Saturday, November 10, 2007

Hillary and the Lords of Dopetown?

You gotta love former drug-lords coming out for Hillary Clinton.

Former Harlem heroin drug lords Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes both ruled the boroughs of NYC during the early 1970s, now are back in the spotlight thanks to a pair of biographical feature films. Frank scored big with a Hollywood hit, American Gangster (Denzel Washington is the lead as Frank) and Barnes' documentary Mr. Untouchable isn't too bad either. Both are solidly unique perspectives of two different drug kingpins from Harlem during the late 60's and early '70s. The interview with New York Magazine is big because, well, neither of them have spoken to each other in over 30 years. Naturally, the discussion was colorful.


In the middle of the interview, which at times seems tense in a soft geriatric kind of way, I was shocked to see them both put money down on Hillary Clinton for the '08 Presidential election, even after saying that Giuliani would be the best man for the job. Junkies for Giuliani? Drug Lords for Hillary? Not the kind of shining endorsements two not-exactly-Superfly presidential candidates can afford to really get excited about.

Mark Jacobson(NY Magazine): Rudy Giuliani chased both you guys when he was D.A. What do you think about him running for president?
Nick Barnes: Giuliani would make a good president because he’s a principled guy.
Frank Lucas: When Giuliani tells you something, he means it. But I don’t think we’re ready for an Italian president. I don’t think we’re ready for a black president. I don’t think we’re ready for a woman president, but I tell you right now: I think Hillary Clinton will win this thing hands down.
Nick Barnes: Hillary will be the next president.
Frank Lucas: No question about it.

Um...does Hillary know that she just got the endorsement of two of the most powerful street titans of the 20th century? I'm not whether she should issue a press-release distancing herself from them or hope that they both quietly fade into the sunset.

Checkout the trailer for Mr.Untouchable, the name given to Barnes by the NY Times back during his heyday. I'm thinking Lucas got a much better deal on the film break.




Btw, the Jay-Z's remix of Bobby Bland's "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" is incredible. A perfect soundtrack for these characters. I just hope Hillary isn't dumb enough to start playing it at her lame events.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hillary supporters: please don't get discouraged. PLEASE. She is getting attacked from all sides because people deep down know she is our only hope for America and they're trying to ruin it for everybody. Hillary is the ONLY candidate with these 4 attributes: honor, patriotism, loyalty, and kindness. I got $35 in the bank that says no other candidate has those attributes.