|
|
|
Deposed police chief, now councilman, Bernard Parks and his probable run for mayor are examined in a nicely done profile by Robert Greene in the LA Weekly.
He’s not just one of the last high-ranking black L.A. officials, or just another ex-cop. He embodies a potent political force barely noticed in these times of the Latino-labor-left coalition.. Parks likes business. He wants market-rate housing. He preaches more personal responsibility, less regulation. In the new L.A., Parks is old school. And old school is big.He has mastered City Hall by working long hours and paying scrupulous attention to his colleagues. Open and witty, he seems to love the politics that once appeared to have so completely disgusted him.
But every now and then, in council debate or off the cuff, the easygoing demeanor can drop away and reveal a hint of the defensive and defeated chief who dressed down the council in April 2002.
Also in the Weekly: An excerpt from Joe Domanick's new book, Cruel Justice; a short feature on historian Mike Davis' new young readers book, Land of the Lost Mammoths; and an introduction to Caryn Coleman and Sean Bonner's website art.blogging.la.
It's an interesting piece, but a bit too glowing a prospectus for a mayoral bid by Parks.
All of these considerations are important, but this early in the game, without knowing what kind of campaigns we'll see from Polanco, et al, it's hard to say if Parks really has the ability to withstand a real campaign against him. His council race was a cakewalk, and cakewalks do not prepare people well for a tough fight with an incumbent.
Plus, when you look at the last executive level job he had, he didn't do so great and got the boot. Bratton's success in reviving department morale and improving the department say as much about Parks' failures as it does Bratton's success.
Posted by: Schadelmann at March 25, 2004 03:53 PM
Monica Almeida has the perspective of a native Angeleno who photographs Los Angeles for an East Coast newspaper: the New York Times.
of LA Observed
Very nice piece by Rob, who is a wonderful writer.
Regards
Posted by: Brad Smith at March 25, 2004 01:20 PM