Cops unwittingly make the case for Rudy

Adam Brodsky:

PAT Lynch, who heads the city police union, took aim at Rudy Giuliani in The Post last week, blasting him for how he dealt with cops while mayor and saying his members would never collectively back him "for any elected office," let alone president.

Lynch couldn't have offered a more compelling reason for voters to back Rudy.

Think about it: Gripes like Lynch's provide strong evidence that the man who transformed New York did so by making hard, unpopular choices - even when it came to angering such core backers as cops.

New York could use more complaints like that - and so could America.

Remember, the police and Rudy were thisclose. (In all likelihood, most cops still back him, Lynch notwithstanding.)

Giuliani came from a family of cops. He stood with them as they turned inexcusably crude at a '92 rally. As mayor, he backed them unconditionally whenever one was accused of misconduct.

Yet he nonetheless squeezed out a labor contract with them tough enough to keep Lynch & Co. steamed all these years.

"While the city was rolling in money, the Giuliani administration cried future poverty and stuck New York City police officers with 3½ years without a raise," Lynch told The Post's Carl Campanile.

Cops haven't forgotten, says Lynch.

Well, maybe not. But no one can seriously doubt Rudy's support for police officers or his regard for their value to the city. During his mayoralty, the NYPD eliminated more violence than anyone thought possible - and Giuliani knows that.

But the city had to stick to a budget. "There really was no money - and they knew it," said city Labor Commissioner Jim Hanley, who negotiated the contract.

Rudy had an obligation not just to his friends the cops - but to a broader constituency: taxpayers.

That he and his team managed to hold down labor costs while still producing unheard-of crime drops could be viewed as a testament to his management skills; New Yorkers can be doubly grateful.

...

Standing up to guys like Lynch is one of the things I like about Giuliani. It demonstrates he puts the public interest ahead of expediency. He should use political jujitsu to parry the attacks by the union. Make them a badge of honor. It is certainly one of the things that endeared him while he was mayor. The people knew he would stand up for them against the special interests.