Friday, April 19, 2002

Chief Olson - the Minneapolis Police department has had an iffy reputation for years, not only among the sorts that never like any police (professional protesters, the perpetually concerned) but even among fellow law-enforcement officers. The parallels with the Darrell Gates-era LAPD are tempting - a too-small force in a changing city with a pronounced "us against them" attitude, a predilection toward thumping first and asking questions when they felt like it...

Minneapolis chief Robert Olson is on the chopping block. It's about time. I'd suggest that the City of Minneapolis ditch its tendency of the last 20 years of hiring chiefs from the east coast (like Olson's predecessor Tony Bouza). The east is much more comfortable with authoritarian police chiefs. We don't need them here.
posted by Mitch Berg 4/19/2002 06:50:04 AM

If I were a Democrat - and I'm not - I'd be really upset by Algore's showing of his true colors last week in Florida.

Gone like yesterday's hip clothing fad is the centrist, "clintonian" rhetoric of the campaign. Out in full, unashamed force is the regulation-mad far-leftist of Kyoto and Earth in the Balance.

Face it, Dems - those of you who thought Algore wasn't far-left under his chameleon skin were defrauded.

I try to come up with an analogy - like, "it'd be as if John McCain came out and gave a speech favoring hard-right conservative principles, but the analogy falls apart on the realization that I just can't picture most Republicans doing this. Norm Coleman even has more integrity than this.


Watch the Spin - The GAO's report on the Clinton staff's vandalism of the White House as they left office is coming, soon. It shows about $14,000 in deliberate damage by the departing frat kids.

Take your dramamine.

posted by Mitch Berg 4/19/2002 06:31:03 AM