r registration was concerned. He developed and followed a clear strategy of what areas in the city he would target and wish he would not and finally he would use his newfound religious feelings to rebuild the bridges he had burned from his embarrassing arrest.In practical terms, Newman the promoter of Heavyweight Boxing Champion Rid*censored* Bowe, funded voter registration. Of the 19,000 people that registered from May 1, 1994 to August 30, 1994, one third of them lived east of the Anacostia River. As Barry told The Washington Post, “People can think all they want that these kind of voters aren’t going to come out on Election Day. I know they’ll be motivated because they have someone to vote for.”Barry’s close friends from his original administration had too found themselves recovering from personal struggles and were close allies to the former (and future) mayor. Chief among these was Ivanhoe Donaldson. Realizing the 1978 election plan was successful, the group decided to follow it again in 1994. Barras described the strategy, “He went after Wards 5,6 and 7 disregard Wards 2 and 3, and tried to break even in Wards 1 and 4.” Barry, by being the councilman from Ward 8 and large secure voting bloc he could depend on there.Although image is not the only thing in American politics, how a candidate acts, dresses and presents himself plays an enormously large role in the success or failure of the campaign. And Barry, a successful politician for decades, through a series of ups and downs was no stranger to that concept. Barras observations of Barry’s behavior are very complete. She writes, “Barry had long understood the psychological bondage in which blacks hold themselves, and he often used it to his political advantage.” He describes in detail his various campaign appearances, “Throughout the summer, the wily Barry alternated wearing African-inspired clothing and ...
