Former NYC Mayor John Lindsay dies at 79

GALLERY John V. Lindsay

December 20, 2000
Web posted at: 9:01 p.m. EST (0201 GMT)

HILTON HEAD, South Carolina (CNN) -- John V. Lindsay, a political chameleon who cut a striking figure while serving two terms as mayor of New York City during the turbulent late 1960s and early 70s, has died at the age of 79.

Lindsay died Tuesday night at the Hilton Head Medical Center and Clinics in Hilton Head, South Carolina, of complications from pneumonia and Parkinson's disease, said hospital spokeswoman Sue James.

"Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of John Lindsay," said President Bill Clinton, who praised Lindsay's "remarkable rapport ... with people of every race, in every neighborhood in every walk of life."

"In times of great change, John Lindsay was a progressive yet pragmatic force for the public interest. New Yorkers and all Americans will miss not only his confident style, but his commitment to social progress as well," the president said.

Lindsay became a national figure as he reached across social and racial lines to guide the nation's largest city through an era of division and discontent. But his spending policies were blamed by many for contributing to New York City's financial crisis of the late '70s.

"Mayor John and I shared a common bond -- we were elected Republican mayors in a largely Democratic city," New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said. "But beyond that, we shared a love for the city of New York, its people, and the government that serves them.

"He was very generous with his time, and gave me advice and counsel that I will never forget. John Lindsay's service and dedication defined an era. He will be remembered, and he will be missed," the mayor said.

National Security Adviser Samuel Berger, who worked for Lindsay when he was mayor, said he was saddened by Lindsay's death.

"He was a man of high principle, strong integrity and passionate commitment to his city and his country. He was a fine public servant and a very good man," Berger said in a written statement.

A political paradox

Born in New York City on November 24, 1921, Lindsay graduated from Yale University and later got his law degree there.

He first rose to the national political stage in 1958 with his election to the House of Representatives, where he served four terms.

He gained a reputation as a paradox -- a liberal Republican in a Democratic city and a wealthy Yale graduate who had good relations with the black community. In 1965, Lindsay became the first Republican to be elected mayor of New York since Fiorello La Guardia left office in 1945.

His campaign against city comptroller Abraham Beame and William F. Buckley Jr. fascinated the city. He issued a series of "white papers" on crime, drugs, housing, traffic, and city finances, gaining him a following among young activists and the endorsement of the then-influential Liberal party.

"I happen to be a Republican. I hope you won't hold it against me," Lindsay told campaign audiences.

"He is fresh and everyone else is tired," columnist Murray Kempton wrote about Lindsay, giving the candidate a campaign theme.

As mayor, Lindsay helped keep the peace in America's biggest city during a time of racial division and discontent over the Vietnam War. He was a strong advocate for minorities and for the poor, and he would often venture into downtrodden neighborhoods in shirtsleeves with his jacket slung over his shoulder to drink beer and talk in the streets with hippies, blacks and Hispanics. He also reorganized city government to make it leaner.

But Lindsay faced much adversity during his first term. On the first day of his administration, transit workers launched a 13-day strike. Work stoppages by sanitation workers and teachers also dogged Lindsay, and his activities on behalf of minorities cost him some support among the white middle class.

To those who said the mayor's job was near impossible, Lindsay said, "What do they mean by 'near'?"

Lindsay suffered from Parkinson's disease

Changing horses in mid-stream

Lindsay was defeated in the 1969 Republican mayoral primary. But, unfazed by the loss, he left the Republican Party, ran on the Liberal Party ticket and was re-elected.

In 1971, he switched his party registration to Democrat.

"It has become clear," he said, "that the Republican Party and its leaders in Washington have finally abandoned the fight for a government that will respond to the real needs of most of our people -- and those most in need."

Lindsay's aspirations went beyond New York, and in 1972 he made an unsuccessful run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In 1973, he decided not to seek re-election as mayor and went into private legal practice. He got back into the political game once again in 1980, but came up short in his bid for a U.S. Senate seat.

"John Kennedy once said, 'Life isn't fair.' And he was right," Lindsay said during his presidential campaign. "But that has never stopped men from trying to make it fair.

Lindsay is survived by his wife, Mary, and four children.

CNN Producer Phil Hirschkorn, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.