Here’s what should not happen…

An Open letter to Kasim Reed:

While Lisa Borders endorses Kasim Reed at this very moment, we have an election that is teetering on a precipice, It can either be about our future, or about our past.

From Jim Galloways blog on the AJC

During the next few weeks, I intend to do whatever I can to wake up those African Americans who have become “bamboozled” into believing that a moderately educated, southern white women will do something for them. Obviously they have forgotten what Atlanta was like for our people before we had a Black Mayor.

That’s Bunny Ransom writing in favor of Kasim Reed.

That’s fear of the past talking right there, and it is fine for people to feel that way, I suppose, but it cannot become a theme of the campaign. Because both candidates are off the air, they cannot define themselves or the election. Race may define it if they don’t. Reed’s Democrat thing is relevant in and of itself, but there is also some code there. That needs to be as far as it goes. No radio ads a la John Eaves , no memos a la Turpeau.

But that’s not all you need to prevent. No fliers with confederate flags. No surrogates fear mongering.

You probably can win that way, if slimly, but it will make the city worse by dividing it. That’s the real lesson of Bush and all hated politicians were victorious.Politics of division work, but prevent governmental progress. You want us to get what we deserve from the legislature? Change the way the city is viewed, and you cannot do that by running this race on race. Not on the past, but on the future.

You are the better candidate. Win it that way.


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10 responses to “Here’s what should not happen…”

  1. J.M. Prince Avatar
    J.M. Prince

    Close IRE. Near as I can tell this means that the ‘local host’ is now again responsible for supplying a generous amount of food, liquor & hookers for their entertainment purposes, (just like old times). Then and only then will they see fit not to have Fulton & Atl wholly subsumed by Milton County.

    JMP

  2. innerredneckexposed Avatar
    innerredneckexposed

    ATL: you bring the KY?

  3. Mel Avatar
    Mel

    There were a few things I learned about the Obama campaign from this HBO doc:

    http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/bythepeople/index.html

    The most inspiring was Obama’s steadfast refusal to go negative in any way. He’s the best proof that positive campaigns can win big. Any idiot can smear, but it takes real talent to win on merit. The kind of talent that most politicians can only aspire to.

  4. innerredneckexposed Avatar

    Wasn’t it the same folks as Obama?

  5. JerryT Avatar
    JerryT

    Anybody know who he’s using for his mail media?

  6. J.M. Prince Avatar
    J.M. Prince

    I luv this. You need a thumbnail history guide to play here. Is Valerie Jackson being heard from?

    I’m with Drew on the atmospherics here too. Yes, it would be nice, and we all dearly hope that it does not come down to the usual crap. But really? Yes, because the man is Black, some are going to assume that he’s ‘racial’ ‘racist’ or perhaps even ‘radical’ as a common favored modifier here applied to both descriptors. We’ve seen it early & often enough with Obama, right?

    But No. You should never ever let the opposition define you. Or the Media. In any terms. It does you and your voters no earthly good and is largely detrimental to the democratic process. That’s how we got ‘swiftboated’ by well known knaves & liars who told us again and again that a decorated courageous & wounded war leader like Sen. John Kerry was none of the above. And the media bought those transparent but deadly foolish lies and broadcasted them hook line & stinker. Again. And Again. With no real corrections offered. Ever.

    So it is what it is. We play it as it lies. Record vs Record hopefully. Partially invented/manufactured issues vs real issue concerns as needed and necessary.

    This? “That’s the real lesson of Bush and all hated politicians were victorious. Politics of division work, but prevent governmental progress.” IS the standard MO of the Repug’s. Progress is their Enemy. Learn it. Live it. Work against it. They really don’t want ‘things’ Especially Government to ‘work or get better’. Not this generation of GOP. Not for a very long time. And that’s where the Leg is today. So it’ll be a long uphill slog all the way. They don’t admire and want to emulate the Taliban for nothing!

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/05/gop-rep-we-need-might-an_n_164227.html

    JMP

  7. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    Feh. Kasim Reed could heal the sick, cast out demons, resurrect the dead, and walk on water, and he wouldn’t be able to avoid the accusation of racism. Really, if even identifying oneself as a Democrat is “code”, then what isn’t?

    If he has to prevent any supporter from saying anything untoward – a requirement that has not yet been placed on Mary “Mike Bowers is one donor out of 5,000” Norwood, apparently – then he might as well concede now.

    Not that I think Reed should run a divisive campaign – who does? – but I’m hesitant to endorse the notion that the approval of the Republican state legislature is effectively the arbiter of whether his campaign is “divisive” or deserving of victory.

    You might as well leave the decision to Peach Pundit.

  8. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    “Obviously they have forgotten what Atlanta was like for our people before we had a Black Mayor.”

    This is such fucking bullshit. What exactly has Lisa Borders done to improve the quality of life for citizens of Bankhead?

  9. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Absolutely. Great post.

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