Deep Longevity Thought
My knowledge of Wilmington politics is pretty thin, but James Baker must be pretty good to be the first guy to be elected mayor three times.
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My knowledge of Wilmington politics is pretty thin, but James Baker must be pretty good to be the first guy to be elected mayor three times.
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.
I was at the swearing in last night and he was the only lawmaker to get a standing ovation (he got 2, maybe 3 of them, I think).
I’ve got some thoughts on this I’ll put down in a blog post probably coming up later this evening (work is taking over today).
I hope I didn’t step on your post Cassandra. Maybe the haters will tire themselves out on this thread and leave your for grown-up conversation. (?)
(I kid.)
I don’t mind Baker. Of course, he might not have won if he had a serious challenger. Can’t take Bovell seriously.
From an NJ commenter :
“Walt Bacon (R-Wilmington) was elected in 1935, 1937, and 1939 when the terms where two years. He never finished the third term when he was elected Governor though.
Why the newspaper keeps republishing this same inaccuracy in every article about Mr. Baker is beyond me.”
Any thoughts on Baker’s stated intention to bring casino gambling to Wilmington?
I’m sure that will make us a “world class” city.
This guy is a travesty, but with a city of 85% Democrats and no intra-party diversity whatsoever his re-election is hardly water-walking (though I have no doubt his eminence and his many flunkies think otherwise).
Pigs at the trough, can’t get enough.
He’s been great on crime.
I grew up just outside the city (Edgemoor), so we certainly were aware, but barely (like a piece of lint) affected, of his doings as a City Councilman. If I recall correctly, he was active and progressive as a councilman (I may be wrong, so forgive me, this is all memory of several moons ago), making a habit of being a pain in the then-current mayors’ sides. When he won his first term, I thought it was welc0med, given his history. How things panned out over all these years, though, changed his image.
I don’t like how it appears that he doesn’t welcome feedback or input if it doesn’t agree with his own views. The city really seems to be a colossal PIA to manage, so keeping an open mind to your citezenry and staff is vital.
No worries, Jason — people have pretty strong opinions about Baker (for and against). Since I’ve lived here, though, I’ve never seen any one who ran against him who was a particularly credible candidate.
Much of how I view what happens in the city is through the lens of living though alot of the Baltimore transformation, which is clearly in the mind (as is the work in other proximate cities) of Baker, I think.
Cassandra – did you see that Kurt Schmoke (sp?) is one of Burris’s lawyers for the Senate imbroglio? Were you in Balto when he was Mayor? I recall he did a decent job.
All I remember about Curt Schmoke is that Letterman used to LLLOOOOVVVVEEEEE saying his name.
I hadn’t seen that, Tyler, and I was in Balto for Schmoke’s single term. Kurt was way ahead of his time — less interested in the Civil Rights Industrial Complex and very interested in long term good government policy. He was largely run out of dodge because he made it plain that he thought that drugs ought to be legal (or decriminalized) — not because he thought drugs were a good thing, but because he thought of it as a public health problem and not a law enforcement one. Lots of Feds came down on him and some high profile federal pol called him (famously) “the most dangerous man in America”. It was a nationwide scandal at the time.
Cool trivia — Kurt played the Public Health director in The Wire (season 2, the Hamsterdam season), mostly rehashing his arguments and making fun of the most dangerous man thing.
I got an email saying that Kurt Schmoke did get two terms, he found it politically difficult to plan for higher office with his stance on the drug war. Sorry for that mistake.
Baker evolved into a Frawlyite…..aka the Irish mafia. Next on the ‘favorite son’ list: Bud Freel.
I’ve lived in the city for over 30 years and have come to the conclusion that until the citizens get up off their duffs and place some demands on the table these fools (city council too) will continue to roll over us ad infinitum.
I could go on with a lenghty diatribe but I’m goin’ to bed instead.
Sweet dreams all………