Contrasts in leadership

Train wreck: Mayor O'Malley does all he can, but Glendening and Townsend stay on the sidelines.

July 21, 2001

HANDLING emergencies requires courage and decisiveness. In recent days, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley has shown he's up to the task. But Gov. Parris N. Glendening and Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend are still among the missing.

When the downtown train wreck occurred at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Mr. O'Malley was politicking at an Eastern Shore clambake. He rushed back as fast as he could to take charge.

Good thing he did: The subterranean fire fouled downtown routines and wrought untold millions in economic losses.

There is very little a mayor can do in these kinds of adversities, except to show reassuring determination and leadership. Mr. O'Malley rose to the occasion.

By contrast, little was heard from Governor Glendening - or from Ms. Townsend, who wants to be the next governor.

Sure, Mr. Glendening and his aides have been in frequent contact with City Hall officials. Several state agencies have worked overtime in the recovery effort.

But confronted with a traffic nightmare that promises to last for several more days, Mr. Glendening and the lieutenant governor could have - and should have - issued an order to make all the Metro rides free. That would have helped clear the logjam of traffic from the west side into downtown.

The governor also could have called in the National Guard to assist firefighters and free police from directing traffic.

Crises necessitate visible involvement by public officials. By staying on the sidelines, Mr. Glendening and Ms. Townsend have given a perception of weak leadership.