Marion Barry is a big reason why progress was not made during the 80's and 90's in improving the inner city in Washington DC. Put the crack incident aside. What Barry truly messed up for the people of DC was his unwritten policy of cronyism. When it came to filling jobs in important government positions, Barry "hooked up" those he knew.  There was very little effort put into hiring experts or well qualified individuals. Things are changing in Washington DC, but there are still "lifers" in the DC government who got their jobs because of who they knew. I think Barry thought that he could help the people of DC by providing them with solid jobs. However, by hiring unqualified people and not holding them accountable for results, it meant increased failure by the District's public schools and other public agencies. The citizens of DC truly believed that Barry was looking out for them, and Barry thought he was too. When the man is responsible for getting you, your family, and your friends hired, its hard not to like him. However, the lack of accountability hurt the District deeply.

in a word, embarrassing. in the past i have thought that based on their decisions some politicians might be on crack, but to have that suspicion confirmed is quite horrifying.

He did some good things, before he whigged out.

Anybody wanna hit?

His career and subsequent re-election is a manifestation of a real problem in certain aspects of the African-American community- a lack of standards and holding violaters of said standards accountable. . .when people fail, don't give excuses, don't give alibis, hire (or elect) someone else. . .

An absolute dirtbag. Arrested for crack possession and then the morons of DC voted for him again in 1995! Outrageous!

"There is a sort of an unwritten code in Washington, among the underworld and the hustlers and these other guys that I am their friend." - Marion Barry (His explanation to a newspaper reporter as to why he was upset at being robbed at gunpoint)