The two minority party candidates for District mayor hammered away at Adrian Fenty on Thursday in their one chance to clip the wings of the Democratic party.
Republican Dave Kranich and Statehood Green Chris Otten took their shots at Fenty, the Democratic mayoral nominee and presumptive chief executive of the city — particularly on education, which consumed half of the only debate between the candidates. But highlighting their platform differences and challenging Fenty’s record is unlikely to change the outcome at the polls Tuesday.
“On your watch, the schools have failed,” Kranich said to Fenty during the debate, which aired on Washington Post Radio. “They’ve continued to fail. Where was the leadership while you were on the City Council?”
Fenty returned to what won him all 142 precincts in the primary: “Energy and accountability and experience.” When Kranich questioned his leadership on education, Fenty touted his introduction of the school modernization bill. The Democrat also said he would work nonstop to win the District a vote in Congress, touted his evolving plan to take over the schools and pledged to put his young twins in public school after they finish at their current private school, which runs through third grade.
“We’re not going to pull them out for some type of political statement or expediency,” Fenty said.
Otten was particularly critical of Fenty’s expected bid to turn the Board of Education into an advisory body, an idea that emerged after visits to New York City.
“You go to New York and hang out with Republicans, and you come back wanting to shrink democracy,” Otten said.
The Statehood Green candidate also took aim at charter schools, which he called a “privatized scheme.” He said that if elected mayor, he would immediately fire Police Chief Charles Ramsey, rebuild the public school system in two years, restructure a “regressive” tax system and lobby Congress for D.C. statehood.
Kranich said the city should cut taxes and require taxicabs to use meters rather than zone fares. He opposes anti-crime cameras and supports a person’s right to carry a firearm.
Part of the Washington DC Examiner’s 2006 election coverage.
