Mayoral Mug Shot: The New Face of Detroit

North Star Writers Group ^ | March 31, 2008 | Eric Baerren

[Invisigoth]

For Detroit, news last week that its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, had been indicted on numerous charges – including the felonies of perjury and obstruction of justice – were the kind of kick to the chest that the city could have done without.

Kilpatrick came to office as the face of youth and energy, a former legislator called the “hip-hop mayor.” It was hoped that he would reinvigorate the city, and restore confidence in her.

Housing, as it did everywhere else, boomed. The city sought out new business and new opportunities. Citizen confidence was restored, and an improbable sense of civic pride was on display during a storybook Super Bowl XL when native son Jerome Bettis returned home with the Pittsburgh Steelers and retired with a championship ring.

[evets]

[subterfuge]

Kilpatrick’s scandal could spell trouble in deeper and more significant ways for the Motor City. It could also mean political upheaval. The mayor is the son of a member of Congress, and the nephew of a member of the state House. Two people – including one of the whistle-blowing cops and a former state lawmaker – have indicated that they plan to challenge the mayor’s mother in Michigan’s August primary, and the next mayoral election could be a bloodbath, with the prize being political control of the nation’s 11th-largest city, which itself is in economic turmoil.

I did not know that. Just the MSM doing it's job, I suppose.

[lady lawyer]

I’ve never been to Detroit. But my friend who has been there several times says it looks like East Berlin before the wall came down. It’s a basket case.

[PGalt]

Great article by Eric Baerren! Thanks for posting.

March Madness, precedes January & February Madness. There are many more months of Madness, beginning with April as long as King Kwame asserts his will. The Month Madness could extend to Year Madness.

[PGalt]

Correction: was preceeded by.

[PGalt]

Spelling correction: preceded

[PGalt]

It’s madness I say...

...it’s even affecting me.

(Sheesh...where’s my coffee!)

[stayathomemom]

This is a pretty good synopsis of the case. It's not just about sex, as the national media seems to be promoting the story, but that is what gets their attention

[chs68]

"I’ve never been to Detroit. But my friend who has been there several times says it looks like East Berlin before the wall came down."

Your friend is correct.

And it's no real surprize.

Detroit has, for the past several years, been ruled by the same sort of people that ruled East Berlin before the wall came down.

[50sDad]

Kilpatrick came to office as the face of youth and energy, a former legislator called the “hip-hop mayor.”

There is your problem, right there.

If you point to something like this with pride, your culture is already broken.

[Alter Kaker]

What the hell are you talking about?

[Major Matt Mason]

Kilpatrick came to office as the face of youth and energy, a former legislator called the “hip-hop mayor.”

Lol! If this is true, why would anyone be surprised at this outcome? Not that a "rock n' roll mayor" would be any better, but the sleaze of the hip hop industry is second to none.

[dfwgator]

Not that a "rock n' roll mayor" would be any better

I think the "Motor City Madman" would be much better.

[Red6]

**** called the “hip-hop mayor.”

We have dancing mayors with Nagin and hip-hop mayors in Detroit. The qualifications of American leadership is truly astonishing.

I'm going to run for Senator as the “shake your booty” guy. As my first act of legislation I'm going to propose a new federal holiday, Ramakwanzikanus.

[No Dems 2004]

He sounds like a big fat irresponsible person who just took what he could get.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Actually, it looks like downtown Benton Harbor...

(Michigan folks will understand.)

[AZLiberty]

It could have been worse. With a nickname like “hip-hop mayor”, his term in office might have ended with a gun fight.

[DungeonMaster]

Mayoral Mug Shot: The New Face of Detroit

Coming to a presidency near you.

What's wrong with voters lately?

PS: Loved your work on x-files.