Opinion: Rudy’s record as mayor

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One of the major points that Rudy Giuliani frequently makes about why he should become the Republican nominee for president is that, unlike any of the Democrats and some of his Republican opponents, he’s been a chief executive, run a very large government as mayor of America’s largest city and brought about numerous reforms.

In his campaign for office in the 1990s, Giuliani promised to cut crime, boost the city’s economy and fix the seriously troubled schools. A detailed examination by The Times Ralph Vartabedian into his management style and methods, possible windows into how he would govern as president, finds that Giuliani accomplished two of those goals.

But when it came to education, his bare-knuckle tactics and refusal to compromise on issues both big and small produced a controversial record with some serious defeats.

Vartabedian’s full report is available here on this website and in Thursday’s print editions.

--Andrew Malcolm