Going back to the time KK was first elected I think the people of Detroit thought they had there Cory Booker or Adrien Fenty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Fenty
The people saw KK as someone young, smart and unlike the previous two went to a top-tier HBCU , where in some sections of our community I think Harvard, Yale even Stanford would have been seen as too corporalist. The people saw that versus Gil Hill, new blood and fresh ideals could be used to help Detroit. Thats understandable. The mistake the people made was electing him to the second term. However, knowing what we know now, too many palms had been greased, and the election may also have been stolen from Hendrix.
I believe Detroit wants and actually thought they had a Cory Booker or Fenty in its mist. I believe that person exist in the city but they would not be "black enough" for key segments of the population. KK even though he is a Gen X person is more in tune with the Civil Rights movement generation because of his upbringing and that helps him in a city like Detroit.