What a marriage of two stories across the land merging within the
Detroit media, the Democratic convention in Denver and the mayor of
Detroit's possible removal from office!
I don't believe the bad news out of the mayor's office hurts
Democrats (it's not like Obama-Kilpatrick was ever floated about,
something that would have overshadowed the John Edwards affair),
though Gov. Jennifer Granholm probably doesn't want to have to answer
questions about Kwame Kilpatrick when she should be showcasing her
state and her party.
However, it is simply another stain on a struggling state as its
economy has tanked, its state party bungled its primary, and now its
mayor has turned into a better fodder for Jay Leno than the Lions,
who have yet to lose a regular season game.
What must be tough is to be a news director at a Detroit station, who
must decide whether to lead with a procedural bit on the mayor or a
speech from the convention.
Of course, what continues to amaze me the most is the gumption by not
quitting, even after that speech in court last month describing how
his life has been so changed by the charges and intense media
scrutiny, which is the main reason he should resign.

They talk about removing softball from the Olympic roster because of
American domination, and I believe if a sport is dominated by one
nation, then maybe it's not an Olympic sport.
Could you see American football as an Olympic game?
The Olympics are about sports that everyone plays or at least
everyone has a chance to play, hence all the races and such.
One sport that I noticed this time around is synchronized diving. It
held my interest for a few minutes, but alas, like most of it, I have
little time to watch.
But in today's news, I couldn't help noticing that besides Federer,
both Williams sisters lost in China. Tough day for champions.

A most interesting week in Detroit as the mayor was in court
seemingly all week long, getting tossed in the clink and then
released just in time to be charged with yet another crime, felony
assault on a police officer.
Remarkable, something I thought I'd never see.
It's a beautiful time to be alive, or at least working in the Detroit
media.
Sinking auto industry (or perhaps just sunk), a national recession
(maybe, but it sure feels like it), a black hole of a state economy,
an entire housing economy falling off the cliff (I'm feeling that),
the end of a nasty yet historic Democratic primary season, two wars,
global warming -- the bad news sure is adding up fast.
But unlike countless other elected leaders, Kwame Kilpatrick is
sticking with his job.
Funny how he complained to the judge about the revolutionary
transformation of his life due to the charges he faces and the
increased media scrutiny, yet he will not step aside. He's making the
case for why he needs to resign -- he cannot lead the city because he
is so distracted by this scandal, or is scandals by now. I think the
many have just emerged as a single giant SCANDAL.
Most remarkable this week was that the newly elevated deputy mayor
stated in the press conference as Kilpatrick was being locked away
for a night that the city's business would continue. The trash will
be picked up. (This came after the first words out of his mouth
stated that Kilpatrick was quitting, at least addressing the question
on everyone's minds.)
What kind of leadership exists down there? (No need to answer, please.)
In most organizations, when the top dog is off -- at home at night,
on vacation, on a work trip, in jail -- the work still gets done. The
trash gets picked up when the mayor is out of town. (I hope, who
knows, maybe not.)
But if that is a concern when the mayor was jailed, then Detroit has
bigger problems than anyone realizes.
Leadership is an example set from the top, not pushing the buttons of
day-to-day functions. If the trash has to be picked up upon express
orders of the mayor on a daily basis, then that is not leadership but
interference, and likely of a political nature.

Thankfully, this election season is flying by. Hopefully, all of the
candidates will ensure that their election signs will be picked up
promptly.
This season did have a couple flaps about signs, highlighted with
photographs of Clarkston district judge Dana Fortinberry picking up
her opponents signs and laying them in a pile because apparently they
were on property where only she was allowed to post signs.
I don't care about the right or wrong of touching someone else's
signs, but what is disappointing is how important these signs become
to the candidates, or in her case, to a sitting judge.
All it is is a small sign with a name on it. That's it.
No qualifications, no resume, no presentations of what ideas they
will use to guide them if they win.
No expressions as to how they will achieve the slogan they promise.
No depth, no details, and no decisions about what will be done.
It's a shame that this is so important in an election, which should
be about ideas, character, background and qualifications.
And then when candidates and their supporters get into whining
matches about who is putting their signs where, it makes me realize
that we are in this recession for a reason.
And nothing is going to get better any time soon.