President George W. Bush, vilified by many, supported by some, is a hero to me. Why do I say that? It’s not because I agree with the President’s domestic agenda. It’s not because I think he’s done a perfect job in the White House. George Bush is a hero to me because he has courage, doing what he believes to be in the best interest of the United States, notwithstanding daily criticism. The defeat he suffered with the loss of both Houses of Congress has not c Read more

Brooke Astor died on August 13 at the age of 105. This wonderful New Yorker left instructions on how her funeral should be conducted and what hymns should be sung. The simple, austere service was held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue and East 53rd Street. Invited guests, of whom I was one, were escorted to a reserved seating area. I was seated in the front row with Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Mayor David Dinkins. Seated with us was David Rockefeller, who was a close personal fr Read more

In the biggest legislative upset in years, the American people defeated the President of the United States, George W. Bush, along with the bipartisan leadership of the United States Senate, including Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain. Bush, Kennedy and McCain were supporting an amnesty program that would have opened a path to citizenship for 12 to 20 million illegal aliens. The amnesty legislation was supported by many of the major newspapers, as well as Catholic leaders led by Cardinal Ro Read more

In 1988, during my last term in office, traffic commissioner Ross Sandler called me to say that he had just concluded a meeting with a group of bridge experts. These experts had concluded that the Williamsburg Bridge was unsafe, required immediate repairs and, until repaired, should be shut down. In such an emergency, no mayor could do otherwise than order the bridge closed during the three months it took to make repairs, which is what I did. The closing caused an enormous financial loss to b Read more

After his election as governor, Eliot Spitzer clearly believed he had an enormous mandate for change, as evidenced by his campaign slogan, “On Day One, Everything Changes.” Eliot, who had just spent eight years in Albany as attorney general, should have known that when it comes to reforming state government: it takes, as they say, “three to tango.” Nothing happens in Albany without the approval of the two other major players, the speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, a Read more

I will no longer defend the policy of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq to assist the Iraqi central government in the ongoing civil war. While our men and women in the military suffer casualties daily, the Iraqi government refuses to take the major political actions required to end the civil war. The U.S. government told the Iraqi leaders that it needed to achieve 18 goals. Our administration’s recent report to the U.S. Congress on how close the Iraqis have come to achieving those goals sta Read more

Let me now—and not for the first time—rush in where angels fear to tread. I support President Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence. Why am I taking this step, which is sure to be criticized by many of my friends and supporters? It is because I believe in fairness. To remain silent because speaking out would not be popular is to invite punishment in the world to come. What are the facts in the Libby case? The story begins when Robert Novak, a widely s Read more

Last Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade was one of the biggest and most successful ever held in New York City. The parade has become not only a show of support for the rights of New Yorkers who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered, but also a Mardi Gras with floats and entertainment. All in all, it was simply superb. The crowds lining the streets were huge, with many out-of-towners applauding the marchers, in addition to New Yorkers, both gay and straight. People were smiling and cheering. Read more

The lives of three Duke University undergraduates and members of the lacrosse team were almost destroyed by the Durham County District Attorney, Michael B. Nifong. A woman who was hired to perform at a team party as a stripper and exotic dancer accused these young men of rape. The accused students were indicted by a grand jury which was apparently not told that the undergarments of the woman had semen and DNA from at least four men that did not match that of any of the three Duke students charge Read more

To those who believe that when America leaves Iraq, Islamic terrorists will be satisfied and stop fighting, I say this: Wake up. The hard truth is that if we leave Iraq, the terrorists will continue their attacks on Americans everywhere, including our homeland. And they will use Iraq as a new base of operations. In a May 28 article, The New York Times provided a chilling report. The article begins, “When Muhammad al-Darsi got out of prison in Libya last year after serving time for mil Read more