The crowd began flowing into the Alexandria Black History Museum for the 7p preview of “Street Fight,” around 6p.  The reception with Cuban food started at 6:30p.

At 7:05p, Louis Hicks, Director of the Alexandria Black History Museum, welcomed the guest and opened the film that covers the turbulent campaign of Cory Booker, a 32-year-old Rhodes Scholar/Yale Law graduate running for mayor of Newark, N.J. against Sharpe James, the four-term incumbent twice his age.  After the substantive and sometimes humorous preview, Jamila Atkinson, Executive Director of the D.C. Republican Party and Eric J. Jones, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Young Democrats, led a engaging discussion with the audience.   

Atkinson described herself as a “moderate Republican" and strong believer of the two-party system.  She was disappointed that there is no active two party system in Newark.  “It’s like not having a check and balance system,” she said.

The politics on Newark, where Sharpe supporters some how managed to have Booker signs removed from city streets, reminded Jones of what happened to possible Washington, D.C. mayoral candidate Michael Brown.  In D.C., the current mayor’s administration took away Brown’s coveted low auto licensed tag number and seat on the D.C. Boxing Commission.

During the lively 30-minute audience and panel discussion, Atkinson also said that she’s “offended when people don’t vote.”  Jones reminded the audience that politicians really only talk to people who do vote.  “Their job is to get elected.  So, they speak to those who vote,” he said.

Photos (top to bottom):  The crowd watches with great interest.
Jamila Atkinson, Executive Director of the D.C. Republican Party makes her point.  Eric J. Jones, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Young Democrats clarifies his point.