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As a former resident of Washington, D.C., and, I might add, a huge fan of the Washington City Paper, I thought that “The Big Choke” (7/2) hit the mark with its candidly insightful reportage. The problems both generated and encountered by Mayor Williams raise the question: Who, if anybody, can govern Washington today?
The answer might lie in the secret lab of a latter-day Dr. Frankenstein (probably located somewhere near Langley). His formidable surgical challenge: to implant Marion Barry’s earlier and singular people and political skills (including consensus-building), knowledge of and sensitivity to the diverse sectors of the city (from Upper Northwest to Anacostia), loyal support base (within and outside of the D.C. Council), and other elements of effective District governance into an individual with the desire, ability, moxie, and unassailable character to pull it off. Someone like Tony Williams might have been.
Baton Rouge, La.
via the Internet