The Old McNamara Regime

[Bluenote132003]

I must have heard this phrase two dozen times in the last week or so, referring to everyone from Ficano to Kwame to Dugan. His Wiki entry is innocent enough:


Edward H. McNamara [1] served as Wayne County, Michigan County Executive from 1987-2002, and also served as mayor of Livonia, Michigan, from 1970-1986, and as a member of Livonia City Council from 1962 to 1970. He is probably best known for overseeing the $1.6 billion expansion of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; including two new runways and the new Edward H. McNamara Terminal.
McNamara was mentor to many leading Democrats, including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who was Wayne County corporation Counsel under McNamara, prior to becoming Michigan Attorney General and later being elected as Michigan Governor. McNamara also played a key role helping the election campaign of Kwame Kilpatrick for mayor of Detroit in 2001, whose father, Bernard Kilpatrick, was McNamara's Chief of Staff while county executive.
McNamara died on February 19, 2006.

What's the inside story on McNamara? How powerful was he and why? And how is so much of today's Wayne County and regional government still tied to his name?

[Detroitnerd]

Nothing ever stuck on Big Mac, not a drop of machine oil, even as everybody knew he was the master mechanic. Maybe now the wheels are finally coming off with Granholm gone, the Kilpatricks off to prison and the ongoing sideshow of Ficano's Follies.

But they keep trying to run the machine, even as it has broken down. Jesus, look at that Duggan guy, another cog. Would you trust him to babysit your kids? Evidently, he did his work with the mainstream dailies and convinced them to support him. But look at that piece of shit. Don't you just want to puke when you see this modern-day carpetbagger congratulate himself on running for mayor?

[Richard]

Maybe KK can get a pardon and run again , three times a charm.

[canuck]

Nothing ever stuck on Big Mac, not a drop of machine oil, even as everybody knew he was the master mechanic. Maybe now the wheels are finally coming off with Granholm gone, the Kilpatricks off to prison and the ongoing sideshow of Ficano's Follies.

But they keep trying to run the machine, even as it has broken down. Jesus, look at that Duggan guy, another cog. Would you trust him to babysit your kids? Evidently, he did his work with the mainstream dailies and convinced them to support him. But look at that piece of shit. Don't you just want to puke when you see this modern-day carpetbagger congratulate himself on running for mayor?

I get the sense you dont particularly appreciate Duggan from your post.

[Honky Tonk]

Duggan? Why he bought a home in Palmer Woods so he could be in the City he loves!

[scottn55]

I'm going to give Duggan the benefit of the doubt. Imagine you're a mechanic [[to continue the analogy) and you've been watching your hapless idiot neighbor screwing around with his lawnmower for hours trying to get it to start. He has it completely taken apart, has no idea how to even begin to put it back together, let alone actually fix it. At some point you just have to say "Jesus Christ get the fuck away from that thing and let somebody who knows what the hell they're doing take care of it!!!". It would be the neighborly thing to do after all. Ol' Mikey's probably just being a good neighbor trying to help out the City in her time of need. Right?

[Smirnoff]

Jerry mentioned "if your wallet is thin.....let the scammin' begin"......