Edward Irving Koch—three-time Democratic Mayor of New York City turned fervent supporter of George W. Bush—sent shivers through many of his old friends last week when he announced that he was about to disclose his presidential pick for 2008. After all, Koch still believes Bush was a fine president, and he still thinks that history will judge George generously. And Koch had been a big Hillary supporter all spring.

So I was not alone in assuming that John McCain would be Koch's man this year.

But this morning, Hizzoner redeemed himself with a warm endorsement of Barack Obama for President of the United States-and it turns out that McCain's pick of Sarah Palin was a big factor in Koch's choice:

"I have concluded that the country is safer in the hands of Barack Obama, leader of the Democratic Party and protector of the philosophy of that party. Protecting and defending the U.S. means more than defending us from foreign attacks. It includes defending the public with respect to their civil rights, civil liberties and other needs, e.g., national health insurance, the right of abortion, the continuation of Social Security, gay rights, other rights of privacy, fair progressive taxation and a host of other needs and rights.

If the vice president were ever called on to lead the country, there is no question in my mind that the experience and demonstrated judgment of Joe Biden is superior to that of Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a plucky, exciting candidate, but when her record is examined, she fails miserably with respect to her views on the domestic issues that are so important to the people of the U.S., and to me. Frankly, it would scare me if she were to succeed John McCain in the presidency.

Yesterday, Koch also had a special word for another former New York City Mayor, whom he once profiled at book length in a volume entitled, Giuliani, Nasty Man. Koch said he had noticed a "verbal tic intruding" into Giuliani's speech at the Republican convention last week: "a kind of maniacal laugh appearing before or simultaneously surfacing as he delivered his slashing attack" on Obama. Suddenly, Koch realized where he had heard that laugh before: it was from Richard Widmark, "carrying out his role in the movie Kiss of Death. I saw once again the scene in which Widmark, playing Tommy Udo, a killer, pushed a wheelchair in which an old woman was sitting and, laughing maniacally, shoved it off the top of the stairs with its occupant still in it."

Koch suggested Rudy might want to drop that habit before his next run for public office.

Update: The Obama campaign contacted Koch this afternoon and he agreed to campaign for the Democratic nominee.