Jonetta Rose Barras
Off and running: D.C. 2010 campaign season begins
By: Jonetta Rose Barras
Examiner Columnist
January 5, 2009
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty may have already announced his 2010 re-election bid, but today is the actual start of the local election slugfest. Watch for these signals as D.C. Council members quietly begin announcing, through words and behavior, their various political intentions:
» endless pontificating;
» claims of being the last and best savior of District residents;
» claims of rescuing public education, reducing crime and protecting the local economy; and
» attempts to deliver body blows to Fenty, believed to have the strongest, most agile political machine — a machine that could take down a legislator or two, if he so decides.
During last week's swearing-in ceremony for five incumbent council members — Marion Barry, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, Kwame Brown, and Jack Evans — and freshman Michael Brown, most legislators made bland remarks. But comments by the two Browns offered a glimpse of the drama to come.
Happy to finally have won political office after several failed bids, Michael Brown had two judges prepared to deliver the oath. What was that about? If he was attempting to demonstrate influence, Councilwoman Mary Cheh beat him to that two years ago; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered her oath.
Brown referred to himself as the “junior” council member, skipping his actual status entirely and sending the clear signal that no one should expect him to take a back seat. He can't afford to hold up the rear end if he intends to run for mayor. Brown's aspirations absolutely are mayoral, which his why he slapped Fenty lightly.
“For those who think there will be union busting in this city, there won't be any with me on this council,” Brown said.
Fenty and his schools chancellor, Michelle Rhee, are in a struggle with the Washington Teachers Union over changes to the contract. Among other things, the mayor and chancellor want to impose stronger and specific performance objectives in exchange for increased pay. The duo has pledged to enhance the quality of the teacher corps with or without the union's approval.
But Kwame Brown's outsize ego stole the swearing-in show. He tossed around the number of votes he received — more than 170,000. If residents didn't know better, they may have concluded that Brown was the long lost twin of President-elect Barack Obama.
“It's our time to create believable change,” Kwame Brown asserted. He suggested he was the catalyst for every reform and achievement that occurred in the city over the last four years, including education reform, the opening of the new IHop restaurant in Ward 8 and the metamorphosis of Greater Southeast Community Hospital to United Medical Center.
The latter is the result principally of the yeoman's work performed by At-Large Councilman David Catania. Further, Kwame Brown initially hesitated to support Fenty's takeover of schools.
Warning: Don't expect the two Browns to let the facts hinder their curious and entertaining political scripts.
» endless pontificating;
» claims of being the last and best savior of District residents;
» claims of rescuing public education, reducing crime and protecting the local economy; and
» attempts to deliver body blows to Fenty, believed to have the strongest, most agile political machine — a machine that could take down a legislator or two, if he so decides.
During last week's swearing-in ceremony for five incumbent council members — Marion Barry, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, Kwame Brown, and Jack Evans — and freshman Michael Brown, most legislators made bland remarks. But comments by the two Browns offered a glimpse of the drama to come.
Happy to finally have won political office after several failed bids, Michael Brown had two judges prepared to deliver the oath. What was that about? If he was attempting to demonstrate influence, Councilwoman Mary Cheh beat him to that two years ago; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered her oath.
Brown referred to himself as the “junior” council member, skipping his actual status entirely and sending the clear signal that no one should expect him to take a back seat. He can't afford to hold up the rear end if he intends to run for mayor. Brown's aspirations absolutely are mayoral, which his why he slapped Fenty lightly.
“For those who think there will be union busting in this city, there won't be any with me on this council,” Brown said.
Fenty and his schools chancellor, Michelle Rhee, are in a struggle with the Washington Teachers Union over changes to the contract. Among other things, the mayor and chancellor want to impose stronger and specific performance objectives in exchange for increased pay. The duo has pledged to enhance the quality of the teacher corps with or without the union's approval.
But Kwame Brown's outsize ego stole the swearing-in show. He tossed around the number of votes he received — more than 170,000. If residents didn't know better, they may have concluded that Brown was the long lost twin of President-elect Barack Obama.
“It's our time to create believable change,” Kwame Brown asserted. He suggested he was the catalyst for every reform and achievement that occurred in the city over the last four years, including education reform, the opening of the new IHop restaurant in Ward 8 and the metamorphosis of Greater Southeast Community Hospital to United Medical Center.
The latter is the result principally of the yeoman's work performed by At-Large Councilman David Catania. Further, Kwame Brown initially hesitated to support Fenty's takeover of schools.
Warning: Don't expect the two Browns to let the facts hinder their curious and entertaining political scripts.
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