In an item of city wide, but also local interest,
DCist reports that Michelle Rhee is threatening (sort of) to jump ship if Fenty is not re-elected. Education is a pretty central issue in the District right now. Could this tip the boat...er, vote for Fenty?
15 comments:
Gray's campaign is basically a clutch of unrelated resentments (pissed-off bureaucrats, old-timers who resent "The Newcomers", good government types, etc...)
Since he can't speak to any of these groups directly without pissing off the others, his only hope for election is to run an election campaign totally devoid of substance. When he tries to formulate concrete positions, he ends up being slaughtered. This is exactly what happened on the streetcar issue. It was intended to be a sop to Old DC that blew up in his face.
The brilliance of this latest move by the Fenty administration is that it forces Gray's hand. There's no way Gray can respond to this without pissing off either a large portion of his base (who want Rhee punished), or the majority of DC voters who support reform.
Look for Fenty to define Gray with more of these tactical moves in the weeks to come.
I'm a single issue voter. Gray tried to take my streetcar away...he doesn't care about this part of the city...Therefore, I vote Fenty.
Despite all the comments you see on WaPo articles and the blogs, the anti-Rhee camp is very small and Gray shouldnt cater to them. Nobody should hate Rhee more than teachers and their "controversial" contract, which should have served as a referendum on Rhee, passed easily. There are a very few devoted vocal minorty out there spewing lots of Rhee stuff making it sound like a divisive issue, when in reality it is not even close.
Dave - have you looked at the polls? Both Fenty and Rhee have dived in the polls since they came in and Gray is ahead of Fenty in the two formal polls done so far. He has also beat Fenty in all of the recent straw polls, incleing the one in ward 3, the supposed Fenty Stronghold.
Please check the facts (referenced below) before repeating such falsehoods.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/30/AR2010013002452.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013102757.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2010/06/gray_wins_over_fenty_in_ward_3.html
Check out the In Shaw blog for exactly what you will get if Gray is elected.
Many of you were not around when we couldn't even get the trash picked up 0
My bad anon.
Although some of those straw polls seem suspect based on some of the things mentioned in the article (like Peaceaholics getting children to vote for Fenty. Who knows what Gray was up to?) and possibly small sample sizes.
Regarding Rhee, I think some of those numbers might have changed since the teachers contract has settled. It was pretty easy to rally people against her after firing 200 teachers and other slightly shady things she said back then.
Now the contract is behind her and I suspect some of that fury has died down. If she gets some positive test scores and shows that she has recovered most/all of those teaching positions going into next year, a lot will be forgiven
I'm just struggling to see what Fenty has screwed up enough to get him voted out (or maybe he didnt do enough to improve the city?). Gave contracts to his friends? If it got done cheaply and streamlined the process I really dont care. If he overpaid, then that is messed up. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt because I havent heard that he did anything illegal (like cash under the table) to get it done.
I'm more of a "things haven't completely gone to hell even with the recession so maybe that should count for something" voter
My bad anon.
Although some of those straw polls seem suspect based on some of the things mentioned in the article (like Peaceaholics getting children to vote for Fenty. Who knows what Gray was up to?) and possibly small sample sizes.
Regarding Rhee, I think some of those numbers might have changed since the teachers contract has settled. It was pretty easy to rally people against her after firing 200 teachers and other slightly shady things she said back then.
Now the contract is behind her and I suspect some of that fury has died down. If she gets some positive test scores and shows that she has recovered most/all of those teaching positions going into next year, a lot will be forgiven
I'm just struggling to see what Fenty has screwed up enough to get him voted out (or maybe he didnt do enough to improve the city?). Gave contracts to his friends? If it got done cheaply and streamlined the process I really dont care. If he overpaid, then that is messed up. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt because I havent heard that he did anything illegal (like cash under the table) to get it done.
I'm more of a "things haven't completely gone to hell even with the recession so maybe that should count for something" voter
I think it's obvious Rhee would NOT be around with ANY new administration. Don't MOST key leaders in the city change with each new administration?
Tom A.,
Some key officials change, some don't. Natwar Ghandi's been the CFO for ten years.
If Fenty wins, Rhee could stick around.
How typical of the diva Ms. Rhee, "threatening to jump ship" if Fenty loses.
If Gray wins he will fire her before she has a chance to quit.
Anonymous 10:17:00 PM:
And the fears of DC's real middle class will be fulfilled as Gray allows the school system to spin back into oblivion.
Nothing says 'missed opportunity' for school improvement like a Gray administration.
If Gray cared about the kids in this city, he would have stayed on as Council Chairman and supported the mayor instead of interfering with this City's most important improvement in 30 years.
I'm glad that Gray is running. We can get rid of him. I can't believe that anyone can look at Gray's management of the City Council business really thinks that he did a good job.
1. He let Barry get away with stealing taxpayer's money and giving to his girl friend(s)But then most if not all of the council members have their pet projects funded.
2. Lack of real oversight of recreation center funding. Council members showed up for photo ops for ground breakings, and ribbon cutting. Then made grandstanding public hearings with no criminal charges made even yet.
3. No serious legislation. The dealers still hang on the corner, and the young criminal class is set free to rob you again, while we pay for plastic bags, and sugar in our sodas.
Gray for Mayor. You can't be serious.
Someone mentioned the In Shaw blog upthread, so I thought I'd go ahead and repost the comment:
"Longtime resident and grumpy old guy Ray comes up with some interesting observations and statements that are pure gold and must be shared:
I had several long evening walks this week east and north from me on Ninth
and it would appear that on on some blocks, particularly where homes are
less renovated, Gray signs prevail. There are very few, if any, Fenty
signs. I suspect Gray will be our next mayor due to apathy from the
self-absorbed, unregistered, new busy young moderns who've moved here
but think DC politics are immaterial to or just too beneath them.
Gray will usher back in the good old days of Barry Third World politics
where constituent services will be tightly controlled and allocated by
having to petition the big man at neighborhood meetings to have your trash
cleaned up, the police patrol your block, have a water leak or a pothole
repaired, and an error in your tax bill remedied. Don't expect any services
unless you can prove your bona fides -- at least third generation Black DC
resident. Expect the return of long, long lines in the DMV with surly
inspectors and clerks. Construction will stop as developers will again flee
when the pols demand kickbacks and jobs for the indolent and insolent.
Expect real "gentrification" taxs for more worthless "programs" for PG
county bourgeiois friends of the mayor that make "Peaceaholics" look like an
effective crime-fighting operation. Expect the police to spend more
time writing tickets (church people exempted) instead of catching
criminals. Neighborhood rule by preacher will return. Teachers will no
longer be compelled to teach and students freed from having to learn. Go
Gray and bring back the good old days of DC politics."
(http://blog.inshaw.com/2010/06/ray-o-sunshine-on-gray.html)
Oboe, I could not agree w/ Grumpy Ray more.
Most people miss the point of Fenty that some people have a problem with. Accountabilty to the people. Fenty is so secretive about things and man the many scandals. I am not totally displeased but I want him to be accountable to the people who elected him. Stop giving away money to his frat brothers!Work more than bike. Fire that darn crazy attorney who does not even live in the city! Give us a middle school in Ward 5!
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