The Ed Koch Era: A NYC Odyssey (How Long Did This Guy Stay in Office, Anyway?)
Ah, Ed Koch. The man, the myth, the subway rider. For New Yorkers of a certain age, Ed Koch was a fixture in the city's landscape, a fast-talking, name-dropping mayor who wasn't afraid to chat with you on the 8th Avenue N train (because, let's be real, that's where everyone saw him).
But how long did this whirlwind of a character hold the reins of the Big Apple? Buckle up, because we're about to take a trip down memory lane, NYC style.
The Dramatic Take: A Mayoral Marathon
Brace yourselves, history buffs! Ed Koch's reign as mayor unfolded over a span of... drumroll please... a whopping 4,380 days! That's right, folks, we're talking over 12 years of Ed Koch telling us to "turn down the damn air conditioning" and asking, with genuine curiosity, "How am I doin'?"
Hold on, there's more! That's 4,380 days of chasing tourists out of Times Square, presiding over the birth of the Wall Street boom, and bringing back those iconic "I ♥ NY" t-shirts. (Though, between you and me, who actually wore those things?)
The Less Dramatic Take: Just the Facts, Ma'am
Alright, alright, enough with the theatrics. For those of you who prefer your history lessons a little less flashy, here's the lowdown: Ed Koch served as NYC mayor for three terms, which translates to a cool 12 years.
Now, you might be thinking, "Three terms? Wasn't there a term limit?" Well, yes, there is now. But Koch was mayor before the term limit came into effect, so he was able to serve for as long as New Yorkers kept voting him in. And let me tell you, they voted the guy in like nobody's business!
So, there you have it. Ed Koch, a larger-than-life character who left his mark on New York City. Love him or hate him, there's no denying he was one of a kind.
