Franklin: Turpeau is all wet
August 27, 2009 at 5:14 pm by Scott Henry in News
Maria Saporta got Mayor Franklin’s take on the flap over a memo by Aaron Turpeau, in which the longtime political operative calls for black Atlantans to throw their support behind Lisa Borders for mayor in order to prevent a victory by the very white Mary Norwood.
Here’s what Shirley told Saporta:
As the current mayor of Atlanta and someone who has sought to represent the best interests of the entire city and all the constitutents in my performance, policies and management style, I believe Turpeau has it all wrong and has missed the mark.
Franklin challenges Turpeau’s implication that the late Maynard Jackson’s legacy lies in having won City Hall for black residents and it’s up to African Americans now to band together to make sure thay don’t have to give it back:
Jackson opened doors and kept the doors open for all Atlantans and people of good will to particpate regardless of race, social status or other political party. His consensus building success are legendary.
Turpeau tells a lopsided version of the history of Atlanta politics of the last 40 years and the civic history of Atlanta for decades.
So far, the only interested party yet to be heard from is Norwood. If I were her, I’d take the phone off the hook and lay low. Ironic as it may seem, she is likely the main beneficiary from all this fuss.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
August 27th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Norwood is definitely the beneficiary and Borders the benefactor. Way to go, Lisa! smh
August 27th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Yes, way to go Lisa for telling this scuzzbucket Turpeau that his kind of nonsense has no place in this race! Yet while Borders has taken the high road in this, Reed took this as an opportunity to throw a rock then hide his hands.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Amnesty, surely you jest. If not, do your homework. You mean the “scuzzbucket” who’s one of Border’s strategists and contributors? Turpeau is Border’s Karl Rove. You really think Turpeau hasn’t been communicating heavily with the Border’s campaign?
August 27th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Scott, I am pretty sure Mary Norwood spoke on NPR late this afternoon.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Why am I not surprised that neither Maria Saporta nor Scott Henry mentioned the radio ad Shirley Franklin did with John Lewis and Andrew Young in 2006 for John Eaves:
“This is Congressman John Lewis.”
“And I’m Mayor Shirley Franklin”
“And I’m Andy Young”
Lewis: “On November 7th we face the most dangerous situation we ever have. If you think fighting off dogs and water hoses in the ’60s was bad, imagine if we sit idly by and let the right-wing Republicans take control of the Fulton County Commission.”
Franklin: “The efforts of Martin and Coretta King, Hosea Williams, Maynard Jackson and many others will be lost. That’s why we must stand up and we must turn out the vote for the Democrats on Election Day.”
Young: “And especially for John Eaves for Fulton County Commission chairman. Unless you want them to turn back the clock on equal rights and human rights and economic opportunity for all of us, vote for John Eaves as Fulton County chairman.”
Lewis: “Your very life may depend on it.”
Eaves: “This message paid for by the committee to elect John Eaves.”
August 28th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Listen, Aaron Turpeau is a lot of things – not all bad – but he is in no way Lisa’s “Karl Rove.” I know everyone who’s been involved with the Borders campaign from day one and Turpeau has never had a seat at the table or been asked to help form strategy.
I am not defending him or his memo. But I will partially defend the analysis he gives. If your goal is to have a black mayor – and have no doubt, that is the goal of more than a few of our fellow citizens – then you’re concerned that neither Lisa nor Kasim can grab enough votes to overcome Mary. In a runoff between Lisa/Kasim vs Mary, you’re concerned that you won’ be able to turn enough voters back out, in part because they voted for the other black candidate and don’t feel strongly enough about you.
BUT if you only have one of Lisa/Kasim heading into the general, you can generate enough momentum to get you through run-off. There’s lots of other factors and I know I’ve oversimplified but that’s part of where he’s going.
I agree with Turpeau on one major point – it’s important that we don’t end up with Mary as mayor. Not because she’s white. I’m okay with white folks – I stare at one in the mirror every morning. But because when asked real questions about how she’ll pay for her ambitious ideas or why she voted against ending furloughs for public safety officers as more and more Atlantans are becoming victims of crime, she cannot give us a straight answer. After eight years of reviewing budgets and watching city operations, she should be able to do better.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Mr. T,
Thanks for the post. I agree Mary is definitely not the person for the job.