Friday, August 08, 2008

An open letter to Nikki Tinker

I know, this may seem too soon and too harsh, coming the day after the voters of the 9th Congressional District (ESPECIALLY the African-American community) thoroughly repudiated you and your vicious, lowdown tactics. How amazing it was to watch as you turned within 48 hours from an attacking Congressional candidate to a national pariah; "Worst Person in the World", indeed.

As Vito Corleone once said, how did things ever get so far? The first time I remember seeing you was back in 2005 when we had an SCDP Unity Breakfast at the now-defunct Cafe Francisco. You were attractive, you seemed to have things together, and rumors were going around that you were going to run for Junior's seat when he went to the Senate. Knowing little about you, I thought you would be worth considering, as I had no idea that my friend (and then-State Senator) would toss his hat in the ring.

Well, you ran, and no one could find a damn thing out about you and where you stood, except that you came from a broken home and had pulled yourself up to be the lawyer you now were. Except that in Memphis, where we share the trait of distrust of outsiders with our cousins in East Tennesse, that's not good enough. Thus, once Cohen, whom we bloggers knew and trusted to be the optimal progressive guy, got in the race, we went after you. Cohen, of course won, but it appears that you took the wrong lessons from your defeat of two years ago.

Instead of plunging yourself into the Memphis community and getting better known, building up trust with the locals, you kept campaigning, albeit stealthily.

You COULD have had a future here. Had you chosen to run for City Council and shown you were willing to pay your dues and establish yourself, while you might not have beaten Cohen this year, you would have had a better shot.

However, you chose a different path. You ran the sleaziest type of campaign imaginable, earning the enmity not only of the city, and the state, but you made yourself a national joke, a figure of contempt. However, Ms. Tinker, worst of all, with that style of campaigning, you embarrassed and insulted the very people whose votes you sought: African-Americans of the 9th District.

You tried to run as a STREET Candidate? Really? Listen here, sister girl, I'm twice as gangsta as you'll EVER be, and I'm a 50-year-old white guy who calls himself the Cracker.

And what about those poor crazed Armenians whom you conned into contributing to this campaign of hatred? Yes, the poor deluded souls need to accept some of the responsibility for this, but you took their money AND THEN SAID NOTHING ABOUT THEIR ISSUE UNTIL THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN! I've heard of cynical campaigns before, but this really took the cake.

Thoroughly embarrassed and enraged, the African-American community rose as one and slapped you down hard, which you richly deserved. You really thought you could come into Memphis, slide behind Junior into his Congressional seat and sell out to corporations like he did? He at least had a daddy who WAS from South Memphis, and could play the part. You, on the other hand, were about as believable as me trying to throw down some Three 6 Mafia.

You treated us as if we were stupid and willing to fall for anything, and you were smacked down brutally (and deservedly so) and your political career is DEAD. It's time to update the old resume and leave town, because in Memphis, TN, you are FINISHED.

The saddest thing of all is that it did not have to be this way. However, this is the path that you chose, and now you have to accept the consequences and get on with the rest of your life, whereever it leads you. Use this as a learning experience, because I assure you others will.

NOBODY wants to be a national pariah.

16 comments:

memphistigersfan said...

Great letter Cracker and remember Nikki no one in the South likes a carpetbagger

polar donkey said...

"Woke up the next morning
Nikki wasn't there
I looked all over and all I found
"Was a phone number on the stairs
It said thank you for a funky time
Call me up whenever you want to grind"


My contribution to feel good friday
http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1568781&vid=174603

http://www.rockmusicdaily.com/media/bsides/Darling_Nikki.mp3

Rare when a cover is better than the original

David Holt said...

It's kind of sad with this butt-whipping she won't be around to play with again. I'll miss Tinker-time.

Sharon Cobb said...

Great letter!
I wish she'd take me up on my offer to do a 3 round boxing match for charity.
(Hey...a guy can't do it!)

If she had any real street cred, she wouldn't back away from my challenge.

Now, if only she would back away from the state of Tennessee!

Joe said...

Well said, Cracker

Newscoma said...

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP

Joe said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Brad Watkins said...

Yeah...and Larsha's "Secret Society" left her holding the bag, while they get to walk away.

Formerly Considered Moderate said...

Just catching up on the blogosphere and I can't think of a lovelier way to spend a few minutes than reading your letter to Tinker while listening to Al Green. Kudos!

Anonymous said...

Yes, that picture Chris Davis published of her looking so dejected brings out natural human feelings of sympathy, but for all the aggravation this woman and her misguided backers have inflicted on this community in the past three years, it is her karma.

ContrAltoDelete said...

Well said. Even Bob Herbert of the NY Times mentioned this race today in his Pepto Bismol vs. Champagne op-ed piece. EMILY'S LIST has scrubbed Tinker from their site as well.

Kerry said...

I was proud to participate in Congressman Cohen's victory last week, and thrilled that the outcome of the race was exactly what it needed to be while the eyes of the world were upon us. I would, however, caution us all to remember in our rush to self-congratulation that voter turnout for the election was only around 6-10% of the county's voter eligible population. Could it have been worse? Maybe, but not by much. If we really want to shock the national media with our sophistication and progressiveness, let's hear candidates and members of the local press start talking proactively about the steps they're going to take to deal with the epidemic of voter apathy that has gripped this city.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
callmeishmael said...

I actually agree with you despite my loathing of most matters political these days. Cohen seemed to do a fine job and will continue representing you well in the House. What you said may not be what I might have said, but you conveyed yourself well and it was a pleasure to read. My SC stock broker cousin, incidentally, says hello. He also enjoys "reading him get worked up." I rather agree--

Richard Thompson said...

Normally, I wouldn't comment but I'm curious. Is this the letter that you apologized for sending out last week?

Reading this letter, I get the sense that some folks (in particularly, white folks, perhaps because of the audience) are rejoicing like black folks do whenever one of us beats the odds. It's a natural bit of cheerleading, even if it reaches irrational and/or ironic levels.

I still understand it.

Yet, I wonder if the attitude expressed in the letter would be applicable to the Obamas of the world--those who feel that they have audacity to serve without waiting their turn. Then again, if I'm not mistaken, you did support HRC.

Thanks

Steve Steffens said...

Actually, I supported Edwards, then Obama...