Ed Rendell
A blunt, blue-collar political force who revived America's poorest big city as mayor before steering Pennsylvania through economic transformation.
Born 1944 (age 82)·Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011·Birthday: January 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ed Rendell's political persona was forged in the bare-knuckle arena of Philadelphia politics. As District Attorney, he was a tough-on-crime prosecutor, but his legacy was built as the city's mayor during the 1990s. Inheriting a municipality on the brink of financial collapse—dubbed 'America's poorest big city'—Rendell wielded a mix of fiscal austerity, relentless cheerleading, and pragmatic deals with unions to pull Philadelphia from the abyss. His blunt, often humorous style earned him the nickname 'America's Mayor' long before the moniker was widely used. That same energy propelled him to the governor's mansion in Harrisburg, where he championed massive investments in education and alternative energy, while also facing down fierce battles over taxes and gambling. A master retail politician who loved sports, cheesesteaks, and pressing the flesh, Rendell governed with the conviction that government could work, but only if it was honest, competent, and unafraid to make the hard sell.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ed was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Ed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 80
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 82 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania, from 2003 to 2011, focusing on education funding and energy independence initiatives.
- As Mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2000, he eliminated a massive projected deficit and revitalized the city's downtown and credit rating.
- Served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1999 to 2001, leading the party through a presidential election cycle.
- Authored or championed Pennsylvania's landmark Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard Act in 2004.
Did You Know?
He is a passionate Philadelphia Eagles fan and has done color commentary for local radio broadcasts of their games.
He co-chaired the bipartisan Iraq Study Group in 2006, which assessed the situation during the Iraq War.
He taught a popular political science course at the University of Pennsylvania after leaving the governor's office.
He was the first Democrat elected as Governor of Pennsylvania in over 40 years when he won in 2002.
“You can't be a good mayor or a good governor unless you're willing to make people mad at you.”
