Evening Exchange; Candidates Running in Ward 8

In the city. Tuesday is Election Day in the District of Columbia. Meet the front runners in the Ward 8 race AB Jordan Wilhemina road arctan Marion Barry all up next on the evening exchange. Very good evening to you and welcome to evening exchange. I'm James Adams. Cojo has the night off Tuesday's primary day in the District of Columbia wards 2 4

7 and 8 will be selected news city council members. But all eyes are focused on Ward 8 primarily because former Mayor Marion Barry is in the race but also because that section of the city far east is plagued with the city's highest crime rate. Tonight we will give you an opportunity to hear from the three leading contenders in the race. AB Jordan Wilhemina Roark and Marion Barry. We here at evening exchange determined who were the front runners by the number of endorsements given each candidate and we regret that we cannot give all the candidates a chance to be heard here tonight. The candidates will be appearing separately at the request of former Mayor Barry and we are going to give each candidate an opportunity to give an opening statement then we will. Later in the segment open the phone lines to you and give you a chance to ask questions we asked now that you keep your questions short and direct them only at the candidate who is appearing in a given segment. We also want

to tell you that the phone number to call is being flashed on the screen now so you can drop that down and get back to us in about 10 minutes we'll entertain your questions. Our first guest is ABW Jordan. He is a Democrat. He works as an energy consultant. He is a native Washingtonian and a long time activist and word 8 as well as the district generally welcome Mr. Jordan. I'm glad they have all absolve me. Why should I vote for you. Well I think you gave some of the most important issues and that is that after 16 years Ward 8 is no better off today than it was 16 years ago. We have this incumbent saying that while I serve as the chairman of the most powerful committed it controls 28 percent of the budget I delivered more police toward 8. But the reality is that even though we have had a lot of things or initiatives taken by the council they don't translate into improvements in the war. Let's take an example. More police hadn't reduced the number of rapes. In Ward 8 in fact she acknowledged just a

couple of weeks ago that if you compare this time with last year we have two more rapes than we did at the same period murderous assaults. We're number one. So it's nice to talk about being in a position but has to position benefit. The other point is that there's not a dime's worth of difference basically between the form of man as relocked the last time I ran and asked for Mr. Barry support. He said No Mrs. rollocking has been my most loyal supporter and so that loyalty was seen when they came together to close a drug treatment facility that was slated for Ward 8 because Mrs. rowlocks friends or cronies couldn't get the contract. And he acknowledged a couple of weeks ago in the paper that he made a bad deal a political deal but that's not sufficient to own up to the fact that you made a bad political deal. You made a deal that affect hundreds of lives and now Ward babies suffered family suffered drug addict addicts suffered. So those are the reasons that I'm running in this race. And I think the time has come for change.

The people are ready for change. We hear the clamor for change throughout the country. It's here in this city too and the people when they come out tomorrow are going to vote. But as a as a potential city council member how do you redirect the attention of local government of District government to focus on the concerns of worried residents. Well I think part of the problem is that too many have gone in and become a part of the old boys network. And so when you do that you then in some ways restrict yourself in terms of the ways you can move. We haven't had anybody who has been articulate for the people in Ward 8 they haven't been advocates for the people in war. I think first you have to start talking about the problems that exist in Ward 8 and not trying to hide them. So abhorrent Jordan will do that. I have a record a history of speaking out of fighting on these issues that affect the little people in this city. I think another thing you can do is Assad build coalitions at the Council. But the most important thing is to organize the people in

Ward 8 to bring him into the process. I want to create a Ward 8 advisory council that everybody will have an opportunity to participate in. Well we will determine where we're going and what will determine what's going to be built there. Who's going to build it. We want to talk about recreation programs on and on and on. So this gives the people a very direct input into those decisions affect their lives. What has the largest percentage of young people in the cities young folk meaning 18 years and the younger largest percentage of that age population anywhere in the city. What do you do for those young people. Well there are couple of things we can do for. For young folks. One is we can give them an educational system that prepares them. I remember Barbara Jordan said at the Democratic convention that our educational system is preparing young folks to go to jail and that's not what he should be doing. Half of the children almost did enter the District of Columbia school dropout. Twenty percent of the children who go to school In elementary school in the district Columbia go to school in Ward 8. We don't get 20 percent of

the dollars we don't get 20 percent of the books. We don't have 20 percent of the teachers. We could go on and on and on what schools are being used to subsidize schools in other parts of the city. So what do we do that we have to fight on those issues and we have to start letting people know we're going to bring educational opportunities to the children who want it. The other thing I think we need to do though a lot of focus has been on youth but they are part of a family structure. How do we strengthen youth without strengthening the family. I'm not interested in talking about giving a young person a job during the summer because you and I know what the real objective is what a summer job is to keep the young people off the street and keep them from writing or doing things that anti-social behavior. But the reality is that after they finished that job during the summer they have to go home and live with somebody and that somebody has to be in a position to provide them with shoes clothes food books a lot of things during the rest of the year and other nine months of the year. I want to do something for the kids by doing something for their parents giving their parents opportunities for job training and jobs and residency and you know this as well as anyone else in

the last mayoral election I believe. Eighty three hundred voted in that election. When you have a ward of folk who don't take part in the political process isn't it expected that they're not going to get a lot of attention from the mayor's office in City Hall. I mean a lot of folks will say you know you just can't blame will on me in a role arc for what's going on in Ward age. You can't blame a single person. That's not true. Let me say something to you. It is and we understand. See everybody likes to focus on the low voter registration wore it in the low voter turnout. I think one of first things is you indicated we have the largest number of youth in the city high percentage. We also have both an Air Force Base where there's 6000 people who live and are not going to register to vote and participate in elections in Ward 8. But I think the one thing that has discourage people from voting is that what it has the fewest voting precincts. That's not happenstance that's bad. Is that right next door to us in Ward 7. They have 22 precincts. We have 13. Now why does that

exist. It exists because they don't want people in war to come out and vote and who didn't want the people who wanted to come out and vote the government the power was to be with the poorest Ward were also the black war in terms of our vote. And so people are afraid of that. And then there had been opportunities that council has increased voting precincts in this city. But Mrs. rowlock didn't want to see voting precincts increased in water because it had served her interest you know during the time that she's been on the council. She and her husband had become the richest couple in Ward 8 the richest couple. And they basically left the rest of the world behind. Our interests not their interests any longer. All right we have a number of folk who want to ask a question of you we want to remind our callers once again that keep your question brief and only to Mr. Jordan we really don't want comments this evening. Go ahead you're on the Air Jordan. Yes. I'm leaning toward you what are basically Are you considered supporting Marian after this.

A little allegation I heard the lady here earlier on the TV today stated that she was physically assaulted but your arms are the same questions user reference to. Marion Barry or are you finding it difficult now to vote for him because there really have been so much involved on many occasions. I was going to give him another opportunity but this particular allegation is always involved are you want to know what your opinion is with him surrounding the controversial women and these type of issues over and over again. I just wish that his personal life wouldn't spill over into the political arena. But it does but it's not the people who are creating the problem is Marion Barry. He has acknowledged that he has an addictive personality. He went on television and said that he was addicted to sex drugs and alcohol.

He said it on a Saturday Raffael Jesse show. So I think it's very clear that he has a problem. It is my hope that he would recognize that he needs to to handle that problem to deal with that problem and get the kind of help that he needs. There is a need for healing on the part of Marion Barry but Mayor barrier former Mayor Barry's personal problems. When you weigh them against what's going on in the ward really shouldn't be an issue in this campaign. You have one supermarket that service that 68000 people. There's a question of trust. There's a question of values. You know when our children look and see a person who is now being raised and elevated to a bombing you know the way the media has characterized them at this point he's like the Pied Piper running through war. All the folks are just following him just as happy our children see that he's a role model for them whether we like it or not. The problem with that is he has set a bad example. And so it is an issue. I think integrity is an issue. Leadership is an issue. And whether we like it or not the

people in Ward 8 are going to have to decide those issues. Let's take another question. Good evening you're on the air. My property was hurt by a doctor who didn't know what he was doing and I had. If you want it you have been taking money from the doctors. If you are elected to deprive people of their rights to get paid for their pain and suffering. Is that true. No. Am a supporter of tort reform and that doesn't mean that we will be taking money away from people who are suffering because of negligence on the part of physicians. On the other hand I think that we need to examine the question about when someone is injured and the lawyer receives 50 percent of what that award is. Then there's something a problem there. When you ask where am I taking money from the doctors. I will take money from them if they give it to me they haven't given me a great deal of money. On the other hand and by the way we want to talk about relative strength in terms of money to doctors and whomever has given me support in this race. Give me approximately thirty five hundred dollars. I mean that's everybody total Mrs.

rowlock is spending over $120000 in this race. And all of it has come from lawyers now I want to raise this question while we talk about doctors and what they do or don't do. I know that they provide free services in Ward 8. But on the other hand I've yet to see any lawyers come to want to provide us with pro-bono service on many of the issues that we need to deal with. And Ms rowlock is an attorney herself. And I don't know of any instance where she is ever provided pro bono legal service to US residents complain if they need to get something as small as a pair of pantyhose. They've got to run. Oxon Hill they can't go down to a corner mini mall so to speak and pay a reasonable price for common household goods. How does AB Jordan change that. Well first let me say when I moved into the ward in 1963 around the corner for me was a shopping center complete shopping center I had everything you could want. Today we don't have that. Now there's 72000 people who live in Ward 8. They only 52000 live in Dover Delaware yet and still there are more opportunities in Dover Delaware

to shop than they are in Washington D.C.. Why is that. First of all some people say well developers don't want to come in. Well then the city needs to serve as a catalyst for bringing in developers in camps CMEs can serve as a basis for a renaissance in Ward 8. What has happened it's been caught in the political quagmire I think you say. They want certain people to get Camp Sims developed so that they get some money out of it. And those of us who have stood there to protect the community from being raped have protected the community. But I will make camp Semmes one of my key economic development let me make another point. I'm committed to trying to develop to me and as a year from what I want entrepreneurship to develop in our ward I want people to be given an opportunity to do business with the city and in the private sector. That's why for Pepco the Potomac Electric Power Company which Ms Rullock and Marion Barry have received money from. But that's why I fought them on their plan that procurement plans because they had nothing in there for District of Columbia residents. 42 percent of people's earnings come from the District of Columbia but they don't

do 42 percent of their business with the District of Columbia residents and so we were in the court of appeals just a week ago arguing the case because Pepco hadn't been responsive to our needs. Those are the kind of initiatives I want to take in the efforts I want to make to bring economic development and jobs. Another question for Ward 8 Democratic city council candidate Absolom Jordan. Go ahead you're on the air. I would like to work for Mr. Jordan. What is the difference between his position as a role model and Marion Barry. Yes. Three children all three have been in drug activity and crime in and out of rehabilitation for drugs. So I'm saying he's pushing that thing. Bill Murray Inv. day before the election. What is his voice on that. The children in what. What are they looking up to him when his children run the street. And all the men come to work to come back to me so give them a chance to answer please make Jordan go ahead.

Well I think one thing is that he's talking about my children he's not talking about me and he can't say cite an example of where Jordan has gone out and done drugs he can say to them Jordan never told his children to do drugs and by the way I do not run away from the fact I acknowledge the fact publicly in my ward. So it's no embarrassment to me here that I have children who are substance abusers. And I've tried to do everything I could to move their lives in a direction that's positive. Now let me just say something else that is not a negative experience. There's a candidate in this race who has substance abuse in their family and not addressed and they won't publicly acknowledge it. But I acknowledge it. Why. Because that experience strengthens me and it gives me the commitment and the desire and the willingness to go out and fight for other families who are victimized by substance abuse. I'm going to do everything I can to get drug dealers off our streets. I'm not going to be there by the drugs. The former mayor did. I'ma do everything I can to get drug treatment programs available in our community. And I'm not going to make it a trade off like the

form of mad deal with MS rowlock and keep drug treatment centers out of our community. And for the brother to understand that we may have had less problems with drugs. Had we had that drug treatment so I think we've come a long way. I have Dourdan I want to thank you very much. We have to move on in fairness to all of our candidates we've got to stop here. Good luck at the polls. Thank you. With number one on the ballot. OK. Up next the person who holds the current city council seat in Ward 8. Will it mean Roarke. We'll be right back. And welcome back to evening exchange I'm James Adams sitting in for Cojo knobbed. We continue our look at

the Ward 8 race for the D.C. City Council with the incumbent council member Wilhemina roll darknesses Roarke has held elective office in the district since 1976. She's lived in the district for nearly 50 years and we want to welcome you to evening exchange. First to our audience again. Sell me on your candidacy your record and your vision for Wardy. Thank you very much and thank you for having me. The games that substitute for college and I mean as you've indicated I'm a 16 year incumbent. I'm very happy and proud that my constituents have that kind of faith and trust in me. And when I returned the last time but he did 900 votes which was a record and showed confidence on their part in me and I've always trust and have confidence in my constituents. I visited is a 27 and a half years and long before I ran for office I was even involved in community activities in fact I did the pro bono work for setting up chase Congress Heights Association for service and education. The anti-poverty group that exceeded the southeast Navy neighborhood has an infinite mind prompted

programs in the ward and have done a number of things as a pro bono attorney as attorney by profession. I decided to run for office as I'm a political science major so that I could do some of the things I could see some of the things come true that you don't see with cases. And since I've been in. I've seen some of those things come true. I believe that as an incumbent I have rented a distinct service to the board. Number one I have never missed a meeting of the D.C. city council I've always been faithful to my duties. Number two I've been the author of more than 200 pieces of laws that are now in law here in the District of Columbia among which are the D.C. Depository Act which brings millions of dollars a year. When I first came in the government was deposit this money in the bank. Getting no interest. That was almost to me inconceivable. I am the author of the D.C. cable law which bought cable television to the District of Columbia and mandated that it come first east of the river and it provided jobs and there were contracts involved in it for blacks and minority of the

Office of Energy Law. Setting up an energy office in the District of Columbia whereby we get multi-millions of dollars on the floor to provide low income energy assistance to persons with low income. I'm the author of the DC child support guidelines for which I received a national legislator of the year award from the National to support enforcement administration which brings money to women for their children. Amen. If they have the custody of the woman can be and this piece of legislation addresses a dire need in the war because we have so many single women heading households and they need that money to indeed raise their children as you know. Now I am chair of the committee on the Judiciary which is about twenty eight point nine 10 percent of the district's 3.3 billion dollar budget which means that we have over 900 and some million dollars when budget comes over. And from that perspective Ive been able to do a number of things increase safety on our streets by augmenting the strength of the 7th District is at its highest level ever. Also getting state of the art equipment for the police mandating that police men and women walk the streets which helps to prevent

crime. Secondly as chair of that committee I have been able to use and divert some of the miners with the help of the council to vote to establish things that benefit the void. For instance like $750000 it was diverted in order to establish the ward 8 housing purchase assistance fund which is commonly known as H-back. And I'm happy to say James that in the last several days I have attended three openings all of which indicated that it was that one from which we were able to complete the financing for the projects. These were projects for condominiums. Another one is for modern housing that will go up the hill. In other words for low low and moderate income apartments these are some of the things I've been able to do and I'd like to say that my service and my interest in the board was not just to run for office I moved over there because I liked the place. There is one of our candidates who moved into mine and I think this is an indication of disrespect. In fact I referred to this particular candidate the former mayor as a

carpet bagger. Okay just a quick reminder to our viewers that we will take your questions in just a moment. We want you to have your questions or direct your questions specifically to miss Roarke have a question and no comments so we can get as many as possible look over your past two years two years in your ward where have you failed. Well I'd like to say this. James Some people say that I heard the challenge of rattling off about crime that we are have in murders. That's not true any longer. The murder rate is now exceeded Ward 8 in the 5th District which is Ward 5. That's a matter of record. I'd also like to say that for the last quarter the 7th District had the highest reduction in crime for which the district received an award. And to show that we are being a law in each category and perhaps except that of rape in which we had two more rapes and rape is a very difficult crime. I've always worked very hard on that earth. But. Economic development is

tied in and that I have to make. This one is tied in with keeping your streets safe. You have to have an incentive you have to trigger the minds of developers and businesses that they want to come somewhere where they can maintain their businesses where their businesses won't be vandalized where the businesses won't just blow up. They like to feel comfortable in the setting. And I'd like to think that in the last two years we have done that by working very hard in the area of making our streets safer. For instance read of a camp that there was a time when you couldn't even see the streets for the dealers and the persons coming to buy drugs piled up around Parkland. I mean have you visited there lately. We have a developer who putting 20 million dollars into Ward 8. And part of those millions of dollars have gone into reconstructing that pocket that the shopping center. It's very neat. Now it has some type of integrated facades that make it look more attractive. And the houses that apartments in Parkland are being rehabilitated. When you get that type of setting then attracting developers to camps seems

to do retail and office will be much easier. You know a lot of Ward 8 residents despite everything you've told me about feel neglected they feel as if no one cares about delivering services across the river. They feel as if city government and indeed to a certain respect their city council person has not been able to deliver what they want. Why do they not understand or have those kinds of feelings. Well of course in some respects I have felt that way myself too. I've worked very hard. If you remember every time a board or commission comes up on the previous administration and even this administration bet I will make a hard point. I aggressively pursue the appointment of Ward 8 persons on those boards and commissions and indeed have succeeded in some respects the council has been very cooperative in that respect Mr. Bolton has appointed a resident to the retirement board which is really an achievement. Of course we have what eight residents on the civilian complaint review board and as chair of Judiciary. I'd like to feel that I'm partially responsible for that type of selection but it's very it's been very difficult.

Some people talk about qualifications. We have some highly qualified persons involved. When I was out to this opening they were architects and engineers all one person who were in the audience when we were looking at the future in Knoxville is that will be going up. And so I say this that when a war has the highest level of AFDC recipients and when the world's population is made up demographically we have the highest m of children under the age of 15. Some people look at voting from that perspective a lot of the children and that's you know under 18 you can vote we have voted and they have some of those people retain their voting residence where they come from. So that had something to do with the voting level envoy that some people look at the voting participation as a reason for doing something. Our reason for drawing false conclusions about the quality of the vote. But we have a very great vote. We have great people out there. We have stable families we have beautiful neighborhoods.

I have it. Media doing this campaign say they didn't know you had these kind of these years and what they didn't know you had these type of houses and what they had not even written to some of those neighborhoods like what's that like the new place like the Central Park was so beautiful they didn't even know about it. Why. Because they didn't care. They deal with the premise that they come out there when there's a murder when there's some unfortunate incident you know that occurs perhaps maybe in one of our lower income developments and they portray that as being the whole world. I'm not saying anything adverse to these people. I'm just saying the world is more diverse than it is portrayed. Can I stop you there because I want to give some of our viewers an opportunity to ask a question or two. And I remind you again to keep the question specific and brief and on for council members. Good evening you're on the air. Yes this was a question that I just keep hearing this statement about the amount of crimes that are committed in war a. Yet I'm thinking more like that if you have a people who died this year. How many of those people actually committed the murders

live in that ward as opposed to living outside circle of folks. And your question. My question is that enough. One other thing that you mentioned were you committed in all police forces increasing the police presence in the area. What about treatment. What about bringing people in there to help the people who have obviously remain adamant that the demand is great in that area. What about drug treatment centers. I'm glad he asked that question because the previous presenter made a statement that's absolutely not true about some deal between the former mayor and myself on a drug treatment center when that drug treatment problem came up which was several years ago you remember James I think. Oh yes I think he talked about me a bird then me a bird wanted to place it down there on the Howard Road never with Allen's warehouse was right in the path of projected and planned economic development that was part of our comprehensive plan which is law. You know once it's signed he had signed it's law and it says that regional centres are technical there is nothing like drug treatment or jail which will the second thing that he wanted to put the

citizenry who will surround that area ballot and other people in the Chicago area overnight and they protested that they did not want it there. They could have gone at any rate the other location that was indicated was located in parklands under Brenda Jones who had parklands community center. Some people say an ally might do. She runs a very good center. She's a hard working young woman. She does a good job and at that time the drug problem was rife in parklands. Every agency in the ward agreed to the proposal that went ahead which was comprehensive drug treatment not just methadone. I've taken something to give yourself a hit to calm down the desire for the drugs at the time which was what Koeppel was going to do on the weekends. We didn't have that new yet drug treatments. Well you don't have the new team but you have drug treatment. And that's what I wanted to address. You have on St. Elizabeth's campus now a 10 million dollar program that's run by second genesis that has over six or six beds and it gave

preferential treatment to ward 8 residents as well as the citizens advisory board made up of Ward 8 residents so that residents can access it. You have that which was attempted to be closed down and we fought and argued and continued also 66 now 66 people are treated there and Ward 8 residents in there at least the fourth or maybe more. We have a Deira house where 97 percent. These are young people who are treated for all of those on St. Lisbeth's campus. Now remember in every drug treatment program you have you have a what it's called a continuum. Some people call it an aftercare so that once the person is out of treatment you see that that doubles your number. In other words if you have sick sick or moderate six is it. That's right. So you got 120 some. And so you double all the numbers that are given you so you can fairly say that there's no drug treatment nothing. In the meantime until we do come to some consensus with the consent of the community as to where a new one would be you have beds at D.C. General some of which are not being you did you know that drug treatment one thing everybody's got to

realize about drug treatment the attic himself or herself has to realize that they have a problem it's just like alcoholism and go for that treatment. You can have it but you have to have a person willing to go there and take that treatment. What we do we have drug treatment in the world and I'm very tired of that question in this statement me I think and other people. Thanks very much. Good evening you're on the air your question. Yes. My question was rowlock like a person to congratulate her for the effort she put forth toward. But I'd rather we had a drug addiction and he was able to come in and be able to move on to get a nursing degree. And plus theology degree of theology and give it a chance and support it positive and overcome obstacles. The question is I believe he was saying all things considered. Could the former mayor not have rehabilitated himself and therefore be a qualified candidate irrespective of his past personal problems for your seat.

Well I'm not that he's he's dealing with the mayor's own personal problems which I think is something that he and the mayor will have to discuss. The former mayor who's going to be our next guest. Isn't that correct. Yes ma'am. All right we'll take another question. Good evening you're on the air. Your question. Hi. Good afternoon. Cast members first before my remarks affect you so much for your efforts in getting the green light here east of the river for your service to secure a 35 percent are natural for me. So much to be an option. Can you tell us a bit about strong suit obstacles you face in doing this work. Can you tell me a little bit about what you do for senior citizens here. Thank you. Well with regard to the first you know it was a long tenure in fact a little over 10 years struggle for the Green Line. And we were the last to get it. And it even involved a lawsuit. In fact the lawsuit that was involved inhibiting the bringing of the queen and for a time. And I was among

those that filed an abacus brief went over to Baltimore in August and even at one point in that terrible struggle to get petitions signed by thousands of water residents to present them to the judge who will defend the case that it leads. Let's get this stop in Ward 8 because we are so that the band needed it and the judges and we got that stop. And so I thank you for that. With regard to the senior citizens there are a number of things that we try to do in the war with senior citizens concern you know with the redistricting. I haven't quite another senior citizen facility in the Washington nursing home who is on 25th Street. In addition to that of course they have a senior center at the Knoxville for which I've worked very hard to get that because at one point some people wanted to just have retired or there was a big argument with a lot of fuss about that. But it had formerly been low income housing. The argument was this now should be low income housing for seniors that's not hill senior center which is located in Knoxville and Alabama Avenue. In addition senior citizens counseling and delivery services which is a

group that delivers specific services. The thing is east of the river particularly in Ward 8 because it's located in what he has planned for a center with a retail component for which I kept the money for the infrastructure of the capital in the budget you know every time the budget comes up the mayor does not have to get over to you. And so of course this is what we do for this is I want to thank you very much. We do have to move on to a lot of equal time to each of the three. All right. Thank you very much for having me. Always a pleasure. OK. On September the 15th. May I say this. Issue number two and keep my experience working for you. What. OK. OK. Have your seat. And when we come back have your seat as well because former D.C. Marion Barry Mayor Marion Barry will be our next candidate. Thank you. OK welcome back. Our next word a candidate is the former mayor of this city who's also served on the

city council and the D.C. school board welcome to evening exchange former Mayor Marion Barry. Thank you James. Same question initially to all of the candidates sell me on why I should take a look at your candidacy and pull the lever for where you have to find positive ways that differentiates Marion Barry from the other people. First of all the people of Ward 8 have been neglected and disrespected and for those who are on the stand that they have to be a part of it is like going up on the segregation where we said we were appalled by I didn't like it and people who weren't segregated in the stands were people who are not neglected or disrespected don't understand how emotional and how important that is to those of us who live what eight people from our side will sometimes perceive us as being not too bright to be and sort of dominate and not politically sophisticated and don't care. My candidacy is about change and that making sure that people understand that we do respect ourselves in Ward 8. We don't respect other people. We don't demand respect from others. We been neglected by the

city. Look at the truth of what we have more on paved streets in what they did and where in the city and pay that is trees and brushes going everywhere have to go the last couple years. It's like a jungle in some parts of our city. On the other hand we have some hard working committed sensitive politically astute sophisticated citizens who want to change. They want someone who has a history of standing up for them or fighting for that which is due those of us who live in Ward 8 or so and who is not afraid to tackle the tough issues someone who can communicate like can communicate with all segments or no other candidate can and claim that I can motivate I can inspire people as never before. But I have a lot of sense out of my vision about what is doing what the most asked question is where were you when you were mayor. Where were you then addressing all of those kinds of concerns that you say of the jungle the lack of paved streets. That's what a lot of folks want to know.

Not only was I doing a great job for the rest of this city. I was doing a fantastic job in terms of I ate. If you look at the job centers two of them moved into 0 8 for people try to get jobs. We moved from a few senior citizens having free meals in Ward 8 to ever seeing a citizen who wanted one who wanted a free meal can have one a good meal in Ward 8. We pay most streets and alleys and Water Aid and had been paid in the last 25 or 30 years. We've supported our school system and to the full funding for teachers and principals and young people we had met various leadership institute which attracted a large number of young people from Ward 8. And so we talk with the people who have been in war for the last 12 14 16 30 years or so. They tell you that in 12 years I did more and my administration did more to uplift them. We we reduced it from a and not enough. A lot more. But on the other hand the last two years we have retrogressive things have gotten far worse. In Ward 8 and proportion it was happened in the rest of the city

I'm going to push and going to introduce legislation to guarantee a summer job that some people would deprecate that. Well who wants a summer job. Young people ought to be able to work on a quality job. And those who are able to do it ought to work some time during the school year as well as study. But that money and that experience may turn some of our young people away from the lucrative market or selling drugs give them some degree of self worth and some feeling of self-esteem that I can do something we're going to it job. Why would you ever get to that in terms of job for adults. We are going to push also hard to get major businesses to come to ward 8 for instance we have a nursing home and they have 300 people they never thought about recruiting. Right then what the universities and colleges in Washington which make up a large part of our employment base employ almost 20000 people. A lot of those jobs are not faculty and secure jobs. There are jobs that what residents can do. I'm going to push hard to get an employment center on those major universities and colleges to come to our state. We're going to go to other major employers

come to what a have to go insist that it rather is a train for the present and the future. If you live in what you want to be a good secretary you want to be a good process user. You want to do office machines. There is no place in war that you can get train. We don't insist that a public school system and other training programs come to our aid and put those kind of programs. We're going to push for a branch of UTC in Ward 8 or a community college in Ward 8. We are going to not do that we're going to push for subsidization of camp sims so we can get a developer to develop that 25 acre site is terrible not to have a one supermarket and it's not doing a good job in one day. All right let's give some our viewers an opportunity to quiz their candidate. Good evening you're on the air. Your question or comment and make it brief please. All right. Hi. I live in Washington D.C. I'm the President of Canada organization. I didn't know when you were mayor. You got asked to knock at 530 of

these doors are here to get votes in exchange for that you would help us with our recreation center. You didn't give us one thing you promised us pool tables and everything else. We've waited two hours. We had the television that we had turned over and everything. You ignored us when I did catch up to you. You made the statement that you didn't have time for eight because the vote just did. The people did not vote. And this was politics and you put a business where the people voted. I to the mayor and and I disagree with that. I think that in terms of what I would do I recall working hard to try to get some recreational activity for that part of the city. I know that young people in Ward 8 need a tremendous amount of help and get an additional recreation centers. I don't dispute the facts in that situation. And all I can say that the young people in Ward 8 know that I care deeply about them. I have

stood up for them. I fought for them I love them and they understand what it is to to to have difficult being in life as I have and rise up from it. And so we're going to push very hard for recreation facilities in it in Parkland and other parts of our city. You have over 2000 units and no evacuation centers are at stake. Now the question. Good evening you're on the air your question for Marion Barry. Go ahead ma'am. What occurred to her well her representation. It's a very rapid rate and murder rate. Do you think that it would become and tomorrow. Thank you. What is suffering from this same situation that other people who are coming to life suffer from They've been the spears have been beaten down. They feel that they can't succeed

in getting a lot of things done. But since I have been running this crusade we have attracted over 2000 people who basically ask us can we vote can we register. They come up to us asking that kind of question. I maintain that we can inspire people I think we can motivate our people but on the other hand we can also show them a connection between their lack of voting and their conditions when they start voting more and get more involved. That condition would improve the people in the ward for the people in war. Three don't have all these good things going for them because they just happen to have the money and then some education they have because they participate. And so we're going to motivate we're going to inspire people to want it to become a powerhouse to demand more and to get more from the city government and from the business community on the other hand people tell me about the present incumbent. They go to our neighborhood and they see the potholes in the alley they see the shrubbery and the trees growing in writing and I say well how can that person help us in a war and can't get our own neighborhood taken care of. And so

those are the issues. Can you deliver. I maintain that I can deliver services I can live with hope and inspiration and jobs and recreation and just a good feeling about ourselves in what I do. And if you can answer this very quickly and I'll try to ask it quickly. A member of your campaign allegedly referred to the woman who accused you of fondling her most recently as a phantom bimbo she is married she has a child and she again raises this question of your character. What's your official response to that accusation first of all it's an act of desperation in the 11th hour of this campaign to resort to what I call political dirty tricks. I suspect that notwithstanding protestations of the person that there's something else behind this that's very very political and I would you call her a phantom. I wouldn't call it anything but a separate outstanding citizen. But there's something going on here. There's. Desperation going on in this campaign. And the best way is try to

throw people off track is to put some money in the game and we don't let it go at that. My candidacy is on track. We appeal to the voters and we're going to do to win this election tomorrow. I believe we have time for one more phone call. Good evening you're on the air your question. Hello. Go ahead ma'am. Yes I'd like to ask the former mayor why did you decide to wait so long to move in Ward 8 seems concerned about what ain't. It seems to me that he would have moved here long before his conviction. And I just don't understand that. All of a sudden you think that the people in authority are not capable of handling their own problems. Being inspired in the mass for 12 years and none of those things that you simply are telling you they're going to do for. OK the question obviously why did you wait to move to eight. Well that's where all our support is. Excellent question. I didn't decide to run for office until about two weeks before I made the announcement. I could have run towards seven or four and I could have won those wars.

But what needs to be leadership needs. My experience need my commitment need my compassion need my vision needs all of that. And it seems to me when you have the war ad which has a tremendous amount of social economic problems that's really the best leadership. And so the election laws allow you to move into the city. And so I went to the ward in 30 days. We did that to people in Ward 8. I think I'm very appreciative of our commitment to that war and have not a stranger that I was mayor for 12 years. I spent a tremendous amount of time what I ate and I understand that the mood and the feeling of the people of Ward 8 they understand me and so we have no problem with that since we have only a few more minutes. James I was watching the other program which actually we do have five so I'm just reminded what I aired earlier. OK. We're getting in now. I was watching Mr. Jordan you know he was talking about integrity and about being consistent. Let me just point out to the viewers of Ward 8 that Mr. Jordan is a person who will say almost

any thing before any audience to get their support to give an example. Not long ago he and I along with other members of what a candidacy for some gay and lesbian leadership activists and I started to support the gay and lesbian community. But they asked us about same sex marriage. I wasn't there. I don't support that. I support all the other things that are very important domestic partnership or things like that that Mr. Jordan has reported in The Washington Blade and the City Paper. So I believe in same sex marriage I support same sex marriage and the Gertrude Stein club based on that gave him Dan doucement. Yet four days later before black ministers group which doesn't support that he said I don't support that. So I don't think we want somebody who's not consistently on the issues. I will say the same thing about Marion Barry stance one believes in. Wherever I go. So I think it's important to have somebody who's consistent someone who will stand up. Someone will say the same thing wherever he or she is. It's always going fight for the citizens.

What a lot of folk. And you said earlier you'd like to attract more business to Ward 8. How do you make Ward 8 more attractive to businesses. How do you convince those businesses that Ward 8 is the place to do business. I know how to get businesses to do business in Washington. We had one of the most successful business development program in America in Washington in 12 years that I was look at downtown and you said well and Akashi is not downtown. When I came into office that was not one new building on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1978. Very few new buildings downtown look at it now and what you have to do is get an environment conducive to business see a lot of folks would say yeah look at Pennsylvania Avenue Avenue but when you were mayor you weren't looking at Ward 8 but I'd have to think over their taxes we got from those new buildings and we didn't take that tremendous amount of money and spend it on the social programs in wartime which we did. But you have to have an environment that because people know you can talk business. You have to get to see the government to clean up some of our streets and clean up some of our lots. You have to get business people to see the

advantages of doing business in war. And there are tremendous advantages in doing this and what a metro stop is an ideal place to begin to develop a major business network. It's right at 295 which means you want to drive right in and park and go downtown if you live in another part of the city. You can come over across the river in about 12 minutes if you live in Virginia you can come right across the river in about 17 minutes and so you have to be able to talk the language. I know the business community throughout Washington do out this region and they know I know a lot about business and we're going to track some businesses there. On the other hand we urge people in our state to save our own money. I want to propose we've got a thousand families to save $100 a month. That's 1.2 million dollars that we could invest in businesses of our own. OK let's take another phone call. Good evening you're on the air. Yes. I have a question for Mr. Barry. Go ahead. People are talking about the drug problem saying that it's for Economics and things like that. In my

opinion it's because these mothers are teaching their daughters how to act like Robin Givens and go after man for his money. I'd like to know if you share any or all of that opinion and what you intend to do about the drug problem is so complex. I know what you mean by that it has to do with the amount of drugs coming from South and Central America has to do with the lucrative money that guys can make. They can make $2000 a week selling drugs to the values of guns and et cetera it's very complicated we have to start doing though is beginning to communicate with our young people which I can do very well to get them to begin to see that there has to be some other values that they have to adopt that that gun is not the solution to solving a beef that you may make 2000 hours a week. But look at what you're doing with your life. I think if you start developing self-esteem get them to develop self-esteem to feel good about themselves that life is important. That starts at a church starts in the home. It works in the schools works with the elected officials. I feel very good about

myself. I know who I am. I know where I want to go and I want to try to inspire other young people to feel good about themselves to get the parents involved with go to school get the parents to understand who they are and where they come from. They are beautiful people that they can do things in water and in America and the world. And so they and you began to create incentives for that outside. And so it's about money. We've got to find what these guns are coming from. I believe the mind is footing. I mean this with these guys oozes are not made in America. Is not made in America. So where are these guys coming from. Guys tell me they can pick them on the street. So we got to find out what these guns are. And I'll stop right there. All right. Thanks to those final words Zain. I would just say call 5 6 3 8 8 8 8 if you want to volunteer for that very cool save it say 5 6 3 8 8 8 8. Thank you. And good luck tomorrow. We'll be back in a moment. Stay with us. And that's our show for tonight. We want to urge each and every one of you to get out and

cast your vote. Let your voice be heard. I'm James Adams from all of us here. W.H. Imam have a pleasant evening. Good. Evening. Change depends on your contributions. Please send your donation to W H M MTV 22:22 Fourth Street Northwest Washington DC 2 0 0 0 5 9. 0 0