Race looms large in Atlanta’s upcoming mayoral election
October 22, 2009 at 10:48 am by Scott Henry in News
Tom Houck, state Rep. Ralph Long, and Aaron Turpeau discuss race at Uptown Lounge
Over the past few months, the leading candidates for Atlanta mayor have dutifully taken part in dozens of public forums across the city, giving the impression that no interest group is too obscure or any issue too unimportant to be addressed.
Last week, however, a politically oriented event was held downtown without a single office-seeker in sight. But this was hardly surprising. Most candidates would prefer being waterboarded than to go on the record discussing the evening’s chosen subject: race.
It didn’t help that one of the participants in last Wednesday’s panel discussion at Uptown Lounge was Aaron Turpeau, the longtime political operative associated with a controversial memo calling for coordination among black leaders to elect a black mayor.
When the memo surfaced in August, City Council President Lisa Borders quickly denounced it. State Sen. Kasim Reed labeled it “racist.” Even Mayor Shirley Franklin weighed in, dismissing it as “bigoted.”
But like it or not, where the mayor’s race is concerned, race remains the mastodon in the room. Although few have discussed it openly, it’s quite possible that no single factor will have as much impact in determining Atlanta’s next mayor — although not necessarily in ways that seem obvious.
Continue reading “Race looms large in Atlanta’s upcoming mayoral election”
November 4th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Mary Norwood has a HUGE amount of support in the Black Community, because she has been there. Norwood was active in the community long before she decided to run for Mayor. She just may be the 1st White Mayor in a long time.
Maynard Jackson was “hands-down” the BEST Mayor Atlanta has ever had, and no one will probably ever compare.
Jackson’s daughter has come out in support of Kasim Reed. Unfortunately, every candidate she throws her weight behind, ends up losing!