Tommy Carcetti
Thomas J. Carcetti | |
---|---|
David Simon | |
Portrayed by | Aidan Gillen |
In-universe information | |
Alias | Tommy (nickname) |
Gender | Male |
Title | Councilman Mayor Governor |
Occupation | Baltimore City Councilman Mayor of Baltimore Governor of Maryland (after the ending) |
Spouse | Jen Carcetti |
Nationality | Italian-American |
Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti (
Biography
Season 3
Tommy Carcetti first appears as a member of the
Using his connection to Valchek, Carcetti successfully manipulates Acting Commissioner
With Carcetti's encouragement, Gray starts his own campaign for mayor. Realizing that Gray's campaign would split the black voter base in the election, D'Agostino advises Carcetti that enhancing Gray's chances of success would in turn improve his own. Carcetti dislikes the idea of abusing his friend's trust, but follows D'Agostino's strategy nonetheless.
After the BPD learns about "Hamsterdam" — Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin's drug-tolerant zones in West Baltimore — Royce refuses to allow the department to immediately shut them down. Burrell, believing the mayor is making a ploy against the police, leaks the information to Carcetti. At D'Agostino's suggestion, Carcetti tours the area with Colvin, seeing that Hamsterdam has had the positive impact of isolating the drug trade from the rest of Colvin's district.
At a city council meeting, Carcetti implicitly blames Royce for the debacle in an impassioned speech. Through this, Gray realizes that Carcetti is running for mayor without his knowledge or input. After Carcetti publicly launches his campaign, Gray ends both their alliance and their friendship. Carcetti's speech relies heavily on "war" rhetoric, which clashes with Colvin's view that such perspectives have made the
Season 4
Carcetti continues his campaign, with D'Agostino serving as his strategist while
However, Carcetti's debate performance is invigorated when he learns from Valchek that a
His confidence restored, Carcetti hits the campaign trail with renewed vigor, receiving assistance from State Delegate Odell Watkins, who has turned against Royce. Thanks to his alliance with Watkins, Carcetti defeats Royce in a close Democratic primary election. In a city with a 9 to 1 Democratic advantage, Carcetti easily defeats a Republican named Crawford in the general election with 81% of the vote.[1]
As mayor-elect, Carcetti immediately makes changes before his inauguration. After discussions with city officials, he decides to replace Burrell as BPD commissioner, planning to attract outside candidates while asking Burrell to resign. Burrell quickly realizes what is happening and rallies support from City Council President
Major Cedric Daniels, a politically neutral African-American district commander, impresses Carcetti with his interest in securing quality felony arrests instead of statistically based reductions in crime. Carcetti offers Daniels a promotion to the Criminal Investigations Division and an automatic promotion to the rank of colonel. Through Daniels, Carcetti learns of Burrell's arrest hike and consequently orders the BPD to reform its approach by prioritizing quality felony cases over statistical quotas.
Carcetti's plans for the BPD are derailed when he learns that Baltimore's schools face a $54 million
Carcetti deals with a
Season 5
Carcetti's decision to reject the governor's bailout leaves him with intractable budget problems. He is forced to cut spending in other areas in order to plug the schools' budget deficit and is unable to keep his promises to reform the BPD. Despite the problems facing the city, Carcetti remains focused on running for governor two years into his term. Carcetti meets with Burrell and Rawls to discuss the BPD's problems, becoming concerned with crime statistics despite his prior decision to discourage stat-based policing. Morale in the BPD is at a low because Carcetti is withholding payment of overtime. The commissioners convince him to lift a cap on secondary employment for officers in order to improve their morale.
Carcetti's new chief of staff, Michael Steintorf, replaces Wilson as his primary advisor. The mayor faces criticism from Wilson but still seeks his counsel. Meanwhile, he meets with the U.S. Attorney to discuss federal assistance in the vacant murders case. The U.S. Attorney, a Republican, desires federal handling of a corruption investigation against Davis. Carcetti refuses because he is worried it will be used to discredit Baltimore's Democratic Party.[2][3]
Carcetti, intent on running for governor, alienates Watkins with his lack of attention to the city. Carcetti considers the prospect of being replaced by Campbell, who has become tainted by a corruption scandal.[4][5] Elsewhere, Rawls leaks BPD statistics to Carcetti showing a rising crime rate. When Burrell delivers manipulated statistics to Carcetti, the mayor finally has the political ammunition needed to have him fired. Carcetti plans to replace Burrell with Daniels, but is worried that he will not be accepted by Campbell and the ministers. 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.[6][7]
Carcetti offers favors to Campbell and the ministers to accept his plans for the BPD. Carcetti grants Campbell permission for the demolition of the McCullough homes, a
In the end of series montage, it is shown that Carcetti's political machinations have succeeded and he has been elected governor of Maryland. Campbell, as the city council president, succeeds him as mayor for the remainder of his term. Rawls and Valchek are promoted to superintendent of the Maryland State Police and commissioner of the BPD, respectively.
Critical response
Was there any Baltimorean ... who didn't think Carcetti bore an undeniable resemblance to O'Malley?
David Zurawik, The Baltimore Sun[9]
Entertainment Weekly named Carcetti one of the five most interesting characters in season four.[10]
Character inspiration
A fictionalized version of the events of the
Show creator David Simon denied that the character of Tommy Carcetti was supposed to be O'Malley.[12] Simon did acknowledge that O'Malley was "one of several inspirations" for Carcetti.[13] He further stated that while Carcetti was "reflective" of O'Malley, Carcetti was a composite drawing aspects from other local politicians that he had covered when he worked as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun. In 2018, show writer William F. Zorzi said that Carcetti was "based in part on O'Malley" and "a number" of other politicians.[14]
References
- ^ a b "Character profile - Tommy Carcetti". HBO. 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-13.
- The Wire. Season 5. Episode 1. HBO.
- ^ "The Wire episode guide - episode 51 More with Less". HBO. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- The Wire. Season 5. Episode 2. HBO.
- ^ "The Wire episode guide - episode 52 Uncomfirmed Reports". HBO. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- The Wire. Season 5. Episode 3. HBO.
- ^ "The Wire episode guide - episode 53 Not for Attribution". HBO. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- The Wire. Season 5. Episode 4. HBO.
- ^ a b Zurawik, David (2006-07-12). "Local figures, riveting drama put 'Wire' in a class by itself". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
- ^ Neil Drumming (2006-09-15). "High Wire Act". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2006-09-27.
- Baltimore Sun. July 22, 2009. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Edwards, Haley Sweetland (June 2, 2013). "Should Martin O'Malley Be President?". Washington Monthly. May/June 2013. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- ^ Abrams, Jonathan (February 6, 2018). "Sheeeeeeeee-it: The Secret History of the Politics in 'The Wire'". The Ringer. Retrieved February 9, 2018.