Where can I find this Mayor Frank Rizzo quote?
April 28, 2006 6:40 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a quote from former Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo, and my google-fu is failing me. Any suggestions where I might find the quote?
In 1978 or 1979, Rizzo did an interview with Tom Snyder. Rizzo was talking about changes in the Philadelphia Police department during his career as a police officer and mayor. Rizzo said something along the lines of "When I was a cop, the Philadelphia Police SWAT team had six shotguns, now we have enough firepower to invade Cuba and win."
So far my search has just turned up other people paraphrasing the quote, usually out of context. I'm looking for the exact quote. Something like a transcript of the interview would be helpful.
I'm asking this because I'd like to edit the Wikipedia article on Frank Rizzo, and I think this is one of his more famous quotes.
Although I respect your personal opinions about Rizzo, I am just asking about the quote.
In 1978 or 1979, Rizzo did an interview with Tom Snyder. Rizzo was talking about changes in the Philadelphia Police department during his career as a police officer and mayor. Rizzo said something along the lines of "When I was a cop, the Philadelphia Police SWAT team had six shotguns, now we have enough firepower to invade Cuba and win."
So far my search has just turned up other people paraphrasing the quote, usually out of context. I'm looking for the exact quote. Something like a transcript of the interview would be helpful.
I'm asking this because I'd like to edit the Wikipedia article on Frank Rizzo, and I think this is one of his more famous quotes.
Although I respect your personal opinions about Rizzo, I am just asking about the quote.
I googled and googled and couldn't find anything either. Just one paraphrase. Sorry.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:28 AM on April 28, 2006
posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:28 AM on April 28, 2006
His comment "The streets are safe in Philadelphia. It’s only the people who make them unsafe" is missing from the wiki too, it seems.
Channel 10 has a link to a 60 minute video about Frank Rizzo. Under the link it says "Do you remember when Philadelphia's hard-line mayor, Frank Rizzo, said his police force could whip Cuba in the 1970s? Watch more than one hour of Frank Rizzo video in our Video Vault", so the quote might be on the tape. Unfortunately the link is broken, but you might email them.
posted by iconomy at 7:38 AM on April 28, 2006
Channel 10 has a link to a 60 minute video about Frank Rizzo. Under the link it says "Do you remember when Philadelphia's hard-line mayor, Frank Rizzo, said his police force could whip Cuba in the 1970s? Watch more than one hour of Frank Rizzo video in our Video Vault", so the quote might be on the tape. Unfortunately the link is broken, but you might email them.
posted by iconomy at 7:38 AM on April 28, 2006
I grew up in Philly & I'm pretty sure it was on 60 Minutes that he said it.
posted by scalefree at 9:21 AM on April 28, 2006
posted by scalefree at 9:21 AM on April 28, 2006
If you are willing to go off-Web, there's a book called "The cop who would be king: Mayor Frank Rizzo," by Joseph R. Daughen.
posted by Carol Anne at 4:53 AM on April 29, 2006
posted by Carol Anne at 4:53 AM on April 29, 2006
Wasn't there also a choice quote on the subject of putting his brother in charge of the fire department? Something to the effect of, "If you can't help your own family, who can you help?"
posted by Afroblanco at 8:54 AM on April 29, 2006
posted by Afroblanco at 8:54 AM on April 29, 2006
And who can forget the quintessential image of him, going from a black tie event to the scene of a race riot, replete with nightstick stuck in his cumberbund?
posted by scalefree at 7:36 AM on April 30, 2006
posted by scalefree at 7:36 AM on April 30, 2006
Response by poster: Sorry for a late reply, but thanks everybody for your responses.
baltimore: I did see that site, but I was looking for something more neutral.
scalefree: It may have indeed been 60 Minutes. Great pic.
Carol Anne: Another Rizzo book I need to buy.
Afroblanco: How about this: "The first thing I did after becoming mayor was make my brother Joe the Fire Commissioner. A lot of people said that was nepotism. I didn't know what that was, so I called my brother and said, 'Joe, did you pick up anything when you were stationed in Japan?' Philadelphia Daily News 11-15-74
posted by Fat Guy at 8:23 PM on May 16, 2006
baltimore: I did see that site, but I was looking for something more neutral.
scalefree: It may have indeed been 60 Minutes. Great pic.
Carol Anne: Another Rizzo book I need to buy.
Afroblanco: How about this: "The first thing I did after becoming mayor was make my brother Joe the Fire Commissioner. A lot of people said that was nepotism. I didn't know what that was, so I called my brother and said, 'Joe, did you pick up anything when you were stationed in Japan?' Philadelphia Daily News 11-15-74
posted by Fat Guy at 8:23 PM on May 16, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
(BTW, it's the #3 result for "frank rizzo" cuba on Goog.)
http://awol.objector.org/recentnewsandevents/move902.html
posted by baltimore at 7:00 AM on April 28, 2006