Whether they love him or love to loathe him, Pennsylvanians won't soon forget Gov. Ed Rendell.
When he steps down Tuesday, the Democrat will have governed the nation's sixth-largest state for eight tumultuous years, achieving most of his campaign promises while avoiding any scandal in his administration or a fiscal catastrophe.
As the state's 45th chief executive, Rendell has displayed a keen intellect, a robust leadership style and an unflagging conviction that state government can always do more to improve the quality of life for Pennsylvanians.
But he chafed at having to share power with Republicans, who controlled at least half of the Legislature throughout his tenure.
Rendell built on the national reputation he earned as the mayor who turned Philadelphia around in the 1990s and as general chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He remains a regular on national political TV talk shows and moonlights as a feisty postgame commentator at Philadelphia Eagles games.
