You can take 'em to the trough, but you can't make 'em drink (Mayor Franklin for Majette?)
Ajc's Political Insider reports that "[p]erhaps the most important shoe to drop in the Democratic runoff for U.S. Senate race this week could be that of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who is deciding whether to jump into the contest behind Denise Majette. Her support, and a runoff for Atlanta City Council president, could give Majette the black voter base she needs -- especially with the DeKalb County vote likely to be weak.
Last week in Boston, Franklin sounded as if she were about to come out for Majette. But she has promised Kevin Ross -- campaign manager for Cliff Oxford and an old Maynard Jackson hand -- a call before she does. So far, no call."
If the call is made, I do hope Majette will let us in on it. If you happened to miss Ben Smith's article in the ajc entitled "Chip Carter Switches Sides in Senate Race" a couple of days ago, and you don't follow Jen's blog, well, you just missed it.
And then again, maybe Majette just considered it an "aw shucks" type thing and it was up to Carter to spread the word if he wanted to; voting has started and to date no publicity; no mention on Friday night PBS show; no mention along with concurrent Squires and Sierra Club endorsements on her website, nutnhoney.
Maybe the Mayor has been watching, and maybe I shouldn't even be writing about it. I just find it of special interest since I hurt myself berating Oxford on several occasions for continuing to claim President Carter was endorsing him when I knew this was not the case.
Last week in Boston, Franklin sounded as if she were about to come out for Majette. But she has promised Kevin Ross -- campaign manager for Cliff Oxford and an old Maynard Jackson hand -- a call before she does. So far, no call."
If the call is made, I do hope Majette will let us in on it. If you happened to miss Ben Smith's article in the ajc entitled "Chip Carter Switches Sides in Senate Race" a couple of days ago, and you don't follow Jen's blog, well, you just missed it.
And then again, maybe Majette just considered it an "aw shucks" type thing and it was up to Carter to spread the word if he wanted to; voting has started and to date no publicity; no mention on Friday night PBS show; no mention along with concurrent Squires and Sierra Club endorsements on her website, nutnhoney.
Maybe the Mayor has been watching, and maybe I shouldn't even be writing about it. I just find it of special interest since I hurt myself berating Oxford on several occasions for continuing to claim President Carter was endorsing him when I knew this was not the case.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 9:24 PM
5 Comments:
This is an amazing amount of output for one day Sid. Not sure I've ever even written half this much.
One thing is certain in the days ahead: We've got a tough choice to make between the Wife Beater or the race-baiting Payola Queen.
Wonder if Andy Young regrets stepping out now.
The irony on Andrew Young. He should have stepped out in that he said it was going to be his last hurray and not important that he win. But while Michelle Nunn was initially opposed to running because Sam wasn't behind it, she had changed her mind -- along with the Dad -- when Andrew expressed interest. He played with so long that when he backed out, she had changed her mind again. Sad, very sad. I am going with the Congresswoman.
Hey, Sid. Welcome, and good luck. We'll be reading.
I'm not sure a Franklin endorsement is going to matter so much in a race where Oxford trails by a 21% gap in the general. If she is connected to Oxford officials, it would probably be wise for her to hold an endorsement until the November race between her and Johnny I.
Sid or Rusty, what, exactly, did Majette say about race???
Franklin is not connected to Oxford I assure you. It is just whether she wants to tie her name to a loser -- Majette -- in December when she will need to work with Isakson, etc. Hopefully Majette wins August 10, but given has she lashed out last week, etc., some are a bit afraid of her. The one behind lashes out, not the frontrunner. Page two
Issue of race. What is the line about the drunk on the Titanic who asks for a some ice for his drink . . .
July 27 -- IT HAD TO COME TO THIS -- POINT; COUNTERPOINT; AND THE TRUTH:
OXFORD: "'As near as I can tell, her message is basically, we need any African-American woman candidate in the United States Senate, no matter who that candidate is,' Oxford said of Majette at the state Capitol."
MAJETTE: "'When you have no qualifications, when you know nothing about the issues facing this country, and when you just got beat 2-1 by a qualified congresswoman and you have more baggage than an Amtrak train, what's there left to do? You inject race in the campaign,' said Jeannie Layson, Majette's deputy campaign manager."
OXFORD: "Oxford spokesman Kevin Griffis denied that the candidate made 'a racial appeal.' He was not characterizing her whole campaign or her whole platform as being racially divisive,' said Griffis, who said Oxford was referring to some of Majette's radio ads. 'If there is a criticism of Majette's campaign, it's that she hasn't been long on specifics. It's been long on rhetoric and not much else.'"
THE TRUTH: I realize that Cliff Oxford wants me giving him political advice about as much as he wants me to drop the bomb on the yet undisclosed third divorce (just kidding here folks).
But the truth about the above exchange -- here it comes.
Cliff, every now and then you need to tell your handlers: "Now listen up and listen up good. Not only did I say it, but dammit, I meant it."
Cliff Oxford is not alone in concluding that Denise Majette's campaign message is primarily "I am an African-American female. The U.S. Senate needs an African-American female. Thus you should vote for me."
His handlers should let his statement stand and not try to say that he meant other than what he said. It is just like a judge telling jurors to disregard what they just heard. They heard it and want forget it, especially since his honor just instructed them to do so.
Oxford's perception of Majette's message is accurate -- based on what she herself from all appearances made the centerpiece of her campaign.
Any attempt by the press, Majette or voters to chastise or shame him for speaking the truth is only killing the messenger.
The response from the Majette campaign staff was not that Oxford was playing the race and gender card; no, it was just that he was playing the race card.
The irony of this charge by Majette is that if anyone attempted to inject race into the campaign this summer it was Majette, who at every appearance would deliver the message: "I am an African-American female. The U.S. Senate needs an African-American female. Thus you should vote for me." A fellow candidate would repeatedly lean over and observe to me, does she not think the voters realize that she is a black female.
And it is further ironic that Majette would do this when both Georgia politics and good race relations were furthered this summer when our rival party gave 26.2% of its votes to an African-American.
And as with Majette, it was candidate Brother Cain himself who inserted race into his race when he cleverly referred to the color of his eyes. Unlike Majette, Cain's insertion was done in a manner that evoked humor rather than raising antennae.
And also unlike Majette, Brother Cain -- having raised the obvious in an almost inconspicuous manner -- did not thereafter seek to blame the raising of the issue on an opponent as Majette's campaign staff has done with Oxford.
Another reason I regard this campaign's latest development as so unfortunate is because of the obvious success my favorite low profile political trio -- Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, Attorney General Thurbert Baker and former state Democratic Party Chairman Calvin Smyre -- have had in rebuilding our state's white-black Democratic coalition as we all work together in reviving the crumbled Democratic power and puting back together again our Humpty-Dumpty Democratic Party of Georgia following our November 2002 whipping.
In short, I consider it most unfortunate that this matter got put into play. I got a huge majority of the black vote in Douglas and Coffee County not because of the color of my eyes or the quality of my character, but rather because of my long friendship and relationship with so many in our black community who have known me and my family and what we have always believed in and stood and fought for long before Sid even considered running for political office.
I note below under the July 21 entry that differences between myself and the two runoff candidates concerning Iraq contributed to my present inclination not to endorse either candidate for the runoff. While distant from my own, Majette's position on Iraq is closer to mine than that espoused by Oxford.
I debated this "non-endorsement" decision with myself over and over. Why? Not because I thought it mattered or really meant much to anyone else but myself, but because as people who know me know, I am a team player, a one for all and all for one type person.
Often positions on issues do and should differ, and to expect someone who beats you to conform his or her views to your own is unrealistic and illusory. For this reason I wanted to endorse someone; I think a loser should endorse the winner; not doing so goes against my nature and political thinking.
For this reason, I think it would have been petty and in poor taste for Cain and Collins not to have endorsed Isakson just as Dean and Edwards endorsed Kerry.
But there is a lot of difference in endorsing someone and voting for someone. It came as no surprise to the few who came to know me on the campaign that I did not endorse Mr. Oxford. I will go on record in saying that I am a Democrat and will vote for a Democrat on August 10.
But endorse Majette? No way, and being a team player, I would not have brought this matter up, and feel that it is most unfortunate that it has been raised.
But how could I endorse someone with a philosophy so different from my own and that of Dr. King.
But now that Majette has put it into play, I note that Cliff, you are right in what you said. And hey Cliff, don't ever be afraid to say: "The Emperor is naked." Voters appreciate candor.
Ben Smith of the ajc (the source of the above) noted: "The exchange [concerning race] threatened to overshadow issues raised by both candidates Monday." For the benefit of the Democratic Party and the great state of Georgia, here's to hoping that it does not and that we will move on.
(Sorry Steve: it was earier just to lift from my website, lock, stock and my editorializing.
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