"many a native New Yorker, my mother being one, said the city was in the best shape it had been in decades after Rudy cleaned house..."
yeah, Koch wasn't a particularly good mayor. He was always entertaining though. He's a better pundit than a mayor. Rudy was the best mayor in the history of nyc.
Prior to 9/11 Rudy was sinking fast, plagued by a messy divorce, messy affair, revelations about his family and friends, etc. etc. He's not a bad guy, just wasn't a great mayor.