Tommy Carcetti

Infobox character | name = Thomas Carcetti


portrayer = Aidan Gillen
creator = David Simon
species =
gender = Male
first = "Time after Time" "(episode 3.01)"
last = "–30–" "(episode 5.10)"
cause = End of series; Becomes Governor of Maryland
age = 30s
occupation = Mayor of Baltimore
title = Mayor
alias = Tommy
family =
spouse = Jen Carcetti
children =
relatives =
footnotes =

Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti is a fictional character on the HBO drama "The Wire", played by actor Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious Baltimore politician who hopes to rise from a seat on the city council to the position of mayor. While many think that the inspiration for Carcetti is former Baltimore mayor and current Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, series creator David Simon has stated that while O'Malley was "one of several inspirations" for the character, other aspects of the character came from local politicians "whose names you wouldn’t even know."

cite web
year = 2006
title = Five Minutes With: David Simon
publisher = campusprogress.org
accessdate = 2006-11-06
url = http://campusprogress.org/features/1273/five-minutes-with-david-simon]

Biography

eason 3

Tommy Carcetti first appeared as a Baltimore City councilman and Chairman of the Council Subcommittee for Public Safety in season three. Carcetti is a husband and father although he is sometimes unfaithful to his wife, Jen. As a councilman he worked closely with Tony Gray and the two were friends. Carcetti is idealistic and ambitious. He has the backing of Baltimore's powerful first district Democrats. Carcetti aims to effect real change and hopes to improve the city of Baltimore. He has a strong ambition to become mayor and has a plan to unseat the African American incumbent Clarence Royce.

His Democratic Party political connections gave him a sympathetic contact in the Baltimore Police Department, Major Stan Valchek. Carcetti manipulates Acting Commissioner Burrell into working with him using his power as chairman and his connection to Valchek. Carcetti suggests that Burrell provide him with inside information about Mayor Royce's decision-making in exchange for relieving pressure applied to Burrell's department through the subcommittee and for rewards of political capital, funding and equipment. Burrell is initially resistant but agrees to Carcetti's plan when he increases the pressure applied through his subcommittee.

Carcetti becomes further disillusioned with Royce when he approaches him with a plan to implement witness protection in Baltimore. Carcetti has worked with State Delegate Odell Watkins to secure funding for the scheme. Royce promises to consider it but quickly disregards Carcetti's concern.

Carcetti is an old college friend of Washington political consultant Theresa D'Agostino. He pursues her to act as his campaign manager for his planned run against Royce. Carcetti learns that Gray also plans to run and encourages him to do so. Using Gray's campaign as evidence that the African American voter base will be split Carcetti convinces D'Agostino to act as his campaign manager. D'Agostino tells him that enhancing Gray's campaigns chances of success will improve his own chance of winning. Carcetti regrets abusing his friends trust but decides to follow D'Agostino's strategy regardless.

Carcetti is then summoned by Commissioner Burrell when the department learns of Major Colvin's drug tolerant zones set up in West Baltimore. Mayor Royce refuses to allow the department to immediately shut it down and Burrell suspects he is doing so to put the BPD in the "Guillotine." Burrell decides that the press should be made aware of the situation to get the department back on track and he feeds Carcetti the information as a means of going public to spin the blame back on city hall for the cause of the drug sanctioned areas. At D'Agostino's suggestion, he approaches Colvin asking for his side of the story. Colvin has Carcetti tour the area where he views safe neighborhoods, real police work being done (felony church burglary arrests amongst other cases), and a happier and more vibrant community. After showing Carcetti these areas, Colvin shows him "Hamsterdam" where he views the open air drug dealing. Carcetti is disgusted with the rampant drug trade in the areas themselves but sees the impact that isolating the trade has had on the rest of the district. Carcetti breaks the story to the media and with Tony Gray uses it against Royce. At the next city council meeting, Carcetti reveals that he has an interest in running for mayor through his speech pertaining to the drug sanctioned areas. He claims that the city has neglected areas like West Baltimore causing them to become more dangerous and decayed, and that change is more important than who takes what blame for the drug legalization. Through this Gray realizes Carcetti is running for Mayor and when he publicly announces, Gray ends their alliance and friendship.

eason 4

In season four Carcetti's campaign is well underway. He hires Norman Wilson as his deputy campaign manager. Wilson oversees the practicalities of organizing Carcetti's schedule and keeps him working non-stop. Teresa D'Agostino remains on board as the campaign strategist and is insistent that Carcetti work on his own fund raising for the campaign and he greatly resents the task.

When early polls show results that are not what Carcetti had hoped for he loses interest in the campaign believing that he has already lost because of his race. He continues to make his campaign stops at the urging of Wilson but begins to refocus his attention on his family.

Carcetti is disinterested in debate preparation but plans to perform well anyway. He believes he can beat incumbent Mayor Clarence Royce in the debate but will still lose the election. Carcetti's debate answers are invigorated when he learns from Major Valchek that a state's witness has been murdered. Carcetti uses this inside information and his previous request for a witness protection scheme to ambush Royce in the debate to great effect. His confidence restored, he hits the trail with renewed vigor. Carcetti then gets more help from State Delegate Watkins when he breaks his alliance with Mayor Royce. Carcetti convinces Watkins to join his ticket and with this alliance, he defeats Royce in a close but decisive primary election.

cite web
year = 2006
title = Character profile - Tommy Carcetti
publisher = HBO
accessdate = 2006-09-13
url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/tommy_carcetti.shtml]

As mayor elect, Carcetti immediately makes changes before he is sworn in. He gives Wilson a job as his chief assistant and advisor (a position matching that of Coleman Parker in Royce's circle) and then with the city political officials decides that it would be best to make changes in the police department by replacing Ervin Burrell as commissioner. Watkins advises Carcetti that it would be an unwise move for a Caucasian mayor to fire an African American Police Commissioner in a majority African American city. Carcetti plans to attract candidates from outside of Baltimore with a pay increase while asking Burrell to resign at Wilson's suggestion.

Burrell realizes why Carcetti cannot fire him immediately, refusing to quietly leave the department. Burrell forms an alliance with City Council President Nerese Campbell and corrupt State Senator Clay Davis. Burrell continues to hold the support of a group of ministers with great political influence in the African American community. Campbell was primed to replace Royce as Mayor when his term ended but Carcetti upset their plans by unseating Royce drawing Campbell's enmity. Campbell opposes Carcetti's efforts to authorize a pay increase for the commissioner position. Burrell orders an increase in arrests (targeting simple misdemeanors) at Davis' suggestion, hoping to prove that the Department is functioning well under his leadership.

Carcetti is frustrated when his plans to replace Burrell are thwarted. Carcetti restricts Burrell's authority and insists that he clear his orders through Deputy Commissioner William Rawls. Rawls convinces Carcetti that he wants to reform the department but remains unaware that Carcetti feels unable to promote him because of his race.

Major Cedric Daniels, a politically neutral African American commander, impresses Carcetti with an interest in quality felony arrests rather than statistically based reductions of crime. Carcetti offers Daniels a promotion to Criminal Investigations Division colonel. Through Daniels, Carcetti learns of the arrest hike and orders that the Department reform its approach to prioritize quality felony cases over fulfilling statistical quotas. As Carcetti begins to groom Daniels for the commissioner post, Davis and Campbell remain opposed to Burrell's termination. Davis suggests that Campbell convince the Council to approve a $25,000 increase in the commissioner's salary. Burrell and Davis believe this will be sufficient for Carcetti to hope that there is a possibility of attracting a new police commissioner without actually drawing interest.

Carcetti begins to plan a run for Governor of Maryland. Carcetti attempts to mollify Campbell with the possibility of her taking over as Mayor part way through his term should he become Governor. Carcetti is pressed with issues pertaining to possible redevelopment and the opening of casinos to create revenue for the city. Newly elected State's Attorney Rupert Bond opposes the casino development.

Carcetti's plans for the police department are derailed when he learns that the city schools are facing a $52 million budget deficit. Campbell suggests he appeal to the Governor to bail out the schools. Carcetti and Wilson travel to Annapolis where they are forced to endure a long wait for the Governor to end a phone call based meeting. The Governor offers the funds but attaches a condition - Carcetti will face public humiliation at a press conference accepting the Governor's aid. Carcetti rejects the offer as it would be damaging to his campaign against the Governor. Wilson is disappointed at Carcetti's decision to put his ambition ahead of the needs of the city. Carcetti justifies his decision by claiming that he will be better placed to help the city schools as Governor.

Carcetti deals with a brutality complaint from the politically influential African American ministers against Sergeant Thomas "Herc" Hauk. At Wilson and Rawls' suggestion, Carcetti decides that Daniels, who is a former commander of Hauk should decide the punishment as a means of appeasing the ministers. Daniels decides that a reprimand is sufficient. Burrell approaches Carcetti to suggest that a more rigorous review of Hauk is needed to appease the ministers. Burrell is finally able to prove his usefulness by exploiting his political intellect but Carcetti continues to consult Daniels on policing strategy.

eason 5

Carcetti's decision to reject the Governor's hand-out leaves him with intractable budget problems throughout his first year as Mayor. He is forced to cut spending in other areas in order to plug the school budget deficit and is unable to keep his promises to reform the police department. Despite the problems facing the city Carcetti remains focused on running for Governor two years into his term.

He meets with Commissioner Ervin Burrell and Deputy Commissioner William Rawls to discuss the police departments problems and is now primarily concerned with their crime statistics despite his prior decision to discourage stat based policing. Morale in the department is at a low because Carcetti is withholding payment of overtime. The commissioners convince Carcetti to lift a cap on secondary employment for officers in order to improve their morale. Carcetti's new chief of staff, Michael Steintorf, has replaced Norman Wilson as his primary advisor. Carcetti faces criticism from Wilson for his decision to leave the hand out from the governor but still seeks his counsel. Carcetti meets with the Maryland District US Attorney to discuss federal assistance for the vacant murders case. The US Attorney is a Republican and desires federal handling of the Clay Davis corruption investigation. Carcetti refuses to order the State's Attorney, Rupert Bond, to send the case federal because he is worried it will be used to discredit the Baltimore democratic party.cite episode | title = More with Less | episodelink = More with Less | series = The Wire | serieslink = The Wire (TV series) | credits = Joe Chappelle | writers = David Simon (story and teleplay), Ed Burns (story) | network = HBO | station = | city = | airdate = 2008-01-06 | season = 5 | number = 1] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season5/episode51.shtml|title="The Wire" episode guide - episode 51 More with Less|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=HBO|year=2008]

Carcetti continues to plan his run for Governor and manages to alienate State Delegate Odell Watkins with his lack of attention to his role as Mayor. One issue Carcetti has to consider is who to back to replace him. The major candidates are Bond, whose profile is rising, and city council president Nerese Campbell. Campbell is becoming a less attractive choice because of a scandal linking her to corruption but she mainatains strong ties to the politically influential ministers. Another factor is finding an issue where the governor is vulnerable to campaign upon.cite episode | title = Unconfirmed Reports | episodelink = Unconfirmed Reports | series = The Wire | serieslink = The Wire (TV series) | credits = Ernest Dickerson | writers = William F. Zorzi (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) | network = HBO | station = | city = | airdate = 2008-01-13 | season = 5 | number = 2] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season5/episode52.shtml|title="The Wire" episode guide - episode 52 Uncomfirmed Reports|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Deputy commissioner Stanislaus Valchek leaks police department statistics to Carcetti that show a rising crime rate. When Commissioner Burrell delivers manipulated statistics to Carcetti the Mayor finally has the political ammunition he needs to fire Burrell. Carcetti plans to replace Burrell with Cedric Daniels but is worried that he will not be accepted by Campbell and the ministers and that Daniels is inexperienced. He plans to temporarily promote Rawls to acting commissioner while Daniels prepares for the role as Deputy Commissioner of Operations. Carcetti leaks news of the plan to the press via Wilson to test the waters.cite episode|title = Not for Attribution|episodelink = Not for Attribution|series = The Wire|serieslink = The Wire (TV series)|credits = Scott and Joy Kecken|writers = Chris Collins (story and teleplay), David Simon (story)|network = HBO|station = |city = |airdate = 2008-01-20|season = 5|number = 3] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season5/episode53.shtml|title="The Wire" episode guide - episode 53 Not for Attribution|accessdate=2008-01-22|publisher=HBO|year=2008]

Carcetti offers favors to Campbell and the ministers to accept his plans for the police department. Carcetti grants Campbell permission for the demolition of the McCullough homes, which are adjacent to Andy Krawczyk's latest building development. Campbell convinces Burrell to leave office quietly by promising him a lucrative replacement position. Carcetti reluctantly accepts the deal when Campbell hints that Burrell has knowledge of corrupt activity in Daniels' past but Carcetti remains unaware of the specifics. Carcetti officially announces his plans for the department at a press conference.cite episode | title = Transitions | episodelink = Transitions | series = The Wire | serieslink = The Wire (TV series) | credits = Dan Attias | writers = Ed Burns (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) | network = HBO | station = | city = | airdate = 2008-01-27 | season = 5 | number = 4]

In the end of series montage, it is shown that Carcetti's political machinations have succeeded and he has been elected governor of Maryland. Per his previous agreement Campbell is given the position of mayor, while Rawls and Valchek are respectively promoted to superintendent of the Maryland State Police and interim Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department.

Critical response

Entertainment Weekly named Carcetti one of the five most interesting characters in season four.cite web
author = Neil Drumming
title = High Wire Act
publisher = Entertainment Weekly
accessdate = 2006-09-27
url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1535094,00.html]

References