Ok, this is getting ridiculous

Now Wanda Halbert wants to run for Mayor. I like Wanda, and there's no risk for her, or anyone else for that matter (at least not for elected officials), but really?

OK, let's go over this, shall we? AC Wharton (7 years as County Mayor, but what has he really accomplished other than not offending anyone), Myron Lowery (I know you've only got 90 days, but you need to slow down, cowboy), Carol Chumney (we know what the problems are, tell us how you will FIX them and get the Council to assist), Thomas Long (great City Court Clerk, is he ready for the big time?) School Board Commissioner Rev. Kenneth Whalum, Jr. (the most interesting entrant in the race, he shoots from the hip but usually has solid logic behind his comments), Halbert (I just don't see this), James Harvey (new and confident, but this seems really soon for this race), Sharon Webb (uh, no), Kemp Conrad (Willingham will get in just to get him beat) and, as Vibinc refers to the Grand Old Man of the Grand Old Party, THE JOHN WILLINGHAM EXPERIENCE.

Of the above group, only three have extensive executive experience (Wharton, Long, Whalum - pastoring one of the largest churches in town is serious executive experience). Myron is trying to get things done to move the city out of the Herenton era, but it lasted 18 years and it's not going away anytime soon.

As for the legislators in the race, I feel compelled to remind them that since we have elected both City and County Mayors, only one legislator has been elected to each office: Councilman Wyeth Chandler as City Mayor in 1971, and Commissioner Jim Rout as County Mayor in 1994.
The fact is, it's tough for a legislator to be elected to an administrative position around her, and vice versa. What the legislators need to do to make their case is to offer SOLUTIONS; as we know what the problems are. That applies to ALL of them, not just Carol, by the way.
I am going to say this and surprise a lot of you: Do not assume I am in the tank for anyone at this point, because I really have not made up my mind yet.

Here are questions I would like answered:
1. Are you for or against consolidation of City and County government? If so, in what form; if not, why not?
2. Right now, the city needs not only a good manager, it needs a real LEADER who can bring diametrically opposite groups of people together for the common good. Tell me how you can do this and show examples if you believe you already have done so.
3. Are you for single-source funding for MCS and SCS, and why or why not?
4. Mayor Herenton did more for Downtown than any Mayor in history, but what do you intend to do to help what Polar Donkey calls THE C? There are more neighborhoods than just Downtown.
5. What will you do to have a good working relationship with the Council, when they sometimes can't agree among themselves?
6. Would you be willing to look outside the Mid-South for potential Division Directors? Tell me why or why not.

Finally, what makes YOU better than these other folks who want this job? WHY do you want it?

I await responses, and will publish them unedited.

From the ruh-roh department

One of my sources told me about something interesting that happened this week. Someone known to both me and my source was making a presentation to a group of 10-14 year-olds in the city one day last week regarding politics. I quote my source here, but remove the name of the presenter:

These kids are from all over the city but most likely come from families where the parents vote. (Name withheld) asked the kids about AC, Carol, Whalum, and Myron. With each, (he/she) asked why the candidates were running and their issues. For AC and Carol, the kids didn't why they were running or their issue. Whalum kids guessed education. But with Myron, most all the kids said he was running just to be mayor and the power of being in charge. Herenton has sunk Myron with that talking point. If the kids are saying this then the parents are saying this.

A Candidates Forum for a race that may never happen

But Lacey Winters of the CA shot this video of the Forum at the UM Holiday Inn today, take a look!

Yup, we got one of them there unscientific polls up over here!

Yup, just look over to the right and at the top of the sidebar, we have a poll, please go vote in it!

You know, I'm not going there...

Polar Donkey, however, has no fear whatsoever about going there.  So, YOU should go there if you want to read his comments about a former (and possibly future) candidate for Mayor. 

Come to the Game

I am going to the game tomorrow, was already planning it, with Cracker, WTL, Jack, Ross, Stacy, and two other friends. We hope to see you there even if the team stinks on ice. Tommy should be let go at the end of the season if he doesn't fire Clay Helton and hire a new coordinator who can be a good recruiter.

With the tragedy of the death of Taylor Bradford, a walk on who is a member/pledge, not sure which, of Kappa Alpha Psi from Nashville, the game takes on deeper meaning. The magnitude of this tragedy for his family and friends is undeniable.

It is our version of Virginia Tech. What is different is that Blacksburg is not a violent city, Memphis is the most violent city in the country. U of M is an urban campus, one of the very few D1 football schools that play in a major urban market. It is near a high crime area. It has been unusual that this has not happened before here.

Some have tried to criticize Shirley Raines for waiting six hours to notify students. Excuse me, but students were still notified 3-4 hours before the first classes began.

I will not try to exploit this for any political reasons, except to say this. Crime has been on the rise in Memphis for the last three years. With a national broadcast of football, a game that lends itself to talks about the school and the community by its broadcasters during the frequent break, Memphis is not presenting its best face. to the country and to recruits. Herenton has done virtually nothing, don't you think its time for a change to Herman or Carol?