Barrow Full Of Smarm
Shame on Tom Barrow.
First, I thought we were rid of Barrow, who once upon a time tried to provide a sensible, smart alternative to Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and later, Dennis Archer.
But he's resurfaced, at age 60, and he again has his eye on the mayor's chair. He's expected to finish among the top two in the August 4 primary (yeah, Detroiters have to traipse to the polls yet again) along with incumbent Dave Bing, thus facing off against Bing, mano-a-mano, in the November general election.
There was a time when Barrow was refreshing and above the dirty pool that was being played in City Hall and its environs.
That, apparently, has changed.
Barrow took a swipe at Bing today through a press release, and in doing so placed himself down among the folks he used to be so head and shoulders above, back in the day.
Barrow's concern is that Bing's proposed budget cuts are not only painful, but smacks of a plot to "dismantle" (Barrow's word) city government in order to turn valuable assets over to holding companies run by Bing's campaign cronies.
Tom Barrow, who should know better
“With no public debate on his plans, no community appearances, and no interaction with grassroots stakeholders, this placeholder mayor has continued to disrespect the public as he tears apart the city’s resources, privatizes and gives city assets to outside political cronies,” Barrow said in the statement.
Fine. No one said that running for mayor of Detroit is a love-in. But then Barrow got smarmy and cheap.
“When a city needs a better basketball team, it hires a coach, not an accountant,” said Barrow, a certified public accountant. “When it needs better fiscal management, it hires a CPA, not a basketball player.”
Whoa.
Bing retired from the NBA in 1978, some 31 years ago. He's done a lot since then, almost shedding his label of pro basketball player entirely, replacing it with businessman and, now, politician.
Bing, since entering the private sector, has created jobs, helped build new housing in the city, and most recently, has given hope to a city ravaged by the Kwame Kilpatrick scandal.
He's not, anymore, simply a basketball player.
I figure Tom Barrow would know that; he's a smart enough guy.
Ahh, but this is a political campaign, and sometimes folks lose their identity when they're blinded by the prize.
Barrow is better than that cheap shot about Bing's basketball career.
He might do better to re-affirm that, instead of becoming what he once so regally fought.
First, I thought we were rid of Barrow, who once upon a time tried to provide a sensible, smart alternative to Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and later, Dennis Archer.
But he's resurfaced, at age 60, and he again has his eye on the mayor's chair. He's expected to finish among the top two in the August 4 primary (yeah, Detroiters have to traipse to the polls yet again) along with incumbent Dave Bing, thus facing off against Bing, mano-a-mano, in the November general election.
There was a time when Barrow was refreshing and above the dirty pool that was being played in City Hall and its environs.
That, apparently, has changed.
Barrow took a swipe at Bing today through a press release, and in doing so placed himself down among the folks he used to be so head and shoulders above, back in the day.
Barrow's concern is that Bing's proposed budget cuts are not only painful, but smacks of a plot to "dismantle" (Barrow's word) city government in order to turn valuable assets over to holding companies run by Bing's campaign cronies.
Tom Barrow, who should know better
“With no public debate on his plans, no community appearances, and no interaction with grassroots stakeholders, this placeholder mayor has continued to disrespect the public as he tears apart the city’s resources, privatizes and gives city assets to outside political cronies,” Barrow said in the statement.
Fine. No one said that running for mayor of Detroit is a love-in. But then Barrow got smarmy and cheap.
“When a city needs a better basketball team, it hires a coach, not an accountant,” said Barrow, a certified public accountant. “When it needs better fiscal management, it hires a CPA, not a basketball player.”
Whoa.
Bing retired from the NBA in 1978, some 31 years ago. He's done a lot since then, almost shedding his label of pro basketball player entirely, replacing it with businessman and, now, politician.
Bing, since entering the private sector, has created jobs, helped build new housing in the city, and most recently, has given hope to a city ravaged by the Kwame Kilpatrick scandal.
He's not, anymore, simply a basketball player.
I figure Tom Barrow would know that; he's a smart enough guy.
Ahh, but this is a political campaign, and sometimes folks lose their identity when they're blinded by the prize.
Barrow is better than that cheap shot about Bing's basketball career.
He might do better to re-affirm that, instead of becoming what he once so regally fought.
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