Lucas: Mayor White had swagger, Mayor Wu not so much
In a recent commentary, veteran political reporter Peter Lucas reflects on the dynamics of political leadership in Boston, particularly focusing on Mayor Michelle Wu’s approach to engaging with President Donald Trump. The article contrasts Wu’s reluctance to seek a meeting with Trump with the proactive strategies employed by other leaders, such as New York’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, who successfully requested a White House audience with the president. Lucas suggests that Wu’s hesitance stems from her vocal criticisms of Trump, particularly concerning his immigration policies, as well as the broader political landscape that has shifted since the era of the late Kevin White, Boston’s flamboyant mayor from 1967 to 1984. White, known for his national prominence and charismatic swagger, set a precedent for mayors who aspired to be seen as influential figures on the national stage.
The article delves deeper into the contrasting styles of leadership, noting that while Wu has garnered significant local support—evidenced by her decisive primary victory—she lacks the boldness to directly engage with Trump, instead setting conditions for any potential dialogue. In contrast, Mamdani’s willingness to meet with Trump, despite their ideological differences, highlights a pragmatic approach to politics that values the importance of dialogue and collaboration over ideological purity. Lucas underscores that both Mamdani and Trump share a commonality in their unexpected electoral victories, positioning them as “winners” in their respective campaigns. This juxtaposition serves to illustrate the complexities of modern political relationships, where leaders must navigate personal beliefs while also recognizing the necessity of engagement across party lines.
Ultimately, Lucas’s commentary serves as a reminder of the changing nature of political leadership and the importance of adaptability in an increasingly polarized environment. While Wu’s approach may resonate with her constituents, the article suggests that a more assertive stance in seeking dialogue with influential figures like Trump could enhance her political capital. As Boston continues to evolve under Wu’s leadership, the challenge remains for her to balance her progressive values with the realities of governance in a diverse and dynamic political landscape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TkIJ-5lvg4
Memo to Wu.
It does not work that way, Michelle.
You, the mayor of Boston, do not ask the President of the United States to meet with you. You ask to meet with him.
That is what leaders of countries around the world do when they want to sit down with President Donald Trump, the most powerful leader in the world. They ask to come to the White House.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy comes to Washington. Trump does not go to Kyiv.
It is also the way Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat Socialist mayor-elect of New York, got to meet with Trump in the White House last week. He asked for the meeting.
Now, if you were Kevin White, the late flamboyant four-term (1967-1984) imperial mayor of Boston, who considered himself a national figure, it might be different.
Not for nothing was he dubbed “the Mayor of America.”
He also had the swagger to pull such a public relations stunt off.
When he finally left office, he did not leave any swagger behind. He took it with him, which is why no mayor since “Kevin from Heaven” has matched his national renown.
But that was four mayors (and one acting mayor) ago, and times have changed.
Swagger is out and socialism is in, and socialism makes for strange bedfellows.
Also, socialists have no swagger because they, like panhandlers, are always looking for a handout.
Which is why Mamdani, a Muslim Democrat Socialist, got to the White House to meet with Christian Republican capitalist President Trump. He went in search of a handout.
Talk about the odd couple: a capitalist who made millions through an open and free market economy and a socialist who wants to take those millions away to distribute to people who did not earn them.
Yet they had something in common, and it was that both are winners.
Despite all odds, both came from behind to win campaigns few thought they could– Trump back in 2016 and 2024 and Mamdani in 2025.
Trump likes winners. And despite Mamdani’s off-the-wall socialism, Trump was impressed with Mamdani’s victory, noting how he doggedly rose in the polls as his New York campaign developed.
“He really ran an incredible race against some very tough people, smart people,” Trump said of his new friend. He added, “The better he does the happier I am.”
Michelle Wu also ran an incredible race, so incredible that she ended up with no November opponent after she trounced Josh Kraft in the primary and he threw in the towel.
But she got no kudos from Trump who probably did not notice in the first place. Boston, after all, Boston is no New York. No place is.
Wu, however, has been dogged and consistent in her criticism of Trump, particularly over his crackdown on illegal immigrants, criminal and otherwise in Boston, a sanctuary city.
Which she is entitled to do as mayor.
However, she is somewhat coy and disarming when it comes to visiting Trump at the White House.
She said, Kevin White-like, that she would turn down an initiation– that she did not get in the first place—and would only accept one t under her terms anyway.
“I would accept the invitation if it came with a promise to stop snatching residents illegally off the streets, stop prosecuting his (Trump’s) political enemies, stop cutting life-saving research and funding…Sure, I would be open to a conversation at that point.”
Kevin White would have added that the meeting take place at City Hall and not the White House.
But White took the swagger with him when he left the building.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
The bronze statue of Mayor Kevin White by Pablo Eduardo overlooks City Hall. (Joe Dwinell/Boston Herald)
