Street Fight, the movie

Documentary about the 2005 Newark New Jersey mayoral race between incumbent, Sharpe James and challenger Cory Booker, both Black Democrats. Dirty, filthy hardcore politics. Hence the title, Street Fight. The Mayor threatens the challenger and his supporters. taps his phone, and otherwise uses the police against anyone that helps Booker in his campaign. He even sends the police to rough up the film maker.

The most amazing moment in the film is when the Mayor starts to call Booker, a Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law School educated Black man, a White man, a Republican and most startling of all, a Jew! The Mayor's supporters actually drive around town in cars festooned with the Mayor's campaign slogans and scream "Booker's not Black, he's a White man." It is just creepy!

Any business that allows a political rally for Booker on the premises or even displays a Booker sign, is visited by inspectors the next day and closed for code violations. Booker realizes he has to buy Black votes with free food and chartered busses to Atlantic City. This is just the way they do politics in Newark. Jesse Jackson shows up, of course to support the skeezy mayor. At least Spike Lee supported Cory Booker. I hate to say this but I have met many men like Mayor James in my time. Cunning old bulls, they are ruthless at using their opponents strenghs against them. It was like Aikido, everything Cory Booker thought he had going for him turned out to be a liability. An ivy league education is a disadvantage. Being good looking loses you points. If you are well spoken and polite, you're White! If you don't want to smear your opponent, you are too weak!

This film is fascinating and scary! It highlights the fierce loyalty Blacks feel for familiar and beloved leaders. Once won, their good opinion is unshakable. This, sadly, prevents positive change in the inner cities.