Jim Sills was a decent college professor in the area of urban affairs. He had a successful if quiet career as a member of Wilmington City Council and state House of Representatives. He had a tumultuous two-term tour as mayor. But Sills always seemed to be a reluctant politician, nudged forward and up in the ranks by supporters and hangers-on because he was articulate, intelligent, attractive, available and black. Whether he surrounded himself with staff with similar traits now appears doubtful.
Trouble is that's impossible.
Baker may be sincere in not wanting to kick his former opponent after he's down, but what's been discovered in the past two months in city hall did happen on Jim Sills' watch. And it isn't pretty. Baker sat down Thursday with The News Journal editorial board to talk. Helping their friends Sills and his people apparently didn't have much time for things like employee morale, paying bills, logging in a day's receipts or cleaning streets. What they were into was making sure every church, minister, social servant and Friend of Jim Sills received some type of financial aid for their cause or thoughts.