Farewell to Mayor Pothole

Tom Menino was the obscure President of the Boston "nobody cares" city council in November, 1993

Tom Menino was the obscure President of the Boston "nobody cares" city council in November, 1993

when his predecessor, Ray Flynn, was selected by President Clinton to become the Ambassador to the Vatican. As the next in line for succession, he assumed a post few had foreseen for him during his years in the obscure back water of local neighborhood politics. Many expected he would be a mere caretaker and eventually be remembered as no more than a footnote. 

Instead, his fierce devotion to this city catapulted him to five consecutive run away election victories and, at 20 years, he became Boston's longest serving and, quite possibly, most effective Mayor.

We called him Mumbles because, well, he didn't carry a lightly tripping tongue, but it was said with respect and affection. He was not a dashing figure like his forebearer, Kevin White, but that only made him more endearing. 

I referred to him often as a "pot hole" Mayor, which was intended as the highest of compliments because it meant that he truly cared for the poor, elderly and homeless who most needed his help and he always had my vote. 

He came from the tiny Hyde Park neighborhood of Readville and never left home. When you're the mayor of a mayor cosmopolitan city, to those who live here, that means a lot.  

This is the The Boston Globe story of his career 

And, in closing, this is a touching tribute to Mayor Menino, by Eliza Greenberg, who was a trusted cabinets member and worked closely with the Mayor for many years and who I am proud to call my good and true friend. 

RIP Mr. Mayor