  Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 2260 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.251.27.41 |
EYE ON POLITICS: A campaign offer that could be refused October 24, 2005 BY CHRIS CHRISTOFF FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU CHIEF As Detroit's mayoral race rolls to conclusion, here are future letters you won't see ... It's January 2006, two months after Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick wins re-election in a stunning, final-days turnaround. He writes: Dear Gov. Granholm: I hope the new year finds you anxious to bring prosperity to our state. Thanks again for the new earring for Christmas, which I can now wear in public. Our great city faces hard times. It's worse than we thought. Besides laying off 500 police officers, we plan to sell Belle Isle to a Chinese developer. We've had to dismiss many other dedicated public servants who've been very close to my administration. Some are like family. In fact, they are family. I am prepared to go to great lengths to help you in your re-election efforts in Detroit. Thus, I hope you'll consider hiring for your campaign team a few highly motivated individuals who are familiar with the city, if only until the job market opens up a bit. I know you and I have had our differences, but those are behind us. It's time you and our fellow Democrats step up to the plate and lend a helping hand to our great city. It's time to consider state assistance to help get us over the hump and on our way toward the great recovery that awaits us. Perhaps a nominal $100 million to keep the wolf from the door. Remember, receivership is not an option for a world-class city. As I said, I am prepared to pull out all the stops to motivate Detroit's voters to put Jennifer Granholm back in the governor's mansion. And face it, Governor, you need Detroit to win. We can't allow a repeat of 1990, when a low turnout in Detroit helped elect John Engler governor. Now is not the time to turn your back on Michigan's crown jewel. I look forward to serving our mutual interests in the exciting year to come. Sincerely, Kwame Kilpatrick Mayor, City of Detroit Dear Mayor Kilpatrick: Best wishes and congratulations again on your re-election. You showed again that when it comes to politics, personality goes a long way. Thanks for your offer to work for our campaign. We certainly remember your commitment in our 2002 campaign, when during the final weekend you interrupted your vacation to attend our Detroit rally with Bill Clinton. Your vacation during those last crucial hours showed your confidence in us, and we were rewarded with a close finish that gave us a Republican attorney general. You sure know how to create excitement. With your efforts, 220,000 Detroiters voted that year. That's 16,000 fewer than voted in 1998, when Geoffrey Fieger was getting stomped as the Democratic candidate for governor and Dennis Archer was mayor. We recall with humor your leaked, undelivered memo during the 2002 campaign in which you demanded that our administration hire a quota of African-American Detroiters in return for Detroit votes. Such a stink it raised! But we survived, proving that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Your new request for jobs for your friends is a tribute to your tenacity. As for proposing a Detroit bailout to a Republican Legislature in an election year: When pigs fly. It's true that in 1990, Mayor Coleman Young's political machine sat idle for Gov. Jim Blanchard. But we haven't seen a political machine since Ed McNamara retired from Wayne County. The closest thing to a Kilpatrick machine was that Lincoln Navigator. Frankly, Mr. Mayor, for every Detroit vote we win by appearing with you, we lose three votes in the suburbs. With all due respect, you're more radioactive than George W. Bush. If we're so desperate for Detroit votes, we'll put Geoffrey Fieger on the Democratic ticket. Thanks anyway. Yours truly, Freman Hendrix, campaign manager Granholm for Governor Campaign P.S. Your ex-employees qualify for retraining under our Jobs 'R Us program. We're happy to supply a toll-free number. http://www.freep.com/news/poli tics/eyeonpolitcs24e_20051024. htm | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1447 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
HAHAHA there is no way that Jennifer Granholm would ever let Freman Hendrix near her campaign. | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 813 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
How do you know that ILD? Didn't they work together at Wayne County? | ||
Lurker Member Username: Lurker Post Number: 1450 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 65.196.220.198 |
From Freman's site: Why would Granholm not let him near her campaign, ILD? | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1451 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
If he (Hendrix) is not mayor then he is no one. Has she ever come out and supported him? NO Has she supported KK? Yes Has she come out against KK? NO | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 816 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
Has she come out and supported either of them, this election? NO What's your point? | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1456 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
She has never withdrawn support of KK. And I can't imagine that she would be a big enough fan of Hendrix to have him do anything for her campaign if he loses. Why would she? She would court KK to help her if he wins. | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 817 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
She may not have withdrawn her support for KK, but she hasn't been vocal about him either (during this election). You never know how these folks in politics roll. If Hendrix loses, he might work with her, you don't know. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1459 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
What would he bring? He would be a loser (and I don't mean that in a bad way) - what would he bring? Kind of like John Kerry who wants to work with him now? No one. | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 818 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.90 |
So was your gurl, but she hooked up with KK. I don't mean that in a bad way either. (Message edited by 1honey on October 24, 2005) | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 1461 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
That is a bit different. They are/were running for mayor. If Freman was running for governor then endorsed that would be similar. If he loses as a candidate for mayor he is kind of yesterday's news...like any other mayor candidate. Who else that has run in the past has played a major role? ALSO regardless of what you all think Hendrix and Archer are not the best of buddies. And Archer is playing a major role in the Granholm reelection...not so much with Detroiters but on a statewide level. Archer will play better in Oakland CO versus Detroit (not that he is bad here) but it is the mayor's role to hit Detroit up for a vote for Granholm. |
