It was surreal. Fox News reporter Leland Vittert was trying to get answers from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and she was being shielded by race hustler Al Sharpton. Rawlings-Blake has been considered to be a rising political star in the democrat party. Then as Baltimore spiraled out of control, Rawlings-Blake found herself way over her head and she was unwilling to take the heat. As Rawlings-Blake headed for a speaking engagement for Sharpton’s National Action Network , Sharpton promised that Rawlings-Blake would answer all Vittert’s questions, but Rawlings-Blake ducked out the back door and dodged all questions.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=287VGwjcmPo[/youtube]
Rawlings-Blake also walked back words she had used to describe the rioters. At first she referred to them as “thugs” but subsequently amended that.
BALTIMORE, April 30 (UPI) — Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake took back her comments calling protesters “thugs,” saying she used the wrong words in the heat of the moment.
“I wanted to clarify my comments on ‘thugs.’ When you speak out of frustration and anger, one can say things in a way that you don’t mean,” she said on Twitter. “That night we saw misguided young people who need to be held accountable, but who also need support. And my comments then didn’t convey that.”
Critics say Rawlings-Blake and others who have used the word to describe the protesters, including President Barack Obama, are being insensitive. The episode also underscores the fine line Rawlings-Blake is walking in the largely black city. Raised in an affluent family, some charge she’s out of touch with the city’s poor.
To his credit, Barack Obama stood by his description of the rioters as thugs.
There are several reports that Rawlings-Blake not only ordered the police to stand down but that she also ordered them not to wear protective riot gear.
Despite a firm denial by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, a senior law enforcement source charges that she gave an order for police to stand down as riots broke out Monday night, raising more questions about whether some of the violence and looting could have been prevented.
The source, who is involved in the enforcement efforts, confirmed to Fox News there was a direct order from the mayor to her police chief Monday night, effectively tying the hands of officers as they were pelted with rocks and bottles.
Asked directly if the mayor was the one who gave that order, the source said: “You are God damn right it was.”
Since the riots began, 100 cops have been injured.
I don’t watch O’Reilly very often, but this is worth a few minutes:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk-OlVXrF0M[/youtube]
Rawlings-Blake spoke of avoiding loss of life here (at about 2:20 in). Five people were shot in Baltimore last night, two fatally, and a body was found in a truck.
I have tried maintaining respect for Mayor Stephanie. Little by little that respect has dwindled and finally was lost when she hid behind Sharpton and spoke to Sharpton’s NAN promising not to seek justice, but to seek justice only for Freddie Gray.
I don’t know what happened to Freddie Gray and I have not opined about it but Mayor Stephanie should be seeking justice for all.
She wanted the big job, and she has the big job. Now she needs to carry out the big job and stop hiding behind Sharpton’s skirt and stop acting like a suspect instead of a Mayor.
Everyone else should be waiting for the facts. Many bad things went down in Ferguson because people ran with a false narrative. I fear that should the crowd not get its pound of police flesh Baltimore is going to burn.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.