When I came in, the city was on the edge of bankruptcy. I'm proud of what I did. I built the foundation that mayors after me built upon - particularly Bloomberg. But the foundation was essential because if it hadn't occurred, we would have been another Detroit.

Don't tell me this is a difficult problem. If it weren't difficult, it wouldn't be a problem.

There was always a love-hate relationship with New York in the rest of the country, but I made them feel more love than hate.

You don't have to love them. You just have to respect their rights.

I have a social life. But I don't discuss it.

If I were running against Chuck Schumer. I would take every one of his Sunday press releases - and there are 52 for as many years as he's been there - and I would ask, 'How many of the things he said he was proposing became law?' I doubt many.

I'm just a simple Jewish boy from the Bronx.