Sunday, June 27, 2010
Willie Herenton, in Campaign Mode, Tries to Ignite a Spark at Sidney Chism's Annual Picnic
Posted by Jackson Baker on Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 12:15 AM
- JB
- Herenton (right) sought out GOP candidate Oldham
With less than six weeks to go before all the votes are counted in his Democratic primary contest with incumbent 9th District congressman Steve Cohen, Herenton addressed attendees at the annual picnic of his major political ally, Shelby County Commissioner and former Teamster leader Sidney Chism.
Herenton even seemed to be undertaking ancillary political acts of a pragmatic sort. In the picture at right, for example, he is seen shaking hands with Republican Sheriff’s candidate Bill Oldham, whom he had sought out on the picnic grounds. In the presence of the media, Herenton made a point of praising Oldham, the current chief deputy in the Sheriff’s Department and someone who had served for the better part of 1999 as interim police director while he was mayor.
The former mayor extolled Oldham’s integrity, ability, and dedication, and, while stating for the record that he would not be getting involved in the Sheriff’s race, wished the former director well.
Lest this be seen only as a casual act of ordinary graciousness, it needs to be remembered that Oldham’s opponent on August 5 is Randy Wade, a former deputy whose most recent employment was as Cohen’s district director and who is basically running in tandem with Cohen. Earlier in this past week, in a League of Women Voters debate with Oldham at the Hooks Main Library, Wade had made several charges that had the effect of impugning Oldham’s record.
Here readers can view Herenton's stump speech in full, complete with a cryptic reference by the former mayor to an unidentified “traitor” on the grounds at Chism’s picnic:
Comments (20)
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JB: how is "seeking out" a Republican candidate to extol him any more "pragmatic" than his endorsement of Lamar Alexander, for which he was challenged (if not vilified) at one of his recent appearances, and which you characterized as "Herenton Draws Flak for Republican Associations?"
If, by "pragmatic" you mean consistent, then I agree with you, but I don't think that's what you meant. Or if, by "pragmatic" you mean part of a scorched earth strategy of opposition to Cohen by opposing anyone associated with him (i.e., Randy Wade), then, once again I might agree with you. But, I suggest, kissing up to Oldham as a way of dumping on Wade, as a way of defeating Cohen is so remote from his ultimate objective as to be meaningless, much less pragmatic.
Plus the fact that putting all of Wade's eggs in Cohen's basket gives Cohen too much credit, and Wade too little. Randy may have been Steve's major domo for the last few years, but he also has a record, and an identity, of his own to stand on. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that, for example, Cohen could lose, but Wade could win. They don't, necessarily, stand or fall together.
To me, pragmatic implies sensibility, and it implies a tactic that garners voter support, and an ostensible Democrat (isn't that the primary he's running in?) cozying up to a Republican in a Democratic district is anything but pragmatic.
I keep reading and re-reading that longish complaint, Marty, and I'll be damned if I see what you're objecting to. So I'll just say "yes" to all the things you say you agree with. Yep, that's what I meant, all right.
But your first sentence (a question, really) is truly weird. I never SAID the one thing was any more pragmatic than the other. That's truly an apple-orange comparison that, try as I might, I still don't get. And what's your objection to the previous headline "Herenton Draws flak for Republican Associations?" It accurately described the facts of that previous article. An apple and an orange, m'boy.
But, hey, I don't want to wreck your weekend. If you can't find something to be contentious about, you'll sulk to yourself all day along, I guess.
Have a good rest-of-the-weekend.
I'll make one more try at divining your meaning, but I don't want to give myself a sick headache. (1) The headline about the Willie/Lamar story described the public reaction of a Democratic cadre to someting that may or may not have been pragmatic on the ex-mayor's part; (2) the Chism-picnic story shows Herenton making nice to Bill Oldham, something that may or may not be pragmatic amd may or may not offend Democratic cadres but didn't in my hearing in this case. So... Whatchew getting at?
Sidney Chism and King Willie. I keep waiting to see them on the cover of those "Just Busted" papers at the gas station. Of course that would be on of the only times I bought one...but I'd have it framed!!
Never mind, JB. I forgot how unwelcome differing opinions are. I should have known better.
Not sure JB was saying differing opinions were unwelcome. I think he was honestly perplexed at exactly what the complaint was (as was I, after reading the original post twice). And, admit it, you do have to understand the complaint before you can respond to it (welcome or unwelcome as it may be).
It's pragmatic because Herenton has to get Republicans to vote for him if he's going to have any chance at all
Thanks,AK. I've tried again after returning to Marty's original message, hours later, and I still don't get it. He's more than welcome. I love the fact that he wants to respond. I feel stupid not knowing what the hell he's talking about.
First of all, it wasn't a "complaint," an attack or even a criticism; it was just an expression of my inability to understand how someone who has to win Democratic votes in the upcoming primary (that is what he's campaigning for, isn't it?) could be characterized as being "pragmatic" for toadying up to Republicans.
It seemed to me that point had already been plainly made in Herenton's earlier appearance when a staunch Democrat called him on the carpet for his dalliance with Lamar Alexander, a confrontation JB highlighted in the piece he did about that appearance.
How, I wondered, could what Herenton did at the Chism picnic by seeking out, and then extolling, Oldham be viewed as "pragmatic" when it seemed to be quite the opposite to me. Since Herenton has to convince Democrats to vote for him, as opposed to Cohen, in the primary, shouldn't he be staying as far away from the perception of disloyalty to the party as he can? He can worry about getting Republican votes (something he won't need, but good luck to him with that anyway) AFTER he wins the Democratic primary, right?
Did I misunderstand something about JB's characterization of Herenton's conduct at the picnic as an "ancillary political act[s] of a pragmatic sort?" If so, I'll do my best impression of Emily Litella.
Oh, I think I get it now!. Because I used the word "pragmatic" as a description of Herenton's probable intent, Marty is, I think, insisting that the RESULTS of the act, as against the INTENT of the act -- must be demonstrably, indeed, provably -- "pragmatic." Gee, I know he's a smart feller, and a lawyer and all, but I think (if I'm on the right track now) that (1) that sort of thing is in the eye of the beholder; and (2) the answer is something that we aren't gonna know right away. He's a far-sighted and damned near all-knowing guy, that Marty -- way ahead of the rest of us!
But, you know, these things can be argued to death, and maybe, after all, the former mayor WAS just being gracious.
And I guess I overlooked spelling someting out (mainly because it seemed to me obvious) that the "pragmatic" effect would be more in the direction of signaling to blacks who respond to the ex-mayor's lead (and Herenton clearly assumes that several such exist) that Randy need not be the recipient of their vote. After all, as is reasonably well known, Herenton is emphasizing the racial aspect of the election, not the party-line aspect of it.
In fact, Herenton could send such a signal (if that was his intent, rather than, again, simple graciousness) quite subtly by doing what he did, and never overly rining his party-line bells while doing it.
Btw, I could be wrong, but as I read Marty's original response, he may not have been fully aware that Cohen and Wade are co-campaigning, right now in present tense, and Herenton, at least, knows this very well.
Whew! But thanks, Marty. You done drug out of me more than I had thought needful to point out.
Herenton's courting what he sees as a potential crossover vote. The last desperate act of a sleazy, out-for-me hack.
Great exchange guys! I have a hard time choosing whether to wear my Randy Wade tshirt with Cohen buttons on it or my Cohen shirt with a Randy sticker slapped over my strappin' chest. Hey, you got a little Cohen in my Randy. No, you got Randy on my Cohen. Wait, the two taste great together.
It's fun to watch Marty flip out when someone responds to his uncriticism.
Next time I criticize, attack, or complain I hope everyone realizes it "was just an expression of my inability to understand."
Marty may be overlooking the fact that we have open primaries, and that Republicans frequently cross over because the city is so overwhelmingly Democratic that it's basically the only game in town for certain races, the 9th District among them. If you're a conservative Republican who lives in East Memphis and sends your kid to CBHS or whatever, registering as a Democrat is really the only way to exercise any choice about who represents you in Congress.
Because of the way the primaries are staggered, a conservative could have voted as a Democrat in both federal primaries in 2006 and 2008 while still voting as a Republican in the local primaries. I can tell you this for a fact: there are an awful lot of people in that area who are considered to "Lean Democratic" who are in fact conservatives. I've even run into some Tea Party people while doing targeted canvassing this year. After Cohen's comments on the Young Turks radio program, they probably won't be voting for him anymore.
The problem for Herenton is that this year, unlike previous years, there is a competitive Republican gubernatorial primary that coincides with the 9th District primary, and there's no way for conservatives to vote in both. In the past, a small but significant slice of 9th District primary voters were crossovers, but there aren't going to be anywhere near enough of them this time around to give Herenton any edge.
Hey, zero (the other numbers are obviously just a pretense):
in the inimitable words of Jon Stewart, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2YK7pADmWU
Now, don't take that as a criticism, attack or complaint; rather, think of it as a prescription.
P.S. Come out, come out, whoever you are, chickenshit. Show us you don't suffer from cryptorchidism. Besides, you know what they say about sunlight being the best disinfectant, and if anyone could use a good disinfecting...
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