Tommy Carcetti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Thomas Carcetti | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First appearance | "Time After Time" (episode 3.01) |
| Statistics | |
| Aliases | Tommy |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 30s |
| Occupation | Mayor of Baltimore |
| Title | Mayor/Councilman |
| Spouse | Jen Carcetti |
| Portrayed by | Aidan Gillen |
| Created by | David Simon |
Tommy Carcetti is a fictional Baltimore politician played by Aidan Gillen on the HBO drama The Wire. Carcetti is ambitious and hopes to rise from a seat on the city council to the position of mayor. Carcetti has many similarities to real life Maryland politician, Martin O'Malley.[1]
[edit] Biography
Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti first appeared as a Baltimore 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 affect 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. D'Agostino tells him that he can use Gray's campaign to split Royce's African American voter base and win the election.
Carcetti learns of drug tolerant zones set up in Western Baltimore by police district commander Howard Colvin. He approaches Colvin and tours the area. He 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 uses it against Royce. When Carcetti announces his plans to run for Mayor he alienates Gray.
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. D'Agostino 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 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 and eventually defeats Royce in a close but decisive primary election.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ David Zurawik. "Local figures, riveting drama put The Wire in a class by itself", The Baltimore Sun, 2006-07-12, p. 1E.
- ^ Character profile - Tommy Carcetti. HBO (2006). Retrieved on 2006-09-13.
