Before he was once a political bigwig serving to (*84*) Carey and Rudolph Giuliani get elected, Thomas Regan, who died from leukemia closing week at age 84, was once a New York City firefighter strapping on his tools and operating into threat.
Not a lot modified after Regan retired from the FDNY. He not wore a helmet or rode in a loud truck, however in his new occupation as a political operative he nonetheless needed to put out numerous fires.
From the mourners who stuffed Our Lady of Angels Church in Brooklyn for Regan’s funeral on Wednesday got here a lot of tales about Regan’s feats on the planet of politics.
As Gov. (*84*) Carey’s proper hand guy, infrequently did Regan disappoint, they mentioned.
One of his first demanding situations got here on Carey’s first day as governor in 1975. Regan’s task was once to get the completed inaugural speech to Carey, however state soldiers wouldn’t let Regan into the chamber.
After Regan attempted to push his manner via, a trooper threatened him with arrest, in step with William Cunningham, a subsequent technology political operative, who recounted a number of colourful anecdotes of the Regan legacy.
“That would be great,” Regan spoke back to the trooper. “That’s the only excuse the governor will accept from me when I tell him why he didn’t get his speech.”
Another story concerned Carey and the Yankees, and a bid to get Carey an enviable picture op.
The instance was once a Canyon of Heroes parade for the Yankees, who had simply gained the 1978 World Series, due to slugger Reggie Jackson’s 3 house runs within the ultimate 3 video games.
While Mayor Ed Koch was once hobnobbing with Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner, Regan controlled to move Carey, who was once operating for re-election, subsequent to Jackson.
Home run.
“Tom was the guy in the midst of chaos sorting things out for the governor,” mentioned Cunningham, who went directly to change into communications director for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Give him an opening, and he’s going to put his shoulder in there.”
Regan’s courting with Carey started whilst Carey was once nonetheless a congressman representing Brooklyn’s Park Slope, and Regan was once nonetheless a firefighter in Brooklyn’s Ladder 105. Regan spent 11 years with the FDNY prior to becoming a member of Carey’s group complete time when he turned into governor.
“He was a very, very focused guy,” Cunningham mentioned. “Whatever spare time he had when he was not fighting fires, he would volunteer with Congressman Carey.”
Cunningham mentioned Regan had excellent political instincts. After a invoice signing in 1972, a photographer were given an image of Carey with Republican President Richard Nixon. Some staffers idea the image would lend a hand the congressman with conservative citizens, however Regan idea it might do extra injury together with his liberal base.
So when the image gave the impression the next day to come within the Daily News, Regan did what any protecting staffer would do. He were given up early and purchased all of the newspapers in the community.
He later teamed with consultant David Garth and helped Giuliani get elected mayor.
“He did extraordinary things, and his network was beyond what anyone could understand,” mentioned Regan’s nephew, Michael Regan, a former first deputy fireplace commissioner. “The bigger the challenge, the better he was at it.”
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