Atlanta mayor’s race is a hater’s playground
October 27, 2009 at 2:30 pm by Scott Henry in NewsCan’t decide who you’ll vote for in the mayoral election next Tuesday because you’re just not fired up about any of the candidates?
May we suggest you try process of elimination? Sometimes choosing a candidate to support is best approached by determining who wouldn’t get your vote even in the event of ice-skating on the River Styx.
Fortunately, there are plenty of people with Internet access who are only too willing to help eliminate some candidate options through the careful application of innuendo, character assassination and good old-fashioned trash-talking.
As a rule of thumb, you haven’t earned your stripes as a candidate yet unless you’re the target of an anonymous opposition website. So, without further ado, here are selected hater sites:
The Real Truth About Borders — This site addresses the question all of Atlanta is asking, namely: “Who is the REAL Lisa Borders?” According to the site, the City Council president would seem to be a closet Republican who wants to privatize the city, take your property and cover up her ethical problems. And did we mention she’s a Republican?
Frankly, TRTAB seems a bit slapped-together, using news clips recycled from other media outlets, including the one you’re reading now. There’s really nothing new here. The whole thing seems like an excuse to use the word “Republican” a dozen times on a page about Borders.
REED Between the Lines: The truth about M. Kasim Reed — Now you’re talkin’. Judged solely on presentation, this is one kick-ass attack site. It’s got a nicely designed header, well-chosen photos and a good volume of original material. According to this site, which is better known as www.notkasim.blogspot.com, the state senator is a potential continuation of the Franklin administration, another Bill Campbell and a nepotistic career politician.
Note how subtly the website author tantalizes readers with Reed’s first initial, but isn’t gauche enough to actually invoke the name. (Hint: Similar to BHO, Reed has a given name that might not sit well with Islamaphobes.)
Both of these sites make you wonder if maybe a few years back, the candidates ran over the bloggers’ dogs. There’s some serious hatin’ going on.
Norwood Unfiltered — I couldn’t find an anti-Mary Norwood site per se, but someone has edited together a YouTube video titled, “Norwood Unfiltered Pt. 1.” A compilation of the councilwoman’s forum misspeaks and interview gaffes, it’s simply designed to show that “Mary Norwood isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.”
Personally, I’m disappointed by the superficiality of this effort. Certainly, Norwood isn’t as skilled a public speaker as are Borders and Reed. Simply stringing together clips of her stumbling over words doesn’t present a compelling argument against electing her mayor. If the haters wanted to prove Norwood is a lightweight, then they should’ve used clips of her saying dumb things. I’d start with something like her claiming not to recall whether she voted for George W. Bush.
Oh, well, I guess we’ll have to wait until Norwood Unfiltered Pt. 2.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
The text is running clear off the page! Is that intentional?
October 27th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Fixed, Betsy! Nothing to see here, folks.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Dude, you are so biased it’s shocking.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Why didn’t you embed the other videos? Only Mary’s. Why didn’t you direct voters to statements made by the other candidates? Only Mary.
Dude. Seriously. Be a reporter. Not a GD opinion writer.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
CL already made their pick do you expect them to not support their pick, get real man.
October 27th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
It’s classy of the anti-kasim blog to not exploit those assault claims against reed.
i wonder which camps are behind the hate.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
It’s NOT classy of Betsy to intentionally misspell Kasim’s name as “Khasim” over on the AJC blog.
Borders’ hench-bitches as haters. Nice!
Other-ize the brother, “Betsy.” Scare those white folks. Take a page out of the real, big-league haters’ handbook; “Barrack HUSSEIN Obama,” “Khasim” Reed
Hint, hint. (Muslim, 9/11)
Disgusting. And obviously desperate.
Pathetic.
Loser.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Are you kidding? Pathetic. You don’t have to get “fired-up” to cast your vote. Mary Norwood is the ONLY choice. She is accessible, responsive and she takes action. She was a pain in Mayor Franklin’s “arse” because she challenged neighborhood infill, building codes, traffic issues and much more. Kasim is another “smooth talker, big spending” pretty boy…….remember Bill Campbell?? Lisa Borders, well, she didn’t do much. IF you don’t live in the city, then don’t bother commenting.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Norwood is not impressive.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
I can’t help but find it funny how much Norwood criticizes Atlanta’s city government as though she is not a part of it, as though she is not one of those responsible for the trouble the city is in. When I see citizens that are not safe, when I see neighborhoods that have no code enforcement, when I see mortgage fraud ravaging whole portions of the city, when I see trash that’s not picked up , I think of how Norwood is one of those responsible for making sure city programs and services are properly funded, that they are held accountable for the quality of service they provide, and of how Norwood has consistently failed to deliver the kind of leadership and legislation Atlanta has needed no matter how much she talks about having “tried”. Trying and doing are two very different things and we don’t need a mayor who is going to try. Atlanta needs a Mayor we can count on because they have already proven that they get things done through their track record.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Ha, that hate’s nothing! In D6, Tad’s mailing yesterday calls Liz divisive and polarizing. Who knew Tad’s vocabulary extended beyond monosyllables?
Tad also claims a proven plan to cut taxes. Rumor has it Tim Geithner is hoping to hire him to cut the federal deficit if Tad’s secret plan checks out. Would this lead to a special D6 election to fill a council vacancy? Unclear. Even if Liz, unmasked, is now out of the running, an upset late surge for Gallegos cannot be ruled out.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Rico, keep my name out of your filthy fool mouth. So because I stand up for the candidate I believe in (just like you do), you feel the need to call me a bitch? A ‘hench-bitch’, even?
I’ve met men like you before who can’t handle a woman who thinks on her own. Would you prefer me in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant? Or in the boudoir wanton and waiting? Just because I believe in Borders and think she is the best for mayor over that worm Norwood and Reed and the other hacks, then that’s my prerogative, my business, and my call.
And I’ll him Khasim as much as I want! It’s an acceptable spelling of his middle name. Or would you rather I call him Mohammed/Muhammad/Muhammed?
October 28th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Speaking of this race being a hater’s playground, the AJC has now blocked me from even leaving comments! I talked to a girlfriend who works there who said they’ve gotten fed up with the discourse going along on their Political Insider blog, so they’re just blocking people left and right.
So much for free speech….
October 28th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
I thought Tad Christian’s mailer was pretty funny. Boy did he pick a bad photo of Liz to use!
October 29th, 2009 at 11:01 am
No way Mary can be Mayor! We must not vote for her…
October 29th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Betsy, it’s not an acceptable spelling of his name if it’s not how HE spells it. I’m far from a Reed supporter, but doesn’t every person have the right to have their name spelled as they prefer? You wouldn’t be offended if people insisted on calling you Betzi?
October 29th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Dani, darling, I would not mind that at all. So long as it sound the same, you can spell it with a Q.