I'm so SICK of this Klein guy and his clearly overinflatedsenseofself.

Please stop interviewing this guy. He no longer lives or works here. Thus, he's lost whatever relevance he had.

by HogWash on May 18, 2011 2:20 pm • link • report

"I was the Michelle Rhee of transportation"

Bwhahahahahahahah...

I don't usually agree with Hogwash but man...does that guy think highly of himself.

by freely on May 18, 2011 3:08 pm • link • report

Love him or hate him, and leaving aside the question of whether Klein's an egotist, there's no question he's been influential, and that he'll continue to be influential.

Chicago isn't exactly a backwater, and it's clear he was brought in by Emmanuel to replicate his efforts in DC.

Given that Klein was *literally* Michelle Rhee's counterpart at DDOT, I don't see that as being a particularly inapt comparison. And as the guy who hired and managed the incoming DDOT head, I think it's pretty legit to get a quote from him.

On a side note, electoral politics are pretty funny: you elect your guy, he wins, and the other guy and his appointees are sent packing, and you want it to be like Gandalf and the Balrog: you've won a victory, consigning your enemies to the bottomless pits of Hell.

Then, just when you breathe a sigh of relief...THERE HE IS AGAIN! His flaming demonic whip wrapped around your ankle!

Or tweeing on Twitter, as it were.

by oboe on May 18, 2011 3:34 pm • link • report

Questions for the Mayor and the nominated Director?

If Mayor Gray's Transition Report makes claims of anti-deficiency involving the streetcar program, why would he hire someone that was within the Klein Adminstration to continue to run the agency? Isn't this a further extension of the Klein Adminstration especially with his endorsement?

What are Mr. Bellamy's qualifications to run this agency?

Do the questions of nepatism that has been brought up within the administration exist within DDOT?

Why have millions of dollars of taxpayer money been spent on the DC Streetcar that goes to no where?

The Mayor has been questioned for management salaries in recent months. What will the Director's salary be? What is the salary of his current staff?

Does the appointee live in the District of Columbia and paying local taxes?

According to a hearing held by Councilmember Wells, DDOT is moving to SE Washington near the baseball stadium. What is the cost to District taxpayers?

How many employees of the DDOT adminstration live and pay taxes within the District of Columbia?

by Thomas Johnson on May 18, 2011 3:49 pm • link • report

Yes, Klein, like Rhee were both picked out of obscurity and charged with running two very big systems. However, based on what we now know, Rhee did a good job of capitalizing on efforts begun prior to her and opening up more slots for those in the early grades. She also did an "ok" job with the contracts. But beyond those and based again on what we now know, her success was marginal.

Klein? Well I can admit that I don't know enough about what he personally did to warrant his acclaim. Based on what I've read here, he managed dormant projects.

To the extent either warrants national acclaim, that doesn't surprise me. We followed Donald Trump for months and even convinced ourselves that we should invest our energy into discussing his presidential run.

Sarah Palin is also influential.

BTW, what did Klein push through that suffered a backlash similar to Rhee's efforts?

by HogWash on May 18, 2011 4:20 pm • link • report

Oboe,

DCPS doesn't have a "counterpart" at DDOT or vice versa. Just because they worked in the District doesn't equate them.

Michelle Rhee has garnered international acclaim and Time Magazine covers versus a guy who came to the District as a street vendor.

A 2 yr stint as a run of the mill DDOT director with a 100 million dollar a year budget who has remained unknown outside of the District and the blogosphere (whose one national exposure opportunity ended up in an embarrasing "back to the drawing board" moment - PA Ave Bike Lanes) compared to a someone who managed a 1.6 billion dollar a year budget and 4000 employees.

The man doesn't even come close to having the creds that would allow him to hitch his horse to her cart which is obviously what he was trying to do. Saying they are "counterparts" is like saying a VW Bug and a Boeing 747 are equals because they are both methods of transportation.

by freely on May 18, 2011 4:25 pm • link • report

You know. I hate to turn this into a discussion about Rhee, but I think that Klein is doing himself a disservice by comparing himself to her.

For one, he *got* his house in order before he left, and left a pretty decent legacy behind him. He's also moving on to head up a transit agency in the country's 3rd-biggest city, only a few months after being fired by Mayor Gray.

Rhee left behind a flawed system, and a deeply divided city. After being fired voluntarily resigning after promising not to, she went on a media tour that largely reinforced the view that she was a self-serving egotist, and has done little of substance since. And I say this as a person who enthusiastically supported Rhee while she was in charge of DCPS. It pains me to say, but I think I very well may have been wrong about Rhee. I have much more confidence in Kaya Henderson to actually improve the school system.

"Gray said his top priorities for Bellamy are to complete the H Street streetcar/streetscape and 11th Street bridge projects."

Ick. That certainly says something about the Gray administration's complete lack of vision. Continue to do exactly what we're currently doing, and don't stir the pot. How about actually completing the streetcar network, or identifying and planning for other transportation goals for the city? Both of the projects he mentioned are already well underway (and in the case of the streetcar, almost complete).

by andrew on May 18, 2011 4:27 pm • link • report

@Hogwash:

Sarah Palin is also influential.

True, but as far as I know, she's no longer an elected official (and unlikely to become one anytime in the near future). Klein has arguably been promoted.

@freely:

Michelle Rhee has garnered international acclaim and Time Magazine covers versus a guy who came to the District as a street vendor.

Don't tell it to me, tell it to the mayor of Chicago. As far as the "street vendor" thing, I think we went through this. Calling Klein a "street vendor" is like Steve Jobs asking Pepsi CEO John Scully if he wanted "to sell sugar water for the rest of your life."

As hyperbole, its pretty entertaining. Not very accurate. And at this point--given that he's now served as head of DOT for two major US cities--increasingly irrelevant.

by oboe on May 18, 2011 5:15 pm • link • report

BTW, I agree with @andrew. The comparison is somewhat undiplomatic, given how polarizing Rhee is.

by oboe on May 18, 2011 5:16 pm • link • report

Oboe,

Really now... the king of hyperbole is actually accusing someone else of it?

How is calling Klein an ex-street vendor hyperbole?

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/12/31/fenty-names-four-new-agency-heads/

http://www.dcstreetvendor.com/index.php/former-street-vendor-named-director-of-transportation/

The man catered a birthday party. When has the CEO of pepsi ever manned the soda fountain at someones birthday?

And Gabes total time as DDOT director, now split between two cities is a whopping 25 months. Plumbers have longer apprenticeships than that.

Chicago is welcome to him.

by freely on May 18, 2011 5:55 pm • link • report

@Thomas Johnson...If it looks like a red herring and sounds like a red herring, it must be a red herring. The salary and home address of the DC DOT staff have very little to do with how successful the street car will be.

by Jeff on May 18, 2011 7:36 pm • link • report

Jeff,

I have been watching Councilmember's Chee hearings concerning Soloman Brown and the recent budget negeotiations. What is clear is that the Mayor's staff was playing fast and loss with DC taypayer funds. With a budget shortfall nd subsequent cuts that primarily affect the poor and residents that are least able t bear them, it is in my best interest as a resident to ensure that we are getting the best bang for our buck. It is also in my interest and that of my DC neighbors that people are not be enriched at the expense of taxpayers. Haven't you been watching the hearings? People getting high salaries without interviews. Adult children being hired at high salaries with litle experience. Why can't we asked these questions? This is a standard question that I have heard in many recent confirmation hearings.

by Thomas Johnson on May 18, 2011 8:01 pm • link • report

Thomas,

Discussions on salaries, staff vehicles, the human services budget and the merit of the streetcars are worthy topics, but they have NOTHING to do w/ Directors Klein, Bellamy's ability to run the DOT. By bringing them up in this topic, you are using a device called a red herring, which is defined as "a deliberate attempt to divert attention."

by Jeff on May 18, 2011 8:44 pm • link • report

Jeff,

Under this and the previous Administration, there have been no transit improvements East of the River. We have had only roadway projects which suggest that the priority concerning our roadways is to improve motor vehicle flow. We have no Ciculator service. The proposed streetcar line through our streets does not serve our neighborhoods. Who is going to get off a rail line or bus line that clearly serve our neighbohhods to transfer to a streetcar. The money for the streetcar may have been better spent enhancing bus service or giving transit subsidies to our residents so that we pay a dollar for the transit option and not a dollar and seventy. Is this the red herring you refer to? The double standard that exist between east and west of the river?

The Mayor has the authority to appoint whomever he feels that fits his vision. Like I have the right to question that vision. As articulated today, that vision is completing a streetcar line that does not affectively serve our residents and is more a economic development tool; completing the 11th Street Bridges which will bring more car trips into the city further bombarding our city with noise and pollution. What is the benefit to East of the River residents of these policies? I look forward to getting the answer to that question. I appreciate the discussion.

by Thomas Johnson on May 18, 2011 9:22 pm • link • report

Chicago is welcome to him.

Sure; I get it, you're not a Klein fan. But the point of contention was whether Klein was worth quoting. I think that's beyond question.

Heck, at this point, he'll be appointed to head the national DOT by 2020, and certain GGW commenters will be demanding he be ignored by the national press..

:)

by oboe on May 18, 2011 10:20 pm • link • report

As part of the Council agency oversight hearing typically the PW&T Committee Chair asks for a table with names, residency (DC or no) and salaries in the following combination of categories: executive service, excepted service and when Carol Schwartz was Chair, employees earning over $100K per year.

Further, at least at DDOT, engineering and planning employees can do better in private sector consulting.

by Some Ideas on May 18, 2011 11:21 pm • link • report

Hello All, I dont usually weigh on this sort of discussion, but I was annoyed that this quote was taken out of context and I was slightly misquoted, and it did make me look like an egotist to be frank.

I had a long conversation with Adam Tuss and in response to one of his questions re: how did Terry and I work together and how would he do on his own, I stated "I was sort of like the Michelle Rhee of DDOT and Terry balanced me out on a number of fronts...," meaning a few things.
1. With my drive and personality I was the public face and brought a higher profile to the agency
2. Terry was much lower key, but did a tremendous amount of the work fulfilling the vision and then contributing as we worked more closely
3. He had significant government and DOT experience that I did not have as I was a private sector business person and we were a team at the end of the day. He would temper my enthusiasm and expectations etc. The key to our success was our complimentary differences in what we brought to the table.

It was supposed to be taken as a humble comment, with deference to Terry for his hard work as the unsung hero, but unfortunately does not seem that way taken out of context.

In terms of the various companies I have helped build or founded, I dont know if it matters what you sell in particular, organic food, bikes, carsharing services, electric vehicles... it's about the positive change that you are able to create, and in my case, change in urban areas; moving people, activating public space, and creating sustainable businesses and change.

Congrats to Terry for three decades of hard work and a much deserved promotion. Thanks to GGW for furthering the discussion and helping push the positive change thats needed in Washington.

For some of you that write on here often and are very angry and/or pessimistic, I encourage you to get involved in making the changes you desire. Be a part of it, do it differently. It's hard work, but very rewarding.

Just watch out for the misquotes. Best to DC.

-gabe

by gabe on May 20, 2011 1:15 pm • link • report

@gabe,

Ok, now you're just gratuitously pissing Hogwash off.

by oboe on May 20, 2011 1:57 pm • link • report

LOL@Oboe, what exactly did Gabe say that could possibly piss me (or anyone else for that matter) off?

I think his clarification was just that..a clarification. And in seeing how he felt like his comments were misconstrued, the clarification was about as good as it could get. Good for Gabe!

Still not sure what would piss me off about that. I much prefer clarity.

by HogWash on May 20, 2011 2:33 pm • link • report

@Gabe; stay classy.

by charlie on May 20, 2011 2:58 pm • link • report

@HogWash:

Please stop interviewing this guy. He no longer lives or works here. Thus, he's lost whatever relevance he had.

Sorry, I assumed GabeK read your initial post which essentially asked, "Why do we keep hearing from this guy??" and was just showing up to bug you personally.

;)

by oboe on May 20, 2011 3:53 pm • link • report

Quoting Gabe but I was annoyed that this quote was taken out of context and I was slightly misquoted, and it did make me look like an egotist to be frank.

LOL...Well considering that my post was one of the first, I can't imagine that he didn't read it. I'm also pretty sure that Gabe is not even remotely interested in posting comments online just to bug me. I am a nobody - simply an online personality. What he did do what clarify an obvious and unfortunate mischaracterization which made him look a bit egotistical.

And as I said, Good for Gabe. It's easy to assume things not true based on what we read on the net. In this case, any assumptions made about him were wrong.

Now you on the other hand....

:)

by HogWash on May 20, 2011 5:47 pm • link • report