Michelle IsoldiPAF 9199January 16, 2015

Notes on State of the City Address – Rudolph W. Giuliani

January 14, 1998

At the time of Rudy Giuliani’s State of the City Address in January 1998, he had completed his first term of mayor of New York City and was recently re-elected to serve another four years. It is evidenced in his address that his focus was to remind his constituents of all he accomplished during his first term and show them what the next four years would bring.

Giuliani greatly improved many aspects of city living, but wanted to make sure his audience knew he was not done and was eager to move into the next phase of his improvements. For this address, Giuliani focused on the topics of public safety, education, health care, child welfare, welfare reform, economy, rebuilding the city, and monuments preservation. For each topic, Giuliani summarized what had been done in the last four years, often citing statistics where appropriate to justify the measures he took in his first term, and then outlined his vision and his plan for the start of his new term.

The tone of the speech is very optimistic. Giuliani shows enthusiasm for the progress that has been made so far, and exudes confidence that more can be done. Often, he praises New York City and champions it as the “Capital of the World”. The style of the speech is straightforward. Giuliani uses real examples and statistics to illustrate his point. Throughout the speech, Giuliani refers to statistics and memories almost always before 1993 to provethe progress he made during his first term. Although the speech, as most State of the City speeches are, is mostly ceremonial, Giuliani does lay the groundwork for future policy changes.

Giuliani discusses the first two topics, public safety and education,for the majority of his speech. This shows that they are topics for which Giuliani feels are most important since they can have a ripple effect for the other areas.For public safety, he mentions his proposals, such as ending parole and expanding anti-drug initiatives. He reminds his audience of the crime statistics he helped reduce during his first term: “Over the past four years crime has declined 44%, murder by 61%, and shooting victims by 61%, and shooting incidents by 62%”. For education, Giuliani details the progress of certain programs he has implemented and again discusses areas for improvement, such as expanding pre-kindergarten programs, limiting the number of years a student has to graduate high school (before having to transition to nights or weekend classes) and discontinuing CUNY’s open enrollment option. As will be discussed later, the education reform received the most media attention based on a review of New York Times articles.

Towards the beginning of his speech, he alerts the audience that he is doing something which is unusual for a state of the city address. He states, “…rather than discussing the state of our City today, let’s discuss how we can improve the state of our City for the great celebration of the 21st century…”. Although he does of course address where the city is now in relation to four years ago, for the most part he does really focus on what he plans to do for the future. Some of the most interesting points in his speech are the stark differences that he points out between New York City in 1994 and New York City in 1998, including the crime statistics mentioned above and rejuvenation of Times Square from a seedy section of the city to a tourist destination.

Studying newspaper articles before and after Giuliani’s State of the City address helps put certain parts of his speech in context as well as detail the spin and response after the speech was given.

An article from the New York Times on January 6, 1996 (two years before this speech) reports on the division between Giuliani and the Schools Chancellor, Rudy Crew. At the time of the article’s publication, Giuliani and Crew had a difference of opinion over the responsibility of school safety: Giuliani believed the board should relinquish security to the police, and Crew wanted that responsibility to remain under his jurisdiction (Steinberg25). In Giuliani’s State of the City address, he makes a reference to this dispute by calling on Crew to “embrace the idea of police taking over the 3,000 plus school safety officers so they can be selected, trained, and deployed effectively”. The fact that Giuliani included this in his address shows it is a point that he does not plan on conceding, and calls on Crew (as well as the Board) directly to take action. He further stresses the impact of this decision by noting, “We cannot make any real progress in education until parents, teachers and students feel that our schools are safe”. This is an example an ideograph since his listeners now associate the safety of their schools, of which no one can argue is enormously important, with the transfer of control to the New York City police department.

A look at an article from the year prior to this speech illuminates a section about public safety. In response to his State of the City Address in 1997, the New York Times reported that “Mr. Giuliani’s greatest achievement has been the spectacular drop in crime…but many of those same communities have complained about an increase in police discourtesy and brutality” (“Mr. Giuliani Picks Good Targets” A18). In response to these complaints, Giuliani had promised to measure police complaint statistics as closely as crime statistics (“Mr. Giuliani Picks Good Targets” A18). In his State of the City address in 1998, he notes that although one might expect the drop in crime to be coupled with an increase in weapon use by the police, “during the period from 1993 to 1997 in which crime declined dramatically, the number of police shootings per 1,000 officers declined by almost 40%”. And then asks the audience, “how often do you hear police bashers give you those facts?”. Giuliani shows he is listening to the complaints about the police force and is able to directly address the rumors with a positive statistic, despite the media spin that was covered after his last State of the City address.

Articles from the New York Times after Giuliani’s State of the City address show what parts of the speech the media focused on and some of the opinions for and against his recommended courses of action. One article in the Times captures the essence of his State of the City address, noting that “…Mr. Giuliani has had great success in the past by staking out extreme positions on intractable issues, and thus frightening defenders of the status quo into accepting change” (“The Mayor’s Curtain-Raiser” A20).

From the week after the address, the majority of the articles focused on his thoughts on education. Of the two topics that took up most of his speech, it isn’t surprising that there were more opinions on education rather than public safety. Most of his public safety section was highlighting the great strides that have already been made and showing how he is going to further reduce crime in the city. Because of his past success, the media may have been reluctant to directly challenge him in the area of public safety. However, some of his changes to the education system would be drastic, and considering there was a disagreement reported in the past between him and the Chancellor (as discussed above), his education reform lent itself to more discussion.

For example, some clips from the New York Times include: “…Giuliani was right when he urged the City University of New York to strive for higher standards…His call for more hours of instruction and fundamental reform…was equally on target. But the Mayor’s proposal for killing off CUNY’s open admissions program is disastrously wrongheaded” (“Hold On to Open Admissions” A16). Another article summarizing the speech, mentioned only his education reform in the first paragraph: “…Giuliani called yesterday for striking changes to New York City’s school system, from extending the school calendar by a month to requiring that high school students either graduate in five years or continue their education at night and on weekends” (Barry A1). Still, two more articles show different opinions on the limit of five years to complete high school with the taglines of “reflecting the view that society is too lenient” and “older students are singled out in a plan to limit high school stays” (Hartocollis B5; Archibold B1).

Giuliani mentions a number of people in his speech, including the President of the United States, the Police Commissioner, the Chancellor, the First Deputy Mayor, President of the HHC, the New York State Governor, etc. All of those listed, expect the President, are mentioned by name. Most likely the reason Giuliani calls on so many people is to hold them accountable and add extra pressure for his expectations. It was noted that he did not mention the President by name, perhaps because a Mayor “assigning” a task to the President directly could be inappropriate. In his speech, he says, “And in turn the federal government, in particular the President, must make the reduction of the importation of drugs into the United States as important a part of our foreign policy as trade relations or regional conflicts”. Since everyone else is called on specifically by name, it is noteworthy that the President was treated differently.

Giuliani also mentions a few specific places, including Albany, Cleveland, Albany, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, Lincoln Center,and Times Square. The significance of mentioning these places varies. Like the people he mentions, calling on Albany specifically adds more pressure to the government of New York State to enact Giuliani’s proposed measures. He mentions Cleveland as an example of a city that in his mind, effectively allows students a choice in their school attendance, “A voucher program established in Cleveland…includes allowing parents, poor and middle class as well as affluent, to choose among public, parochial and private schools”. Since he has already deemed New York City the capital of the world, invoking a city that is doing something better will elicit in the audience a call for change. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports is something that was on Giuliani’s agenda for some time, so mentioning it at the start of the second term shows his constituents that he still plans to “press our case to have New York run its own two airports without New Jersey as a partner”. And finally, mentioning easily recognizable and popular places like Lincoln Center and Times Square are to remind his listeners of all the great places in New York City and the appeal that the capital of the world holds for its visitors.

There are a few parts of Giuliani’s address that needs to be put in context for a future reader. A few of these passages are listed below with an explanation beneath each one.

“…let’s discuss how we can…fulfill the pledge we said together on New Year’s Day…”

The pledge he is referring to was in his second inaugural address on January 1, 1998, in which he said, “If we can do this, and all that we have pledged today, we can fulfill the oath of ancient Athens…to leave our city better than we found it” (Giuliani, Second Inaugural Address).

“And we are doing everything we can to reduce incivility and disrespect among any of the police officers who continue to resist the Commissioner’s Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect Program”

After Giuliani discussed the reduced crime statistics and discouraged “police bashing”, he mentions the CPR program. Although this motto is very visible now (it is printed on cop cars), it may not be known that this program started with Giuliani’s Police Commissioner appointment – Howard Safir. As Giuliani notes in his address to the Police Academy graduation in 1997, the graduates were “the first class that has been trained in Courtesy, Professionalism, and Respect [C.P.R.]”. (Giuliani, Police Academy Probationary Graduation).

“Who do you think said this? Newt Gingrich? No – it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his 1935 message to Congress”

When Giuliani spoke about welfare reform, he used a quote to help illustrate his point (this quote is discussed in more detail below) and then asked the questions above. These references may offer less clarity as time goes on. For the modern reader, it is important to note that Newt Gingrich was a Republican representative for Georgia in the House of Representatives and was notoriously in favor of stricter requirements and reductions in welfare. Franklin D. Roosevelt, on the other hand, was the 32nd president of the United States and enacted a number of programs aimed at providing welfare and support for those less fortunate.

“Times Square.Remember where it was four years ago?”

Giuliani’s discussion about landmarks may also require context for modern readers. He asks listeners to remember what Times Square was like in the beginning of 1994, which was quite different than the flashy, tourist attraction it is today in 2015. Before the redevelopment of Times Square, it was a center of drug trade, peep shows, and general debauchery (“History of Times Square). Giuliani describes that “families are now seeing The Lion King and Ragtime on 42nd Street”. Both of these references are to musicals that were popular on Broadway in 1998 (in fact, The Lion King is still a very popular show on Broadway today).

“Several months ago, the Coliseum project was going to go forward without including development of a major new performing arts center”.

For the modern reader, it is important to know what site Giuliani is referencing here. The Coliseum site was owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and is in Columbus Circle. Giuliani was pressing for the redevelopment of the site to include a new theater (Firestone).

The following quotations represent essential aspects of the speech:

“So rather than discussing the state of our City today, let’s discuss how we can improve the state of our City for the great celebration of the 21st Century; fulfill the pledge we said together on New Year’s Day to transmit our City as more beautiful than it was transmitted to us; and assure its position as the Capital of the World well into the next century”.

This quote, said in Giuliani’s first few remarks summarizes his plan for the future of New York City and tells his audience he’s not just concerned about where the city is in 1998, but wants to commit to improving it for future generations.

“I want to read you a quote about self-sufficiency: ‘Continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit.’ Who do you think said this? Newt Gingrich? No – it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his 1935 message to Congress.”

Here, Giuliani quotes a President that was famous for his improvements for the less fortunate. By putting this in his address, he is asking his critics to consider that his proposals for welfare reform is not to the detriment of the less fortunate, but to help them on the road to self-sufficiency. This theme is present in other parts of his speech, such as education reform.

The following is a list of key terms that are present in the speech:

  • Police bashers
  • Open enrollment
  • Welfare reform
  • Comeback City
  • Era of dependency

For more information about Giuliani and his administration, please see below for recommended further reading:

  • Leadership by Rudolph W. Giuliani
  • Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City by Andrew Kirtzman
  • Gotham Unbound: How New York City was Liberated from the Grip of Organized Crime by James B. Jacobs
  • “Person of the Year 2001 – Mayor of the World” by Eric Pooley in Time Magazine

Works Cited

Archibold, Randal C. "At Bronx School, 'Ultra-Seniors' Ponder Graduation." The New York Times 19 Jan. 1998: B1. Print.

Barry, Dan. "Mayor Urges Tougher Standards and Longer Terms for Schools." The New York Times 15 Jan. 1998: A1. Print.

Firestone, David. "Lincoln Center Is 'Interested' In a Theater at Coliseum Site." The New York Times 29 July 1997. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.

Giuliani, Rudolph W. Police Academy Probationary Graduation. Madison Square Garden, New York City. 3 Mar. 1997. Speech.

Giuliani, Rudolph W. "The Agenda for Permanent Change." Second Inagural Address. City Hall, New York City. 1 Jan. 1998. Speech.

Hartocollis, Anemona. "Graduating at 21? The Mayor Says No." New York Times 15 Jan. 1998: B5. Print.

"History of Times Square."Times Square Alliance.Web. 16 Jan. 2016. <

"Hold On to Open Admissions." The New York Times 19 Jan. 1998: A16. Print.

"Mr. Giuliani Picks Good Targets." The New York Times 5 Jan. 1997: A18. Print.

Steinberg, Jacques. "School Saftey Divides Giuliania and Crew." The New York Times 6 Jan. 1996: 25. Print.

"The Mayor's Curtain-Raiser."The New York Times 15 Jan. 1998: A20. Print.

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