Finley: A White Mayor in Detroit? Duggan: "I Don't See Myself as a White Guy."

Mike Duggan, who currently runs the Detroit Medical Center, is moving into Detroit's Palmer Woods neighborhood from his longtime base of Livonia. 

That is the opposite direction of most suburban-city migration. Duggan has been an accomplished politician and has a reputation for aggressiveness and competence.  

Mayor Dave Bing is recovering from abdominal surgery and blood clots in the lungs. He is also recovering from the blows his reputation has taken during his three disorganized and disappointing three years in office. 

The catch: Duggan is white, and Detroit is about 85 percent African American.  Duggan has many allies in the black community, and, more than whites, Detroit's black voters have shown they will pull the lever for a white candidate. But the last white mayor, Roman Gribbs, left office in 1973.

Update: Duggan talked Monday morning to WJR's Paul W. Smith. Duggan said he has made "no decision to run for anything," and declared himself "a big cheerleader for Dave Bing." He also said: "I don't see myself as a white guy." Listen to the interview here: http://wjr.com/Sectional.asp?id=34612.