Bern Ewert has the chief executive thing down, brooking no nonsense from bumblers who don't do their jobs or get their facts right. That includes the U.S. Congress.In fact, it is "mismanagement of the American government by ideologues and incompetents" that spurred Ewert to take on Fifth-District incumbent Virgil Goode-- if he first can wrest the Democratic nomination from Nelson vineyard owner Al Weed, who challenged Goode in 2004.
It makes sense that mismanagement would irk Ewert, as he's spent his career running local governments-- city manager in Roanoke, county executive in Prince William-- or consulting for them.
His path to public service started under John F. Kennedy.
"I was part of the generation that wanted to change things," says Ewert. "I believed JFK when he said we can do things."
When he learned about city management, "the light bulb went off" for a career that helped citizens improve their lives, "use their God-given talents," and that paid well, he says.
Mismanagement appears to be the calling card for today's Republicans: Iraq, Katrina, and now Medicare D. It's a good theme for this city manager to run on.