Maryland: Baltimore Mayor makes U-turn after declaring his support

Baltimore Sun examines Mayor O'Malley's record with police leadership. The record is none too good...and he wants to be governor, er, senator, er president? Another DEM in the making? He needs to fix the city first.//JW sends.

As the city's fourth commissioner in five years begins work, the mayor's friends and political foes debate what this episode - coming on top of one police chief who lasted just 57 days and another now in federal prison - says about O'Malley's judgment and management style.
Does the mayor adequately check the background of men he puts in charge of fighting crime? Did he stand by his commissioners too long - or not long enough? And after reaffirming his support for Clark, did O'Malley's about-face come too quickly?
"It's a complete reversal from last week," said City Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., an O'Malley ally. "I've been a supporter of this administration. I defend its actions at community meetings all the time. This time, however, it's hard for me to defend this action."