| |
|
He was born in New York City, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1965) and a Juris Doctor from Villanova Law School (1968). He is an Army veteran.
He served as district attorney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1978 to 1985, and as mayor from 1992-1999, before running for governor in 2002. As mayor, he helped improve neighborhoods and balance the city's budget. These cost-cutting policies brought him strong opposition from unions; however, he was re-elected in 1995 with 80% of the vote. He was named "America's Mayor" by Al Gore.
In 2000 he was succeeded by John F. Street.
He chaired the Democratic National Committee during the presidential election of 2000.
His wife, Marjorie Rendell, is a federal judge. They married July 10, 1971. They have one son, Jesse.