I've been mayor for five years. I've led a city. And directed a police department. I know how to use resources.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I want to be a mayor who helped, really helped.
I have to admit I didn't do as much as I should have back when I was mayor, but now we're getting it done. It's not where you've been but where you're going.
I strongly believe being mayor is the public post in which you have the greatest opportunity to change peoples' lives for the better. People live in cities, not states or nations. As a mayor, you are connected directly to citizens.
The mayor has got to work closely with a wide variety of people, his city council, state legislature, governor, business community, labor community, president and the congress in order to be able to do this.
My dad was a city councilman and a county commissioner, so I grew up involved and engaged in the political process.
I was pretty successful before Sept. 11 and fully expected that when I left being mayor I would be very successful.
I will lobby tirelessly in cooperation with other mayors around the country to insure that federal funding for our recently added police officers continues.
You have the biggest impact on controlling, on affecting local lives as mayor. It's so much more important than being a state legislator.
I have 15 years of executive experience as a big-city mayor and as a governor.
I'm one who demands a lot from people. I'm not afraid to look at alternative ways in city government. That's what I've done in my two years and will continue to do in the next four.