But the courts have dismissed the lawsuits against me and Lee Brown.

I went downtown as a lawyer and then I worked in a liquor store at night, as I had done all through law school. And so when I got to the point where I could give up the night job, I joined the political club.

In 1975 I was among a group of blacks who formed the Black Americans in Support of Israel Committee.

The art and culture that is New York, communications, finance, all these things help make up New York. The rest of the country should be happy that we are what we are.

You can be anything you want to be. You can be a street sweeper, if you want. Just be the best blasted street sweeper you can be . . . And, you know you can be mayor.

Well, I think I am a very, very lucky person. I'm very fortunate.

There is no point in me worrying about what Bloomberg or Badillo will do.