DC Mayor Adrian Fenty may have ditched his security detail in an effort to solidify his “man of the people” image. The motorcade takes up less space in the morning madness on Massachusetts these days – and the Mayor spends a lot more time driving around with the rest of us looking for a parking spot.
Fenty’s apparent mentor, Mayor Bloomberg of New York, may have set the precedent. Bloomberg takes the subway to work… and much as Fenty borrowed Bloomberg’s ideas on his school takeover initiative, Fenty decided to follow in his footsteps to become a simpler man.
Kudos to Fenty for his efforts, but the premise is a bit bogus.
Why should average people in DC want their “celebrities” to act like them? Shouldn’t the Mayor be entitled to some special treatment? And most of all, why should maintaining a pollable image keep him from the security he actually does need? We crave celebrity and call for inferiority. We expect great sacrifice, even taking away the small perks of the job.
My thoughts – If we continue to demand that our politicians/celebrities cut corners, our great men and women won’t apply for the job, and we really will be forced to submit to the leadership of a simple man.
