Detroit verbatim: the week in quotes

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Above:A view from Detroit's Cobo Convention Center (that is in the process of being "hijacked" for $20 million}.


Dear blogger,

It's been another awesomely ridiculous week. Detroit Mayoral candidate Bing not only forgot he didn't have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) but that it took him 29 years to get a bachelor's degree;Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's partner in crime, Christine Beatty, got sick on jail food -- a lot; Radio personality Mildred Gaddis was still spewing hot fire at the "Hijacking of Cobo Hall", and Governor Jennifer Granholm gave the city of Detroit up for "adoption" to --- waaaiit for iiiiit --- MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Scarborough!? Hold on ... I'm having a premonition ... something about the "City of Detroit hijacking" ...

You CAN'T make this stuff up but you CAN slice it into fabulous one-liners and post them onto your blog!


"She spent a lot of time throwing up."
Christine Beatty's lawyer Mayer Morganroth said regarding Beatty's reaction to jail food. Apparently Coney Island hot dogs are much easier fare for the stomach.

"We are going to adopt Detroit,”
Joe Scarborough of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" told Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm referring to a plan to air "Morning Joe" in the city out of ... pity?

"I think you're trying to dig into something that isn't a story."
Detroit Mayoral Candidate David Bing angrily told Free Press reporter Bill McGraw when he asked for college transcripts. Weeks before he blasted interim Mayor Cockrel for not releasing his personal finances. Oops. Maybe Bing's right when he says he ISN'T a politician.

"There is not a category of money for large public buildings or anything like that."
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm said about using stimulus funds for expand Cobo Hall instead of transferring it to a regional authority.

"Some folks think we're stupid and don't read."
Detroit City Council President Pro Tem JoAnn Watson about people who are pushing the Cobo Deal. And if by "folks" she means interitm Mayor Cockrel, Wayne County Ececutive Robert Ficano, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Governor Jennifer Granholm, and Detroit Free Press Columnist Nolan Finley then ...

"You can google economic stimulus plans and convention centers. You're going to get more than 50 cities -- including Lansing."
Detroit City Council President Pro Tem JoAnn Watson.

"If you want to help us, just give us the money."
Detorit City Councilwman Monica Conyers said at a rally against the Cobo Hall expansion that would turn the city owned convention center over to a five person regional authority. She added, "A diva is a female version of a hustlaaa!"

“I got an MBA from the General Motors Institute after I got into business, quite frankly."
Detroit Mayoral candidate David Bing on an NBA website video interview.

“I don’t have an MBA from General Motors Institute.”
Detroit Mayoral Candidate David Bing on the Paul W. Smith show on NPR. Which one is it, Dave?

"I have pictures with my cap and gown [from 1966]"
Detroit Mayoral candidate David Bing told the Detroit News' Leonard N. Fleming. However, a story in the Free Press said: Bing's campaign spokesperson Cliff Russell "acknowledged Bing did not attend graduation ceremonies or receive a diploma." Get your game tight, Bing!

"I don't think I can get any more name recognition than I already have."
Detroit City councilman Kwame Kenyata on announcing his run for mayor in August. Apparently he can't possibly get any more well known. Is it because his name is Kwame K.? I kiiid, I kiiiiid!

"I don't see how somebody can forget that they never actually got a diploma."
Detroit Interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel said of Bing's college education gaffe. Same way somebody can forget that they owe the city clerk $42,000, Ken. Saaaame way.

"We don't give up tapes without subpoenas."
Mildred Gaddis said to people calling into "Inside Detroit" asking fora copy of her program with John Conyers. Congressman Conyers said jokingly that she sounded like Carl Rove.

"I'm having a problem with elected officials with the audacity to ... tell Mildred 'I voted for it'. 'I hope it [passes].' I"m [going to] hire an attorney to make sure that it passes. Why? Because I'm smarter than you!"
Radio producer David Stephen at Cobo transfer protest. He added,"How dare Senator Hansen Clarke, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson get the NERVE to tell MILDRED their position in the Hijacking of Cobo Hall?


All in good fun,

MMF

Detroit COBO deal protest

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Here's some protest pics! Enjoy!

Detroit the new Africa?

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Remember when Africa was the place to "adopt" from and hold free concerts for? Now, at risk of sounding politically incorrect, we need look no further than our own city.

Over the past couple weeks two popular talk show hosts have tried to rescue Detroit. One is the Tonight Show's Jay Leno, who held free concert for Detroit (although it took place in Auburn Hills, a well-to-do suburb about 40 minutes away from Detroit).

The other is Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe". Scarborough says he wants to air Morning Joe from Detroit "all the time" and adopt the city. "I want to adopt the City of Detroit." He told Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.

"I'm glad you haven't forgot about adopting us," Granhold said.

As a Detroiter I'm not sure if I should be happy to have a famous talk show host for a Dad or mad at Jennifer Granholm for shuffling me off so fast.

Either way, I have this weird feeling that the city of Detroit is thought of as this helpless orphan. What's Next is U2 gonna come and do a concert for hunger?

Is the UN gonna send helicopters full of rice sacks and drop it over the neighborhoods?

Are national Geographic photographers gonna come in and take photos of babies in poverty?

Ok I'm half kidding. But seriously, Detroit, we need to take care of our shit before Elton John and Michael Jackson sing a charity duet for the kids. (Juust kidding!)


OK I'll stop. But am i the only one who feels kinda like they're living in a third world situation?

Here's the clip:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Michigan Messenger on Countdown

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Eartha Melzer's coverage of a dioxin contaminated river that flooded and contaminated the soil in Saginaw Township, Mich., makes MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Cobo Deal. Period.

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Here's a link to the actual Cobo deal so we can put rumors to rest. I'll be going through and reading it but for now here's a link to the actual document.

CLICK HERE to read!

Verbatim: Detroit Style

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I am a subscriber to Time magazine and every week I break into the new issue and head straight for the briefing section to read the "Verbatim" page which is top ridiculous one-liners of the week in news quotes (which I find hilarious). So I decided to create my own pathetic little mock "verbatim" page on my blog weekly. You're probably thinking, "how original." I'm probably thinking, "I know."


Only difference is I'll try to keep it concentrated in Michigan (specifically Detroit) politics since I eat sleep and breath them these days. I can only hope state and city politics aren't carcinogenic, but at times I wonder. This week I have a lot of quotes about the Cobo deal because it was a hot topic in the city.

But I digress. Let's get down to bizzniss:

VERBATIM March 6 2009

"He never called me."
Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers said of Detroit Mayor Kenneth Cockrel on the Mildred Gaddis show. Background: Ever since she called him "Shrek" they've had a rocky relationship. Maybe he's just not that into her

"It was a tragic circus, a festival of ignorance that confirmed the No. 1 obstacle to Detroit's progress is the bargain basement leaders that city voters elect."
Detroit Free Press Columnist Nolan Finley wrote in an editorial in which he dogged the entire Detroit city council for the way they're handling the Cobo hall transfer. Many where quick to call him a racist. Hey, at least the guy's honest.

"He's pimping his father's legacy."
Detroit political consultant Sam Riddle said of interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel's push to finalize the Cobo regional transfer deal.

"Kiss the employer based insurance goodbye."
Health care specialist on NPR talking about the economy and health care. This one pretty much speaks for itself.

"It's like a sub teacher coming in and giving a final grade."
Caller on "Inside Detroit" said about interim Mayor Cockrel's push for the Cobo deal in his short tenure since he took over for former mayor Kwame Kilparick.

"Cobo Hall Hijacking."
A segment on Mildred Gaddis' show that turned the Cobo drama into a little mock daytime drama plot. Er ... she's not biased or anything.

"I hope it all goes forward smoothly."
State Senator Hansen Clarke on Cobo Deal. He added, "I hope pigs can fly."

"Don't let Obama fool you, now. I'll never feel safe driving through Livonia."
Black Detroit City truck driver said referring to a predominantly white suburb of Detroit.

"Nolan has a tendency to be offensive when talking about Detroit."
Radio talk host Mildred Gaddis said of Detroit Free Press columnist Nolan Finley, who called the city council crazy, cheap and stupid in a recent commentary.


"Barbara Rose Collin's craziness gets in the way of the real issue."
Mildred Gaddis referring to the Detroit city council woman who is known to wear gaudy dresses and tiaras to council meetings and who sang "Onward Christian Soldiers" at a recent city council session.

"I opened my newspaper and every article except maybe one calls us crazy, stupid, monkeys in a zoo."
City Council Woman Barbara Rose-Collins told Detroit residents during a special session intended to override the Mayor's veto. She was referring, most likely, to Nolan Finley's controversial piece "Elect a crazy council; get crazy results." And, oh yeah, OC ececutive L. Brook Patterson is racist because he made fun of her precious tiara.

"Going after Barbara-Rose Collins' tiara. ... and I want the fist. That's all I want."
Oakland County executive L. Brooks Patterson's response to Collin's charge that he was trying to steal Cobo from the city.

Take the Shuttle from Detroit to Ikea!

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Looks like in order to bring in customers, Ikea will have a shuttle out to their store from Detroit. Read all about it HERE

Other than gay, what is Lil' Wayne?

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He's also ubiquitous. How many songs was he featured on over the past year? I stopped counting after 10. It's like he's in every recording studio at once jumping on any song he can. Whether his computerized croak is spliced into the Keri Hilson's hot track or he's howling at the moon with Kanye, he knows what's up: Get it while he's still hot. Before we're all like Lil' who? And we get someone else who's acting "Brand New". I'm not mad at him. But LOL.

That's the word.





MMF

Wayne County Foreclosure sales resume, but limited

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Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans resumes foreclosure sales but on a limited basis
Foreclosure sales in Wayne County will resume but on a much more “limited basis”, according to John Roach, spokesperson for Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans.
But all homes up for foreclosure sales will not go though. “Only in the cases where single family homes or for residential the lender has to provide us with an affidavit that says either that there were no TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) monies involved in that mortgage, or, if there were TARP monies involved, that the homeowner have been availed a process to modify their mortgage,” Roach told Michigan Messenger. He added that all commercial and industrial foreclosure sales will go forward as usual.
However, as of Monday afternoon there were only about 20 properties that met the criteria for a foreclosure sale this week. “It’s Very small number that are going to sale at this point,” Roach said. He said 20 foreclsure sales ina week in Wayne county was a “far cry” from the 300-400 that come up for Sheriff sales each week in Wayne county.