There was an election yesterday for mayor of Detroit. Dave Bing ,the former Detroit Piston basketball player, was elected to fill the seat that Kwami Kilpatrick had to vacate. Bing is a businessman in the area . Bing enterprises employees about 500 people.
This may be the Detroit citizens finally saying throw all the bums out. Cockrel was son of a long time Detroit pol and had bigtime name recognition. He had the power of incumbency since he was acting mayor.
Wonder if this signals hope for Detroit,although I doubt Bing can change much. Detroit is broke and the political infighting is severe.
I see Bing is 65. Is he still mentally sharp and physically fit?
Of course. He is fit and well spoken. He looks like he is at playing weight. He has run businesses for many years.
More on Bing: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/06/reporters-notebook-is-detroits-mayor-crazy-or-courageous/#more-50619
I think the people were going to vote for change. it is horrible how much has been going wrong. The unemployment is a city killer though. Corruption is so bad ,the people expect it . They have been lulled into believing that that is how all politics is. We almost will settle for someone who steals less and think that is a worthwhile improvement.
I know little about him, but I certainly wish him luck. He won’t have much problem exceeding the standard set by Kwame Kilpatrick (a disaster of a politician, and indeed of a human being) but it will take a lot more than that to look good in this job.
A city like Detroit, with such a long history of political corruption, gets used to it - entrenched interests don’t take well to another approach. Real skill will be needed to set and follow a better course. I hope he’s up to it.
I hope it is possible
Isn’t Ken Cokrel taking the loon Monica’s place. Thats a good thing.
It would be easier to shovel sand in the desert with a slotted spoon than to clean up Detroit.
I wish him all the luck in the world. He is going to need it.
Eh? He’s not that old for a mayor. Mike Bloomberg is 67.
Indeed, Cockrel, as council president, moved up to acting-mayor until Tuesday’s election. Monica then moved up to council president, and did a fabulous job perpetuating the idea that all Detroiters are ghetto and uneducated.
I fully believe one reason Cockrel lost is because Detroiters wanted Monica out of the council presidency. She’s out of her mind.
So now that Bing’s mayor-elect, Cockrel can go back to being council president…er, not so fast Mr. Cockrel…
http://www.silverstatechronicles.com/wordpress/news/councilwoman-monica-conyers-vs-8th-grader-kierra-bell This is what Detroit City Council meeting have become. Where is the hope?
Also, he was Shrek.
Good lord. Corrupt politicians are bad enough, but corrupt STUPID politicians are crippling the city.
Jeezus. I’ve seen middle-school kids conduct meetings better than that. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard an elected official yell “Then do it, baby! Do it!” to another.
As for “cleaning up” Detroit, you can’t clean up a town that doesn’t want to be clean.
Sounds like one of the most difficult jobs in the nation. Best of luck to him…