The Mayor Gets Hard
Wrapping up our little excursion into talk radio (see 12/5), R. T. Rybak was even more curious on WCCO-AM (830) than city council rep Barb Johnson had been earlier in the day on another station.
Kim Jeffries, ’CCO’s afternoon host, allowed the Minneapolis mayor to give an “aw, shucks, what a wonderful city” appraisal of his upcoming ribbon-cuttings for the week, and let him ramble about recent Aquatennial memories and the vast number of holiday shoppers downtown. (The phone-in is something Rybak--and St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly--does with Jeffries the first Monday of every month.)
Then Jeffries tossed one at Rybak about Tyesha Edwards. The mayor, it turns out, was about to receive the Edwards extended family in his office. He would have to cut the segment short, Rybak apologized, because they were all going to the courthouse to watch the initial hearings for the suspects in the shooting. He is, the mayor assured listeners, intent on seeing these criminals put away for life.
"Gangs will not be tolerated in Minneapolis," Rybak declared.
Tough talk for the formerly touchy-feely mayor, one who has never passed on a quaint press release or photo-op, one who has long been critical of police tactics like use of force, and one who had plenty of opportunities to address the gang problems in the city long before Tyesha was shot.
Whatever is said about Rybak, he’s still the city’s best opportunist.
Do I believe that Rybak is shaken and upset about the Edwards murder? Yes. Do I believe he is sincere in reaching out to the family? Yes.
Do I believe it’s also politically expedient, and therefore hypocritical, for the mayor to be sharing this grief and outrage so publicly? Again, the answer is yes.
Let me explain it this way: Rybak, and his sudden political ally, Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson (remember when Rybak tried to oust Olson earlier this year?), have the luxury of denouncing the Tyesha murder. Trouble is, they had reason to believe something like this was going to happen--and in that part of the city--for months.
Last spring, I did a story about a particularly troubled block in south Minneapolis, on Bloomington Avenue, between Franklin Avenue and Lake Street. Repeatedly I was told by city officials, cops, and the mayor that the stretch was as bad as anywhere else in the city. Rybak himself confessed to knowing the dangers of that particular area and neighborhoods around it, and conceded--despite his obvious concern--that he didn’t have much to offer in the way of a solution.
At the time, I was impressed by his knowledge and candor. Now it just troubles me. Why now for Rybak to be so outraged, why now to be so tough on crime? Because it’s a political chip shot, a total gimme. Before Tyesha, addressing the city’s gang problem would have been too abstract to make hay politically.
So while Rybak never addressed it publicly, he knew about the gang problems all along. But only now is he saying gangs won't be "tolerated."
He and Olson co-authored an Op-Ed piece in yesterday’s Strib that trumpeted the quick reaction and hard work of the police in catching the suspects in the Edwards case. They go on to list all the MPD anti-gang measures undertaken during the summer. I went to a few police/community forums addressing the gang problem then, back in July. While Olson was certainly very involved and engaged at the forums I attended, Rybak was nowhere to be found.
Now he’s all over it. And Tyesha’s family can be grateful.
Post-Script and Shout-Out
Tonight (Wednesday, 12/11/02) Rybak and Olson will bring their little show to the people. "Mayor and Police Chief Say 'Get out and Stay out' to gangs in Minneapolis and Minnesota" proclaims the "media advisory" from the city I have on my desk.
Olson, Rybak, and members of the MPD and Minnesota Gang Strike Force are holding two community meetings to announce a statewide anti-gang initiative. The first one is 7:30 tonight, Green Central School, 3416 Fourth Avenue South in Minneapolis. The second meeting is Friday (12/13/02) at 6:30 p.m., North Commons Park, 1701 James Avenue North.
Do I have a reader? Could it be? I dunno, but there have been at least three people (!) who have commented on this little ol' weblog this week, and I only know two of them personally! (I think. I'm starting to suspect I may know 'em all.) Anyway, "Tipsy McSwagger," whoever, wherever and whatever you are, thanks for the tip about the Olson-Rybak column. I had seen it, and was going to write about this anyway, but it's so, so nice to be tipped, if you know what I mean.
One final thing, though: I always thought it was "Tipsy McSTAGGER" and not "McSWAGGER." The implication being that if one were indeed tipsy, one would "stagger" much more than "swagger." Am I wrong here?
2:18:44 PM 
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