Sunday, July 18, 2010
Cohen, Herenton Both Early-Vote and Haul Supporters to the Polls
Posted by Jackson Baker on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 1:59 AM
- JB
- Cohen, Herenton cast their early votes on Saturday
On Saturday, the second day of early voting, the two contestants in what is easily the most watched political race of the season cast their ballots at the Election Commission’s downtown voting site. Both 9th district congressman Steve Cohen and his challenger in the Democratic primary, former mayor Willie Herenton, did so in the presence of ample media, and each also shepherded literal busloads of supporters in to vote with them.
Cohen came first, after a brief rally at his Union Avenue headquarters, and, after he had cast his own vote about 10:30 a.m. and departed to begin a busy round of public activities, he would return to the Election Commission site around noon, in the aftermath of a brunch presided over by himself and Criminal Court clerk candidate Minerva Johnican, as buses provided by both candidates arrived almost si8multaneously.
As Herenton climbed out of his own chartered bus on Poplar Avenue and prepared to lead his 89-year-old mother and other supporters into the Election Commission site, someone apparently informed him that Cohen, along with aide Travis Green, were sitting in a car in an alley on the north side of Poplar observing the process.
That — the closest thing to an encounter between the two all day — prompted Herenton to begin heckling Cohen. “He ought to stop hiding,” said Herenton, who called across the street at his rival, challenging him to come out and “meet his constituents, meet the people who are going to send me to Washington” and proposing, among other things, to have an impromptu debate right then and there.
In a brief interview with the media before entering the building, Herenton repeated a theme which had dominated remarks made earlier that morning to a rally at his campaign headquarters on South Third. At both sites, the former mayor contrasted his own meager campaign funds with the near million dollars Cohen has reported as having on hand and characterized the congressional race as one of “the people” versus “money.”
In his earlier talk with supporters at his headquarters, Herenton had attempted to enlarge his “Just One” campaign theme to encompass class as well as that of race, invoking Martin Luther King and his “mountaintop” theme in the process.
“Mr. Cohen is not a part of the working class,” Herenton asserted. “He never worked for hourly wages. He never chopped cotton for three dollars a day.”
Cohen, meanwhile, maintained a busy weekend schedule that included several meetings with community groups and pointed toward a Monday morning breakfast with a “Women for Cohen” group, to be followed by a public hearing on the issue of home foreclosures.
The congressman’s office e announced that an attendee at both Monday morning events would be U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Detroit, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a committed Cohen backer. In the last few weeks, several members of the Congressional Black Caucus have announced their support for the congressman’s reelection, as did President Obama last week.
Comments (12)
Showing 1-12 of 12
Shades of the Ford, Jr ./Corker "fancy meeting you here" confrontation during their contest. This was, apparently, an unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on your candidate) coincidence (not like the Ford/Corker episode), the most unfortunate part of which is that it ended up being reported precisely the way Herenton wanted it to be.
I guess the only other way it could have been reported would have been not reporting it, which many have begged for, but which I explained in another post will never happen, and why (i.e., media thrive on fear and anger, both of which are in ample supply with Herenton's race-baiting campaign). In any event, Cohen would have had to be CRAZY to take Herenton's bait.
Which raises the question, once again: why should Herenton spend any money when he can get all the freebies he wants from the media; oh, and also, why is this starting to remind me of Mongo-like coverage?
Speaking of which, Channel 5 had a tease on its 10 PM newscast, to the effect that they will be announcing, on Monday night's broadcast, the results of a poll that will "surprise" people who "think they know the outcome" (or words to that effect).
Could it be? Say it ain't so, Joe (Burch). Why did a chill go down my spine when I heard that? A poll commissioned by a media outlet that showed Herenton ahead would be the ultimate gift to Herenton's candidacy from the media. Polls can move votes, and, in the process, become self-fulfilling prophecies.
like
dislike
I'm trying, really hard, not to abandon hope for this race. But I think, as in any potential disaster, one must prepare oneself for the possibility that it will strike.
So, I'm wondering: what do you all think the consequences might be of a Herenton victory? I'm afraid of what it would say about Memphis to the world (i.e., that, to put it mildly, we haven't made any progress insofar as racial reconciliation is concerned). I'm also concerned it might spark an exodus the likes of which we haven't seen since the school desegregation decision of the early 70's, and leave Memphis even more, demographically and economically, like Newark or Detroit. Am I being too Chicken Little? Would this just end up being a tiny blip on the radar screen?
On the flip side, Herenton's election, while it wouldn't do much for Memphis' self-esteem or its image in the rest of the world (and no, not because of his victory, but because of the way he engineered it), wouldn't be the end of civilization as we know it. While losing an effective congressman, who has achieved a measure of credence and respectability (not to mention seniority) in the halls of Congress, would hurt, the fact remains that a congressman is a relatively minor cog in the wheel of government. S/he is, after all, just one of 435 representatives in the lower body.
Herenton's a lot of things, but a fool isn't one of them. I don't think he'll leave the 9th district high and dry, insofar as bringing us our fair share of government money is concerned (which, let's face it, is one of the principal duties of a federal representative--just ask Alaskans or West Virginians), and I also don't think he'll vote like Harold Ford, Jr. did on some of the bread and butter issues of importance to his constituents (i.e., against their interests). But then, of course, there is all that money floating around the halls of congress.
So, which one am I being: an alarmist or a pollyanna, and which one do you think is justified?
Weren't you chastising Jackson not even a week ago for affording the possibility that Herenton just might have a shot at this?
Auto: No, not for suggesting the possibility Herenton had a shot (after all, anything's possible), but for suggesting, implicitly, that a few car horns were anything like a reliable indicator of that possibility.
I went to Wild Bill's with a dozen or more Cohen interns last night and I never heard a single person say they would vote for Willie.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3142…
I have just recently moved back to memphis from two different river cities, St Louis and Baton Rouge, after 10 years of living in memphis (97 - 07) the decision to come back and stay was mostly because Herenton was out of my government. He has never done anything that was to the benefit or betterment of my career or lifestyle and i have never voted for him. I do think that if he is elected my choice to stay in memphis will have to be reevaluated. I dont think that i am alone in this thinking, as a person in their mid to late 20's with a college degree and hopes for a better wages/economy.
There is a lot of the ’same’ in Tennessee politics and therefore a majority of persons whom will Not be voting at all, there in 2010, including myself. Every election should require a minimum participation of eligible voters in order to be valid (such as 51%) or else stop having elections with the people’s money.
California has now ballotted an idea that would circumvent the ‘party system’ (in addition to the interesting initiative to legalize Marijuana statewide there), with an initiative to cause the primary elections to advance Only the Two Top Vote getters; irrespective of political party. The two winners, alone, would advance to the general election (to face no other opposition there) without any need nor danger of the favorite having lost in the primary (via some unscrupulous vote split, etc).
Go Macky Chandler for County executive of Lawrenceburg.
Glad to know you won't be voting, Mr. Chandler. That eliminates any need for me to waste any more of my time reading any political posts from you, since you can't be bothered to participate.
I thought originally, Herenton announced he'd be ferrying folks to early voting on Friday -- Did he change his plans to clash w/Cohen's event?
As for Channel 5's promo, they probably don't acknowledge the existence of the earlier WREG poll, so anything theirs says would be a surprise.
I am looking for a Herenton supporter who would agree not to go to the polls. That way I don't have to go either. Anyone?
Of course a Herenton supporter would change their mind at the last minute and I would be forced to go anyway.
Auto: I won't be doing election coverage. I have opinions that I'm actually willing to express, without qualification, and, as we all know, that means I can't be "fair."
What I want to know is why AC Wharton has yet to endorse anyone in this election. What's he waiting for? Early on in the campaign, he criticized Herenton's appeal to race (not to mention that his own campaign for mayor--"One Memphis"--so visibly rejected racial politics), so I assumed he would be endorsing the "pan-racial" candidate.
You don't suppose he's going to sit this one out, do you, for fear of alienating someone (anyone)? AC is, after all, someone who hates to step on anyone's toes, politically (remember how he took a hands-off attitude when he was all but begged to run for city mayor in opposition to Herenton). But, in this race, that would not only be a mistake, it would also be hypocritical and short-sighted.
Steve and AC appeal to the same constituency. AC is nothing if not non-threatening to white voters, and Steve is the same for black voters. They both, obviously, have cross-racial appeal (something, for better or worse, that can't be said for Herenton). And Steve, were he to be returned to D.C., would be able to do a lot more good for Memphis than Herenton could, if for no other reason than the seniority he's achieved (as compared to the relative powerlessness of a freshman, like Herenton would be).
I'm afraid AC's hedging his bets. He's worried that if he endorses Cohen, and Herenton wins, Herenton will (to put it politely) hold that against him, and if he endorses Herenton, a lot of his base of white support will do the same. So, he may be planning to take the easy way out. Still and all, I hope he shows us he's got some testicular fortitude, and does the right thing.
Top Commenters
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
SPECIAL ISSUES
