Newsvine: Mayor Offers Beleaguered Newark New Hope. Newsvine picks up the Associated Press story on Newark’s new day, with a great photo of our new mayor.
By the time Mayor Cory Booker concluded his inauguration address Saturday, he was screaming above the thundering crowd.
“Will you stand with me, Newark?” he asked and asked again, sounding like a preacher addressing his congregation. “We must stand now and meet our challenges.”
The Newark Star Ledger is providing some clips of the Inauguration, which features some clips of Booker’s speech, and a bit of a gaffe during his oath. The Ledger also recorded some video from outside the event where Joan Whitlow pokes a little fun at the $500 donation to attend (via Newark Speaks).
The Battle for Newark blog did a lot of great work in the last couple of days. Here’s Booker sworn in as Newark mayor.
“We are at the dawning of the 21st century in a city that still reflects America’s soul,” Booker said. “Now more than ever, our country needs Newark. It needs our audacity. Our national garment is torn. Will Newark lead yet another century?”
Booker, 37, saluted former Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson, who served from 1970 to 1986 and was seated on the stage. Booker did not mention James, who did not attend the inaugural. In fact, no one alluded to James except Andrew Washington, a neighbor of the former mayor’s, who stood outside the NJPAC with a sign reading, “Free at last,” a tart reference to James’ 20-year reign as mayor.
In his inaugural address, Booker offered a sweeping narrative of Newark’s history, evoking its founder, Robert Treat, and its first black elected official, Irvine Turner. Throughout its history, Booker said, Newark has been a trailblazer for American cities.
Quoting Gibson, the city’s first African-American mayor, Booker said, “Wherever American cities are going, Newark will get there first.”
They also have excerpts from Booker’s speech published. Here’s just one of several references to his plans to combat violent crime:
But hear me … the solution to our problem is not simply police. We cannot succeed as a city by locking up our people or sending more and more of our children to detention facilities. We will have respect and discipline in our streets, I will insist on it. But ultimately, we will only be successful in creating safety and security by providing real avenues to economic prosperity for our community and by having abundant activities to nurture and engage our young people.
The Battle for Newark blog highlights all 25 priorities that Booker announced his his speech in Booker’s priorities, and cover the swearing in of the new city council: Booker’s council sworn in.
Finally, they’ve reprinted Sharpe James’ closing remarks to Booker via a letter sent to the press: James letter to Booker. In his own inimitable fashion, James touts his own accomplishments, and leaves what appears to be a veiled political threat to Booker by quoting the Holy Bible. Just amazing—Sharpe, we’re almost sad to see you go. Almost.
I, therefore, call upon you to build upon the progress that my predecessor Mayor Ken Gibson started and I have built upon and now it is your chance to grow the pyramid of success.
In closing, on my desk I am leaving you a personal gift of the Holy Bible. Please turn to Luke 6:31 “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”