he thought of the plan, he told the Daily News, "The City Council will decide the issue. I am hopeful the outcome will be positive, G-d willing." However, Vallone suggested that the city instead renamed Gracie Mansion for the former mayor. He did actually live there! more ›

Some bridges don't get no respect. No mayor in his right mind would ever dream of naming the Brooklyn Bridge after a former politician, but when it comes to bridges with modern, ugly metalwork it's all RFK and... Ed Koch? The Bloomberg administration will reportedly announce plans today to rename the Queensboro bridge the Edward I. Koch bridge, and to rename the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel after former Governor Hugh L. Carey. more ›

At least one person heartily agrees with future Hustler editor Carl Paladino that Monday night's gubernatorial debate was about as substantial as Anna Chapman's iPhone app. "It was a joke...That’s not a debate. I mean, the people who put that debate together had their heads screwed on wrong,” said wrinkly former Mayor Ed Koch at the State Capitol yesterday. more ›

Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino is famously straight-talking. But does that make him dangerous? Well, yes, according to former Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R) who told WCBS 880, “He is dangerous, at the least, he is mean spirited and he tries to divide people." more ›

The NY Times asked former Mayor Ed Koch about his Sunday routine and one of the West Village resident's activities is related to citrus: "I’ll go to Fairway because I love their orange juice. I’ll get the half-gallon container, which, believe it or not, I drink in two days. Sometimes all I get is the orange juice. I love orange juice. When I don’t feel like schlepping all the way up to the Upper West Side, I’ll go to Citarella, on Ninth Street and Sixth Avenue. But it’s not such a good buy. I probably drink, I’d say, three gallons of orange juice in a week. It’s refreshing." Refreshing enough for fixing Albany? more ›

Move over, Old Spice guy, there's a new player in the personalized YouTube response to Twitter questions game. And it's former mayor Ed Koch! The 85-year-old, whose current effort, New York Uprising, is to remind voters to demand reform in the Empire State, answered questions like "How can we get from the government we deserve to the government we need?" and "what is your take on Pres. Obama's comments about the 'wisdom' of building a mosque downtown" more ›

Former Mayor Ed Koch is working on cleaning up the state government with the non-partisan coalition, NY Uprising, so he's taken to Twitter to get the word out, he's @mayoredkoch . Besides calling fellow Tweeps "Citizen," he's happy to give them what they want. The WSJ's Metropolis blog points out that Koch is an old hand at YouTube, what with his video reviews of movies like Avatar and Just Wright as well as Betty White's SNL performance. [Via reader Martin-thanks!] more ›

In his Huffington Post column, former mayor Ed Koch has blasted the White House for responding to inquiries about Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's sexual orientation. According to Koch, the White House should never have dignified such questions with an answer, and instead ought to have denounced the speculation. "By denying she is lesbian instead of denouncing the inquiry, the White House is implicitly stating sexual orientation is a legitimate issue of discussion in the confirmation process," writes Koch. more ›

Because of Obama's tough stance on Israel, New York's 3rd favorite mayor Ed Koch says he regrets traveling to Florida to spread Obama's gospel to the Jews during the campaign. Koch told the Post, "I think I did it successfully. He told me I did and then he sought to betray the state of Israel in my judgment." Though Koch was initially "weeping" at the president's stance, he said today, "He's backed off of that now and I take him at his word. But I do feel somewhat disquieted." Someone please get him a box of Kleenex. more ›

The NY Times has a long feature on the relationship between former NY governor Mario Cuomo and presumptive 2010 gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo that includes quotes like "He’s thick skulled; he won’t listen to me. Tell him what to do" (supposedly what Mario told a consultant about Andrew) and "There was this sense of rivalry — Andrew seemed to feel that his dad talked a good game but that he, Andrew, got things done" (someone who worked under Andrew Cuomo at HUD). But what's interesting is how the 1977 mayoral campaign comes into play. more ›

A group headed by former mayor Ed Koch has gotten agreement from three 2010 gubernatorial candidates and one very likely 2010 candidate to support nonpartisan redistricting of legislative and Congressional seats in New York State. Republicans Rick Lazio, Steve Levy and Carl Paladino signed a pledge to the group, while Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the expected Democratic frontrunner, signed his own letter (since he's not an official candidate). Gerrymandered districts are alive and well in NY—check these out. more ›

From the NYC Mayor's Office Twitter: "Mayor announces plan to close City budget by selling naming rights to Central Park, East River and Ed Koch. #aprilfools" Definitely hilarious, but we thought maybe they'd Tweet that The Situation was taking Ed Skyler's old position—The Situation and Mayor B are tight, you know. more ›