A handsome, charismatic populist born into the Party elite, Bo was known as a tough official, whose methods in fighting organized crime – and others who got in his way – were often unrestrained by law. Bo’s ex-police chief, who is said to have done the dirty work, embarrassed the Party by fleeing to the US consulate in Chengdu in February, after he fell out with his boss.
重庆前市委书记薄熙来的陨落显然属于这个范畴。他是一个长相英俊，富有魅力的民粹派，从小就在中国政治精英阶层中浸淫成长。他也是一个铁腕领导，在打击有组织犯罪（黑社会）——以及任何敢跟他对着干的人——方面经常使用一些逾越法律的手段。薄熙来手下的前公安局长，也就是传说中为他干这些脏活的人，在与他关系彻底破裂后于今年1月潜逃到了美国驻成都领事馆，让中共丢尽了脸。虽然薄熙来看上去无比怀念过去那套毛泽东理论，但他自己显然富得流油。其子在牛津和哈佛上学期间的奢侈生活方式也都被媒体不厌其烦地逐条披露了出来。