The reason for the budget shortfall is that Carcetti won't take the state money for education. He doesn't do that because he doesn't want to be seen being bailed out by a Republican governor, when he has intentions to run against that very same governor for his office in a couple of years.

It's a move that first and foremost is about his career. It's the same with running for mayor-- he knows he's not ready for the job, but the window of opportunity, with Gray siphoning some of the black vote from Royce, is there now, and won't be in four years.

Carcetti might have first dreamed up the idea to run for mayor because he wanted to make a difference, but even early on we can see him playing politics with Burrell and Valchek to boost his profile, and him ****ing the blonde is a perfect example of the narcissism that leads to this career ambition-- he's watching HIMSELF in the mirror, he's clearly more in love with himself than anything else, and that's why he chooses to run, it's ego gratification.

That's the unfortunate reality of politics-- the people who ascend through the ranks are the ones who play these games, but the only people who play these games are ultimately the ones who care about career advancement more than doing the right thing.