Mayoral Campaign 1990
The Begining
In 1989, Mayor Marian Barry had been caught toking on that pipe of his and our city was a wreck. It was the dire straights of our community and the fact that it was insane to think a crack head could actually become Mayor again that forced me out of my quiet shell into crusader for a nation of youth. Although the election was a landslide victory....for Sharon Pratt Kelly, many people ripped down my posters and used them for bird cage liners.
The Conscious Choice for an Unconscious World
This poster was taken from a polaroid picture and we blew it up in photoshop. I placed about 2 thousand of these single color posters which appeared in black, red, blue and green, depending on the run, around the city. They were quite popular as people would take them down as fast as they went up.
Absolute Mayor June 1990
This was my attempt to be a little artsy. Draped in the American Flag (before it was trendy to do so). The fact that I am a bartender also had something to do with it. For some reason the citizens of D.C. just didn't understand these posters. 3,000 of them made there way to the public domain.
Write-In July 1990
The sole purpose of these posters was to keep my presense known on the streets. Since on any given day all my other posters had been taken down to adorn someones bathroom wall. All this poster said was. Russell Hirshon, Write In. For Mayor.
The Chicken Theory
Campaigning for Mayor of Washington D.C. required skill and ingenuity.....thus I brought out the chicken late in the campaign in an effort to change my downward spiral in the polls. Here I am seen working the downtown lunchtime crowd for sympathy.
Adams Morgan Day was a campaign success.
Of course, even with a bad back I could campaign sitting down!
In August of 1990, I injured my back and was unable to get enough signatures to get on the ballot. With three weeks in bed to think about my crusade I realized that the campaign wasn't about actually getting votes but about bringing public awareness to the citys' problems. This is when I decided to continue my campaign as an Independent candidate, officially changing my party from Democrat to independent in late August. The race was on. The first Tuesday in November was anticlimatic as I got my ass whiped but victory came in smaller ways from people who came to my side in hopes of drinking to victory in years to come.
The Speaker
I spoke to the youth of our nations capitol!
The Protester
Not just a candidate but an activist for all worthy causes, I managed to show up a the capitol with an American flag around my waist and a chainsaw in my hand, (Much to the chagrin of the police). Protesting the clearcutting of trees out West I managed to get a slight sunburn and a birdsnest in my hair.
