Fenty’s 39th Birthday Bash: An External Perspective
LL was all excited about wishing Mayor Adrian M. Fenty a happy 39th birthday on Saturday evening—or at least mingling with all the folks gathered at a posh Foxhall residence to do so.
Alas, LL was informed at the door of the stately model home hosting the fundraiser that press would not be allowed inside—in contrast to his open-door birthday events of the previous two years.
Thus LL was left in the cold and snow to report on the happenings outside. Which is to say: a passel of protesters about two dozen strong who occupied the sidewalk in front of the Hoban Road NW manse.
The activists, led by union organizer Rick Powell, Empower D.C.'s Ruth Castel-Branco, and others, spouted such chants as: "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Adrian Fenty's got to go"; "Fenty, we see what you're about; we put you in, we'll take you out"; "parties for the rich; shit for the poor"; "it's cold and wet, but we aren't done fighting yet"; and the most popular refrain of the night: "one term mayor."
When Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and beau Kevin Johnson showed up, the chants lapsed into hearty boos.
But inside the manse, both the climate and the reception for Hizzoner were much warmer.
LL was able to hear some of the night's speechifying from the sidewalk. A large tent erected outside the house didn't quite contain the rousing introduction from Ward 4 Councilmember and stalwart Fenty ally Muriel Bowser, who offered a ward-by-ward rundown of Fenty accomplishments. "We cannot take the progress we've made these last three years for granted," she intoned. "I promise you, that what we do next September in the Democratic primary will determine whether our city will be moving forward or whether it will be moving backward."
Fenty followed with a 20-minute stemwinder. With wife Michelle at his side, he acknowledged the checkered history of site on which was was speaking—noting philanthropist Betty Brown Casey's plans to build a mayoral mansion thereupon. "That didn't work out," he said, before thanking Elm Street Development, which acquired the site to build, as Fenty put it, "another great development happening in Washington, D.C."
With polls showing soft support and well-motivated and well-financed challengers readying runs against him, Fenty delivered a stump speech light on passion but heavy on concrete accomplishments.
He proceeded to reiterate Bowser's ward-by-ward rundown, mixing some projects that were in the works well before his mayoral tenure with some that are by all rights his own. He talked up increased responsiveness of the city bureaucracy. He talked about improvements to the city's social services. And he certainly talked about his reform efforts in the public schools—citing drastic improvements in national math testing scores as proof positive of his success.
Summing up, Fenty said that under his three-year tenure, "The District of Columbia is a place where people want to live. The District of Columbia is a place where we're headed in the right direction. The District of Columbia...is a place where we're not afraid to take on our toughest issues, where we're not afraid to do what's right even if it may not be the immediately politically popular thing to do."
That earned him cheers and chants of "four more years."
Besides Rhee, plenty of folks on the Fenty payroll were in attendance: Deputy Mayor Valerie Santos, education facilities chief Allen Lew, transportation director Gabe Klein, housing chief Leila Edmonds, and ex-parks chief Ximena Hartsock, among others. Ex-Fenty right-hand man Dan Tangherlini, now a top Treasury Department official, also made the scene. Another elected official of note was in attendance, Fenty announced from the podium: Rushern Baker, the former Maryland state delegate who's a favorite in the race for Prince George's County executive next year.
In terms of big-money types, the event's host committee list offered plenty of those, including philanthropists and education-reform advocates Katherine Bradley and George Vradenburg; charter school financier Joseph Bruno; Washington Kastles owner Mark Ein; parking mogul Rusty Lindner; financiers Russell Ramsey and Bud Hawk; construction moguls Gerald Sigal and Scottie Irving; and developers B. Francis Saul of B.F. Saul, Deborah Ratner Salzburg of Forest City Washington, Armond Spikell of Roadside, and many others.
One contingent that didn't show up in force: Members of the D.C. Council. Besides Bowser, only At-Large Councilmember David A. Catania showed. At last year's affair, Ward 1's Jim Graham, Ward 2's Jack Evans, and Ward 7's Yvette Alexander also made appearances. A couple of former CMs—Bill Lightfoot, Fenty's campaign co-chair, and Betty Ann Kane, whom he appointed to chair the Public Service Commission—were in attendance.
But not all those stuffed inside the big tent were Fenty fans. It turned out that LL didn't try hard enough to sneak in: A pair of protesters made it inside the perimeter and into the tent. Soon after Fenty began his remarks—right after boasting of his implementation of taximeters—the pair launched into a "one term mayor" chant.
They were quickly removed from the premises.
4:43 pm
Who gives a shit about Fenty's birthday? I know I don't, because this SOB will not win his re-election. I hope Fenty ends up in "HELL" along with David Catania.
5:02 pm
Its almost heartbreaking to read this - while i've just finished reading about the lack of space in shelters for the homeless this winter in DC... I really wished I curse sometimes because this comment would be profanity laced and geared toward Fenty and his friends. I hope he bears in mind that while he's having this lavish celebration, there are plenty across the city who wont even make it to their next birthday - due to his lack of actually giving a d@mn about someone other than his self and his friends.
5:10 pm
Wow. Bi-sexual Vampire. Hope he ends up in hell? Why don't you pray that his baby daughter dies in a car crash after that.
Did he murder a baby that I didn't hear about?
He is just a mayor, he doesn't deserve that much scorn.
Not liking unions and being a little autistic doesn't warrent eternal damnation.
Relax a little it is hard to gauge the validity of your position if you are so disrespectful.
He is just a man that you disagree with. Vote for someone else and keep it moving.
8:27 pm
Well said hymesb, well said.
11:26 pm
"...a little autistic"
You may really have a point there. That would explain the garbled speech and words that slur into each other.
Of course, Vodka could have something to do with that as well.
Either way, Fenty will not be getting this Ward 6 vote.
No way, no how....
12:08 am
I second hymesb and Keith. Show some civility and dignity, folks. Dislike, disagree with Fenty as you wish. But if you really want to unseat him, childish insults are unlikely to advance your goal.
6:51 am
Truth Hurts, your name says it all.
6:54 am
It is this published article (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=38083) that suggest that the Mayor's elevator goes a few floors short of the top. For voters to agree with that assessment of a "PUBLIC" official is not disrespectful, it is FREE SPEECH.
7:41 am
The Michelle's (Rhee, Fenty, Obama) rule !! Bow and scrape, all you mere plebians !!
8:07 am
I said a little Autistic because of two things I see on a regular basis. And they are pro's and con's to the trait.
For the employees of DC gov, They present a danger and will cost many "non-performing"
People their jobs.
But for the citizen, you couldn't pray for better traits.
1) Incredible focus. Love him or hate him, you have to admit that he is the hardest working Mayor imaginable. No other mayor that I know has accomplished enough to piss this many people off in three years. Autistic make great accountants. Hence, AAA bond rating and bunchs of. RIF'd employees.
2) A difficulty in one-on-one communication and a obsessivenes with perfection. This is often confused for arrogance. For this reason. He is comfortable speaking to large groups. He gives very short direct points to individuals. He will also has very little tolerence for non-performance.
Autism is a spectrum. It goes from highly functional to non-functioning. He is clearly high functioning.
As for the slurring, that is a mild speech impediment. It has been there his whole life. He also has a very heavy Black DC speech mattern. When he gets going he sounds like most Black DC school students. His situation is similar but not as pronounced as Jesse Jackson's.
Fenty ain't no white boy. He is a DC cat thru and thru. Body, mind, and speech patterns.
Here is the connection, DCPS. It is clear that no special education teacher identified the speech impediment.
So, in other word. I believe the Mayor is a regular person like everybody else.
But I will tell you this. The greatest performances are produced when slightly autistic people are allowed to do what they think best in their area. In music, they piss their bands off but they make the best music. A little crazy is really a little genius.
10:14 am
The man sickens me. Maybe it's the shiny bald head with the varicose vein running through the temple. I don't know.
10:48 am
He may not be anyone's favorite person, but alas, who would we have in his place? Chairman Gray? "Meet the new boss // Same as the old boss."
D.C. has become Shakedown City, and you would have to be crazy to even put a target on your back in seeking a council seat, let alone the mayor's desk -- perhaps that's why no one of integrity and intelligence can be found over there.
10:52 am
Man, I find it so funny that folks can find anything and everything to blame on Mayor Fenty. I mean, real talk, I didn't vote for him but was there on Saturday night. I find it funny that the same union folks who laid down for him and got him into office are not turning against him because he is not kissing their asses and laying down to let them get away with destroying this city and taking care of their majority MD membership. I find it funny that the majority of these folks who protest talk about their jobs. Well fuck their jobs, I'm a life long DC resident as is my mother, as is my Grandmother and as was her mother before her. I want schools that work, teachers that don't make excuses, police which reduce crime and protect the community and jobs to go to city residents not PG County Residents. I want your ass fired if you are not doing a good job and laid off if you are not needed. If that is wrong then so be it. As for all of the personal attacks in recent weeks, it is shameful that they have tried to destroy this man for being black, for being balled, for being a member of his fraternity and for being athletic. Damn, the only thing they have not attacked him for is being black. Well you know what, while I may not agree he is a native which I appreciate and he is one of my brothers, so Frat keep up the hard work.
11:59 am
DC Through and Through - You're almost correct on one point. No one here has mentioned Fenty's race -- except for you that is.
2:46 pm
hymesb and Keith, go fuck yourselves. I have a right to my opinion. You both can go to hell along with Fenty. All the bad Karma coming soon to Fenty, his nasty mean spirited ass will deserve it along with David Catania.
Kiss my ass Hymesb and Keith!
4:11 pm
DC Through and Through, your beloved frat brother did not get my vote because of a legitimate factual ethical flaw. He is a thief. He is the same man that, while assigned as trustee to an old man's estate, stole from it not returning the money until he was caught by the family and reported to the D.C. bar. He was eventually sanctioned for the deed. Represented before the bar by one Peter Nickles. Worse, he recently threw the man who gave him the payback money under the bus. He is a narcissist who plays on the gullible who blindly follow him and apologize for his incompetence. That one has lived in this city for generations, with it being in the condition has been in for decades, says more about the citizens that have been here than the leaders that they have elected to run the city.
It was a NON-native Washingtonian in the person of Anthony Williams that brought this city back from fiscal ruin. It was he that attracted businesses to the city. The skyscrapers you see today dotting the District skyline are there as a result of his hard work.
Your beloved is an empty suit. If you paid any attention to his tenure on the D.C. Council, you would have noticed that he never passed a single piece of legislation the entire years that he sat behind the dais. He was a loud mouth nothing of a man with an attention span of a 2 year old.
It was Anthony Williams that proposed that the Mayor should assume control of DCPS considering they were held accountable for what happened there anyway. Where did the hypocritical decenting vote come from? One Council-member Adrian Fenty, who months later would bid for the same takeover.
It is of great comfort that the majority of the electorate in this city recognize that lifelong residency does not equate to mental competency when it comes to running a city. If you have to but look at the condition of DCPS for the last many decades, one would have to presume that voting for an "outsider" may well be what is in the best interest of the city. Anthony Williams was a 'write-in' the second time around, and WON. And the city is better off for it.
If circumventing District law to award millions in contracts with local taxpayer dollars outside of legislative transparency is your idea of competent leadership, then I really do believe you. You are a born-bred District resident.
4:38 pm
proballdc: You are 100% correct. All Fenty did what pick up Williams' notebook. He hasn't had an original idea yet or a strategy that he didn't get from Bloomberg. I am a native bor resident but I am all in favor of a great candidate that knows government. The Fenty years on the council, when he was present, was just an afternoon where he sat there and played with the blackberry. That is the reason that I hold the council responsible for the mess. Most of them have been there long enough to know how he operates and that mayoral control may or may not be a bad thing. But it is the worst thing when it is given to the wrong mayor and in this case they should have known that he was the wrong mayor.
5:30 pm
FUCK FENTY!!!!!!!
6:42 pm
dc through and through: Please do not embarass native WASHINGTONIANS.
Your Frat Brother has ruined the lives of many and has taken DC to HELL. Ask the homeless how they have faired under your homeboy's rein of terror.
Not to worry, I am sure he will continue to send contracts to his other frat brother and homeboys. That is until the next election.
As for his hand picked flunky, the councilwoman from Ward 4, what do you expect. Her tongue should be tired by now from licking fenty's behind.
7:26 pm
I agree with you 100% Rick Mangus.
FUCK ADRIAN MALIK FENTY!!!!!!!!
7:29 pm
dCCOunselor, I Concur with your comment about the ass kissing Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser. She does what ever King Fenty tells her to do. She sent out an email inreference to her having a Ward 4 Christmas Party on December 12th. I deleted it as I do with all emails from puppet Bowser. We are doomed in this city and in this country. Politicians ain't SHIT!!!!!!!!
11:13 pm
I am a native of Washington, D.C. born in the old Freedmans Hospital in 1955. I attended and graduated from Wilson Senior High School in 1973. I went on to attend Columbia University and graduated in 1977. I finished Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 1982.
I knew Adrian M. Fenty was a phony from the beginning during his run against the former Ward 4 Councilmember Charlene Drew-Jarvis. Adrian is immature and inexperience. Now other Ward 4 and D.C. voters are seeing their mistake by voting for this arrogant asshole. Fenty may be a NUPE, but he will not get this Frat's vote in 2010.
Ward 4 Resident
North Portal Estates
11:38 pm
I KNOW DAM WELL SOME CLOWN ON HERE IS NOT BACKING FENTY!
TYPICAL KAPPA PUNK!
I AGREE WITH Bisexual Vampire THIS BAMA SHOULD GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!
HE BROKE A DC RULE-DONT SELL OUT YOUR PEOPLE. WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. WHAT IS EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THIS FAG GREW UP HERE AND WAS EDUCATED IN DCPS!
HE COULD HAVE DONE WHAT HE WANT AS LONG AS IT DIDNT EMBARRASS DC RESIDENTS (SEE MARION BARRY). YEA WE KNEW HE RAN THE STREETS BUT HE MADE SURE EVERYBODY HAD JOBS EVEN THE KIDS DURING THE SUMMER.
AS FOR FENTY-THIS BAMA WAS A NO SHOW AT DEM COVENTION AND SHUNNED TWO BLACK ICONS WITH HIS JUVENILE BEHAVIOR. I COULD GO ON BUT LIST IS LONG AND IT PAINS ME TO COMMENT IT ON IT!
MAKE GRADUAL CHANGES AND DONT ALIENATE DC RESIDENTS (SEE SHARON PRATT). THIS HO WAS FIRING FOLK LEFT AND RIGHT THAT WORKED FOR DC GOVT FOR YEARS WITH OUT GIVING THEM A SHOT UNDER HER LEADERSHIP. SHE ALSO CAUSED THE SKINS TO MOVE TO LANDOVER (IM STILL PISSED ABOUT THAT).
THIS PUNK FENTY HAD A NOBODY TAKE OVER DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FIRE TEACHERS WITH OUT CAUSE! HE ALSO DISAPPEARED TO THE MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA AND COPPED AN ATTITUDE WHEN HE WAS PUT ON BLAST.
THE MOST TROUBLING TO ME IS STILL THE BACK DOOR CONTRACTS. THAT IS STEALING! IF HE WAS DOING THIS AND WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. WHAT ELSE WAS HE DOING THAT WE DONT KNOW ABOUT YET!
FUCK HIM, GAYTANIA, GRAHAM, BOWSER AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANT TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH HIM!
1:04 am
NOODLEZ, you are funny and I always look forward in reading your comments. You make me fall off my computer chair with laughter. Adrian is not going to have any good luck for the way he has treated people who support him in the beginning. This SOB kicked them to the curb along with his young former Campaign Manger Alec Evans. Fenty and that SOB David Catania closed the D.C. Department of Mental Health and privatized it out to private providers and the other 12 D.C. Councilmembers went along with this plan. The saddest part, each one of these bastards have a mental health disorder and they don't know it. There has been little attention on Mental Health by the District and Federal Governments.
I concur, I hope Fenty go straight to hell and take David Catania with him. I probably will end up in hell, therefore I can kick both their asses for an eternity. LOL
1:10 am
To All:
Please take a look at this picture. Doesn't this creature look like Adrian Fenty. LOL LOL LOL
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/12/07/photo-march-on-washington/#comments
9:42 am
GLAD I CAN PROVIDE SOME HUMOR TO THIS DEPRESSING SITUATION WE HAVE HERE!
IM SICK OF THIS BAMA!
THAT PIC IS SPLITTIN IMAGE!
10:45 pm
WELCOME TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - LAND WHERE
Adrian Fenty
Kwame Brown
Vincent Gray
&
Entire DC City Council Have The Following In Common:
*Taken developers’ money to force out DC residents and businesses.
*Ignored mass firings of DC residents from their jobs.
*Allowed 50,000+ undocumented immigrants to reside and work in DC.
*Pushed DC residents out of homes, apartments, and businesses.
*Making “One DC” of primarily the rich and powerful.
No Not Just Anybody DC.
Support Leo Alexander for DC Mayor in 2010.
Leo Alexander: Bold Visionary Leadership for a New DC.
Leo Alexander: A Righteous Man To Save, Heal & Unite DC!
Open. Honest. Fair. Just. Strong. Bold.
DC Federation of Civic Associations' 2006 DOTY
Ward 4 Resident and Brightwood Civic Association Member
International Businessman / Insurance Broker
Former Official of DC General Hospital and DC Public Housing Authority
Former Television News Reporter – NBC WRC News Channel 4
Former Award Winning Television News Reporter – CBS – New Orleans / Mobile, AL
Police Cadet - Mobile, Alabama
BA in Political Science and Sociology 1990 - University of South Alabama
Husband of U.S. Naval Commander
Father of 4 Children
Lover of District of Columbia residents, small businesses, and neighborhoods
“I will never let District of Columbia residents and small minority and local businesses be pushed out of this city.” Leo Alexander.
“Leo Alexander for DC Mayor 2010 Campaign”
To Fly On Board With Team LA DC, Call (202) 726-1018.
Leo Alexander For DC Mayor 2010 Campaign Offices
Opening Soon in NW/NE/SE
Contact: Team LA DC (202) 726-1018 - Peace!
9:50 pm
I live in Ward 4 and I haven't seen Leo Alexander at one 4A ANC meeting in the Lowell School at the November and December meetings. Leo Alexander has been invisible. I was interested in voting for him, because he's against illegal immigration and illegal aliens. Now, I don't know if Leo is the right candidate to defeat King Fenty.
16th Street Heights Neigbhorhood
Ward 4 Resident
11:20 am
Would you people get off of Adrian Fenty's dick PLEASE!!!! Why do poor black people keep on putting down this man. I'm a black man, affluent-middle to upper class, but that has nothing to do with my support for Fenty. He's done a lot of things for DC. This city was in shit creek when Barry COCAINE-CRACKED-WOMANIZER ass was in office, but as soon as Pratt/ WIlliams and Fenty won for some reason or another the cities mainly black POOR population for no reasons at all decided to hate them. DC is in a much better place than it was years ago. So all of the fenty HATERS PLEASE GROW UP, if you hate this man for no reason besides the fact that he dosen't tolerate LAZINESS, AND LACKLUSTER BEHAVIOR than you have a serios issue with yourself! I believe he is a wonderful very professional and hard working mayor. Now can I get rebuttal please? Oh and Bisexual Vampire you is as IGNORANT AND DUMB AS a person can get! You wishing someone goes to hell. How dare you? Now you go to hell!! How bout that!
11:55 am
Many city employees/Fenty's EOM staffers are my Facebook friends. Here and there I receive invites from these city employees during the work day while they are at work likely using taxpayer funded computer software/hardware inviting me to re-elect Fenty events or planning groups. (Hatch Act anyone?)
It is interesting that so many of the witty/catchy comments in support of Fenty I find here and on DC Wire...word for word can be found on their Facebook walls or comments to one another.
11:56 am
Fenty is a thief. His wife is a thief. His frat brothers are thieves. They all steal from DC taxpayers. Maybe that's why people hate the cocksucker.
& "Hell" does not exist. It's a figment of superstitious people, & it's used by charlatans to steal money from poor people.
3:39 pm
M. Washington- All that money must have you confused bruah or must be getting some kickbacks from him. You're confusing Fenty's workouts with Fenty's accomplishments.
All the economic upswing that the City witnessed was due to policies carried over from Williams. School Reform (which will is highly arguable) is all Rhee.
Why shouldn't poor blacks hate him? He's done absolutely nothing for them while fattening the likes of you. The ones who sold out and lost their way are you guys, not us.
We love Barry because when it came down to it, we felt that we could reach the man. Fenty's ego will never allow him to be at this level.
So continue licking his balls and getting richer cause it's fucking short-lived. Fenty could work(out) his ass into oblivion once he out of office. Down with the self-described Mayor of a Big City.