Cool & Classy Kenneth Cockrel (Detroit City Council President)

I wonder if everybody is as impressed with Kenneth Cockrel Jr. as I am. Here is a man who, given the important role his late father (Kenneth Cockrel Sr.) played in social justice issues, has always had to carry the weight of his name on broad shoulders. But he doesn't shy away from the duty his name requires. He grabs it, and the city should be grateful. Whether you agree or disagree with him, this guy is an intellectual powerhouse who handles himself with cool class.

Cool. That's exactly what I thought when the camera flashed to Cockrel after Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick took a shot at him during the 2008 State of the City Address. Cool like John Wayne in True Grit (minus the guns and eye patch). He didn't flinch or scowl, just sat there with a control that seemed the perfect contrast to the mayor's rant.

Class. That's exactly what I thought when I heard Cockrel's response to the State of the City Address. Class like Denzel Washington in . . . most movies he's been in. He didn't buy into the rhetoric. He simply explained that he would support the mayor when he thought he was right and challenge him when he thought he was wrong. His job is not to be a cheerleader.

I feel pretty good knowing this guy is helping to guide the city.