And once again DC voters decide to try shooting themselves in the foot again-- 'Maybe this time it will fell good!'
Posted on 09/15/2004 3:47:31 AM PDT by jalisco555
Washington (AP) - Marion Barry, the former mayor caught smoking crack on an FBI (website) videotape, staged another political comeback Tuesday, ousting an incumbent city councilwoman. Two other council incumbents were also appeared headed for defeat in the Democratic primary.
"We've got a new Ward 8," Barry told the crowd chanting his name at a victory party.
The man once dubbed "Mayor For Life" won the nomination for the Ward 8 council seat - the same post he won in 1992 after serving six months in prison for his drug conviction. He used that as a springboard to a fourth term as mayor in 1994.
The District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics had not provided a number of precincts reporting. But, The Associated Press calculated that 88 percent of the precincts in Ward 8 had likely reported votes. Based on that, and the vote totals provided by DCBOEE, Barry had 61 percent, while Councilwoman Sandy Allen had 23 percent.
Allen declined to address her supporters who gathered at a neighborhood restaurant, but conceded defeat to reporters.
"There are people out there who only vote when Marion Barry runs. You can't figure them in to your projections," Allen said. "I will always work with whoever the council member is, whoever is the people's choice."
With little money, and few volunteers, Barry, 68, ran a low key campaign against the woman who once served as a campaign manager for him. He spent primary election day visiting with voters at the 16 precinct polling places in the predominantly black, working class district.
"Money can't buy service and can't buy love. And I've given service to this community," Barry told the election night crowd, capping a campaign that had the theme "Ward 8 Needs A Fighter."
He pledged to work for jobs, construction of 10,000 new homes and health care. He urged supporters to lobby the mayor and council at city hall. "I cannot do it alone," Barry said.
"This man has devoted 40 years of his life to changing the character of this city," Barry volunteer Jesse Price, 59, said at the victory party.
"We're a democracy and the people have spoken," said D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams. Barry has few fans in Congress, which still oversees many district government affairs. His victory has some people concerned what it could mean for home rule.
"Practically, could this be a factor? It could be a factor, but it shouldn't be," said Williams, who came into office after Barry declined to seek re-election in 1998. "Who we elect to office shouldn't determine whether we have democracy or not."
"I have to assume that no one person can keep this city from being denied equal rights with other Americans," said Eleanor Holmes Norton (website - news - bio) , D-D.C., the city's congressional delegate who can vote in committee but not on the House floor. Norton ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary.
Meanwhile, Councilman Harold Brazil, D-At Large, was trailing challenger Kwame Brown. In Ward 7, incumbent Councilman Kevin Chavous was behind Vincent Gray. But both Brown and Gray claimed victory.
"We demonstrated to the voters that we intend to be very serious about this. I've indicated from Day One that I intend to be a full-time council member, even though these are considered part-time jobs. I intend to give up my job and work full-time for the voters," Gray said.
"A number of these leaders have been in office for some time and I think they've all accomplished a lot. But you've got to constantly be out there working the grass roots, maintaining your support or you can find yourself in a precarious situation," said Williams, who has not said whether he will seek re-election in two years.
Democratic Councilmen Jack Evans of Ward 2 and Adrian Fenty of Ward 4 faced no opposition in Tuesday's primary, or in November's general election.
Besides the Democratic primary races, Republicans and the Statehood-Green Party also held contests.
Councilwoman Carol Schwartz R-At Large easily won her party's nomination, defeating two challengers by capturing 86 percent of the vote. She is virtually assured a fourth term in November because the D.C. charter mandates that two at-large members of council be from minority parties.
Nearly 75 percent of the registered voters in the district are Democrats. Republicans make up about eight percent, while less than two percent are registered as members of the Statehood-Green Party. About 16 percent of the district's registered voters express no party affiliation.
I love how this phrase is part of the AP style book.
This gentleman used to put on his jogging togs and cruise through the streets. He would spread his favors among a fawning crowd of elderly and beefy looking women with abandon.
Most politicians wouldn't think that sex could be used to get votes, but in a community of single women, many of whom were on welfare, and with a very high imprisonment rate for the men, it worked.
Although Mayormarionbarrymayorforlife has had prostate surgery, his popularity in Ward 8 remains intact.
Marion Barry, gram-for-gram, is one of the finest politicians you'll ever see. ;)
"The b!tch set me up!"
One day that snake pit (Wash DC) is going to have to be cleaned out. It's a national disgrace. It's going to take some tough politicians who are not afraid of a political backlash to do it.
You wonder how much dumber DC voters can get - they can't see the connection between electing Barry to their horrendous crime problems. What a role model for their children: "Sure honey you can do crack and become mayor of DC someday too!"
And once again DC voters decide to try shooting themselves in the foot again-- 'Maybe this time it will fell good!'
I think Congress can revoke the districts self-governance at any time.
Anyone know about that? I'm just going on a dim recollection that Congress was responsible for the governance of D.C.
That was my thought! No wonder DC has such a bad crime problem - there are no consequences to being a criminal.
"Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is"
Some guys in Congress are thinking of lifting the gun ban in DC so that the few law-abiding citizens can now defend their homes and lives.
Even the FBI guys knew that.
In fact, the FBI guys could have used a really beefy (and ugly) woman to entice the Mayor, but it's unlikely she would have gone along with them on this once she knew who the target was. Recall that the woman in the case had other legal problems that made it possible for the FBI to manipulate her.
I lived just north of DC when Barry was re-elected after doing time. I could not stand it and moved to a state where the Democrats aren't crooks... New Jersey. Yep.., it seems I went from bad to worse.
He was there quite a while.
They'll need them when crackhead gets elected again.
DC, and I go there a lot, is ONE BIG PILE OF STEAMING COW DUNG!
A true NATIONAL DISGRACE as posted earlier.
Come to Virginia, we keep the scum on THEIR side of the river...or in Maryland! LOL!
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