Why is Hendrix really backing Bing?

**kraig** · April-30-09, 09:39 AM

April 30, 2009

Hendrix to back Bing for mayor

By SUZETTE HACKNEY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Former two-time mayoral candidate Freman Hendrix is expected to endorse Dave Bing at a news conference this morning, according to sources familiar with the campaign.

In an op-ed piece published in today's Detroit Free Press, Hendrix wrote that both mayoral candidates lacked a specific plan to cure Detroit's ills, but he encouraged residents to vote with their gut on Tuesday.

Sources said Hendrix decided to throw his support behind Bing because he believes Bing is the candidate most capable of stabilizing a city in crisis.
Hendrix, a former deputy mayor, was unsuccessful in the Feb. 24 primary. He finished third, with 21,036 votes, behind Bing and Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. Hendrix also lost to ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in the 2005 mayoral election.
Come back to www.freep.com for additional coverage throughout the day.

I actually prefer Hendrix to both candidates, but, I wonder if he's backing Bing as a way to remain relevant for the fall election and feels that Cockrel is goin to win this election.

**spiritofdetroit** · April-30-09, 10:50 AM

that's exactly why.

he cant back Cockrel and then run against him. I think he wouldve been smart to not endorse anyone, but he wants some relevancy

**izzyindetroit** · April-30-09, 11:38 AM

Didn't he announce after the primaries that he wouldn't be running again?

**Hypestyles** · April-30-09, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

Didn't he announce after the primaries that he wouldn't be running again?

heh-heh.. how often have we heard that before from someone?

we'll see what happens..

**Lowell** · April-30-09, 12:29 PM

When Cockerel finishes kicking Bing's behind, the door is wide open for Freeman. He can read the polls, so why not line up with Bing and his money? Hendrix will be a stronger candidate against Cockerel IMO, but I think Cockerel will still win.

Unless... so many unpredictables in CoD politics.

**Locke09** · April-30-09, 12:30 PM

There seems to be some momentum behind the idea now that neither candidate is really what Detroit needs. But if Cockrel gets elected, he might be mayor for several terms, given voting habits. But if Bing gets elected, he will likely only serve one full term after this short one, if for no other reason than age. So, vote for Bing and at most we are stuck with a bad mayor for one term.

LodgeDodger · April-30-09, 04:00 PM

Hendrix's backing of Bing will only help Cockrel.

**Fnemecek** · April-30-09, 05:19 PM

Umm.... Has anyone considered the possibility that Freman Hendrix is endorsing Dave Bing because Bing is a better candidate? One who will likely due a better job as mayor?

Has anyone considered the possibility that Mr. Hendrix will actually keep his promise and sit the November contest out rather than make a third run for mayor in a very crowded and heavily funded campaign?

Nah. You folks are right. It's all part of a larger conspiracy. There's no other reason why anyone would want anyone but Ken Cockrel in office.

LodgeDodger · April-30-09, 05:21 PM

Cockrel IS the best candidate.

**Fnemecek** · April-30-09, 05:47 PM

That depends on the criteria you judge your candidates on. I evaluate incumbents based on the services that they are able to deliver for the taxes that we pay.

All Mr. Cockrel has managed to deliver in 6 months is a plan for Cobo that went nowhere and some mini-stations. What makes you say this makes him the best candidate?

**R8RBOB** · April-30-09, 07:20 PM

I think the reason why Hendrix is backing Bing is that Bing already made it be known that he does not want to be mayor for 4years. His intent was to finish out Kilpatrick's term because as he said Detroit needs a mayor to make the tough decisions and that mayor would be a one-term mayor or in Bing's case a 7 month mayor.

Hendrix knows he would have a better shot in November not going against an incumbent.

**jtf1972** · April-30-09, 10:11 PM

Bing will move to the city [[or at least buy a place & say he will) spend millions on a campaign... for half a year of battling the City Council? Are you insane?

**Detroitej72** · April-30-09, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

Bing will move to the city [[or at least buy a place & say he will) spend millions on a campaign... for half a year of battling the City Council? Are you insane?

He wont need to buy a place, he can just move into the Manoogian Mansion, last I heard its currently vacant!

lilpup · April-30-09, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

Umm.... Has anyone considered the possibility that Freman Hendrix is endorsing Dave Bing because Bing is a better candidate? One who will likely due a better job as mayor?

Has anyone considered the possibility that Mr. Hendrix will actually keep his promise and sit the November contest out rather than make a third run for mayor in a very crowded and heavily funded campaign?

Nah. You folks are right. It's all part of a larger conspiracy. There's no other reason why anyone would want anyone but Ken Cockrel in office.

Has anyone considered the possibility that Hendrix is one of the incoming crew Bing refuses to name?

**Gistok** · May-03-09, 12:14 AM

You can add Jesse Jackson to the list of Bing supporters....

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...414/1006/rss01

lilpup · May-03-09, 12:23 AM

Good ol' Jesse, who wanted to neuter Obama and whose son is under investigation - what's the value of his endorsement supposed to be?

**firstandten** · May-03-09, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

That depends on the criteria you judge your candidates on. I evaluate incumbents based on the services that they are able to deliver for the taxes that we pay.

All Mr. Cockrel has managed to deliver in 6 months is a plan for Cobo that went nowhere and some mini-stations. What makes you say this makes him the best candidate?

To be fair to Mr. Cockrel this was a politically unusual situation for him. Even though he was in the office he wasn't really an incumbent and didn't have the power of incumbency working for him. I also believe he is some-what risk adverse and this situation he's in made him even more so. I also believe that he jumped the gun on the Cobo deal and the council help throw him under the bus as well.

Mr. Bing on the other hand is a total unknown politically. He represents change and I have no reason to doubt that, but to me he has lacked a clear vision of HOW he is going to get Detroit to change. In my mind he's asking us to take a leap of faith.

I guess no matter who you vote for its like that store with a return policy. We have till November if we want to take advantage of that.

**firstandten** · May-03-09, 01:56 AM

Originally Posted by lilpup

Good ol' Jesse, who wanted to neuter Obama and whose son is under investigation - what's the value of his endorsement supposed to be?

Jesse's statements have been going in one ear and out the other for black america for a number of years now.

lilpup · May-03-09, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

To be fair to Mr. Cockrel this was a politically unusual situation for him. Even though he was in the office he wasn't really an incumbent and didn't have the power of incumbency working for him. I also believe he is some-what risk adverse and this situation he's in made him even more so. I also believe that he jumped the gun on the Cobo deal and the council help throw him under the bus as well.

I think, more than anything, the most important thing Cockrel has done is get the city's financial reporting cleaned up and under control. It's impossible to properly run any entity when the financial reports are unclear and of questionable validity

**Fnemecek** · May-03-09, 10:32 AM

To be fair to Mr. Cockrel this was a politically unusual situation for him. Even though he was in the office he wasn't really an incumbent...

He wasn't really an incumbent?

Let's check something.

1inÂ·cumÂ·bent
Pronunciation: \in-ˈkəm-bənt\
Function: noun

1 : the holder of an office or ecclesiastical benefice
2 : one that occupies a particular position or place

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incumbent

Is Ken Cockrel currently the Mayor of Detroit? If so, then by the very definition of the word he is an incumbent. Evaluating him based on his job performance to date is perfectly reasonable, in my opinion.

**firstandten** · May-03-09, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

He wasn't really an incumbent?

Let's check something.

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incumbent

Is Ken Cockrel currently the Mayor of Detroit? If so, then by the very definition of the word he is an incumbent. Evaluating him based on his job performance to date is perfectly reasonable, in my opinion.

By the definition of course you are correct. My thinking was that Cockrel had the job but wasn't voted into the job. Usually the power of incumbency comes from the mandate you receive by the public voting you into the office. Next time I will be more precise with my wording.