Out of three great choices, one emerges

Not the one I voted for, mind you, but one I can live with easily.

I am referring, of course, to last nights #SCDPSenate30SmackDown, in which Beverly Marrero, Carol Chumney and Sara Kyle were to face off for the SCDP nomination to replace former Senator and now Chancellor Jim Kyle.  And, yes, for you newbies who may have stumbled here, Jim Kyle is the husband of Sara Kyle.

After three solid speeches by the candidates, including a barnburner by Chumney, capped off by her withdrawal in favor of Marrero, the vote was taken.  This blog provided two proud votes for Beverly Marrero; however, Sara Kyle received the nomination on an 18-16 vote.

As Carol reminded us in her speech (which we will talk about a little later in the post), there were NO bad choices here: Jon and I just believed Beverly was the best choice, having had actual experience in the State Senate.

However, as we know, Sara Kyle is a 20 year veteran of state government with her years on the Public Service Commission and Tennessee Regulatory Authority until she was unceremoniously dumped by the Governor.  She is no slouch, and I can and WILL support her against Dr. George "Al Kapone Supports Me So I Can Carry North Memphis" Flinn in the November election.

It's easy to forget, as Sara has been out of the limelight, that she was raised in a campaigning family, with one uncle (Frank Clement) having served as Governor, one aunt serving in the State Senate (Anna Belle Clement O'Brien, during whose service Sara was introduced to Jim Kyle), as well as  campaigns on her own.  In fact, I would like to talk about that for a minute.

It is my hope that, upon her election (which I believe is not only possible but highly probable) to a Senate where she may have as few as four Democratic colleagues, that she does not become frustrated to the point where she leaves office in two years.  If that were to happen, then I believe last night's vote would be seen as a waste of time.

The truth is that Sara Kyle CAN and SHOULD be a dynamic force, not only here but statewide.  This is really needed at a time when the TNDP appears to be lost and not fully aware of its 'staggering lack of influence.  If she leaves office in two years, I hope that it will be for a bigger office, because she has the gravitas to lead a comeback for this party.  There's a REASON a groundswell took place last year for a possible Governor's run this year; while it didn't happen for various and sundry reasons, one hopes that something like this would be possible for her in the future.

Last night should be a new beginning for the Party, and for Sara Kyle.

Now, to Carol Chumney.   It is no secret that she wants to make another run for mayor of Memphis, and last night's speech about the power of women, despite the apparent refusal of Shelby Countians and Memphians to elect one to an executive office, highlighted that desire.

Whether it's AC Wharton or Jim Strickland carrying the water for the business community, no doubt Carol will be facing an uphill battle, unless she can unite the pro-labor and anti-corporate forces that want to see a change on North Main Street.   Considering that there could be SEVERAL candidates in that race, including Rev. Kenneth Whalum (always a bet to pull a sizable share of the vote), City Councilor Harold Collins (can he get votes outside his Whitehaven base?) and MPA leader Mike Williams (who is making a HUGE mistake if he runs, he will get no traction), it appears to me that all of the candidates who want to challenge the pro-business and pro-corporate forces need to meet and agree on a consensus candidate that may NOT be themselves.

I think of 1999, when all of Mayor Herenton's opponents could not unite, and 2007, when Herman Morris got in and split the anti-Herenton vote and kept Carol from being elected Mayor, and see that it could happen yet again if the anti-administration candidates are numerous.

In short, people, we need a backroom meeting.  (GASP!  QUEL HORREUR! MON DIEU! , Queue the fainting spells!)

I believe there should be a poll commissioned (preferably one done either by the CA or one by all the candidates together) to get an idea of who has the best chance to win.  The question that each candidate needs to ask themselves is this: IS THIS ABOUT ME OR IS IT ABOUT MEMPHIS AND ITS DIRECTION?  Are you willing to get out and support someone who has a better chance of winning, or are you going to stay in, split the vote and have four more years of Status Quo?

I hope that by January, things will be more settled in this regard.  Your thoughts, readers?

Welcome to the Blogosphere, Carol Chumney!

Carol can be found at CarolChumneyOnline.com; her opening post is a good take on the Election Commission problems, go check it out!

Somewhere in this city, Carol Chumney must be shaking her head and laughing

Why, you may ask? Well, it seems that The Med is threatening to close its Emergency Room (but NOT the Elvis Presley Trauma Center) if it fails to get $32 Million in needed funding. Mayor Wharton says that he will keep a focus on The Med even after he becomes Mayor of the city in a few days.

That's all well and good, and I'm glad he is, but is it not true that responsibility for The Med falls under the County, not the City, meaning he has more control over it with the job he is leaving compared to the job he is taking?

Chumney, of course, mentioned this during the campaign several times, beginning with a September 9 press release, which was pretty much ignored by the media, even me. The question becomes this: Why did no one at The Med bother to mention this BEFORE the Mayoral Election?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller (not THAT ONE)? Well, this will soon be Joyce Avery's problem, as well as the County Commission, while Mayor Wharton just walks across the Mall to his new job, showing all the concern in the world, while not really having the power to do anything about it.

While I'm grousing about Wharton, let me kick it up a notch. Mr. Mayor, why did you not give Steve Ross the courtesy of a vote before the Council on Tuesday? If he loses, he loses, but it's HIS loss, not yours. Let the chips fall where they may. If, as a trial lawyer, you have seen far worse than the brawl between The Punk Joe Brown and Shea Flinn, why did you roll over so quickly?

Do you think The Punk Joe Brown didn't notice? Do you honestly think he won't keep doing this, now that he sees that, despite all of our criticism for his Punkness, he got what he wanted? Prepare to keep getting rolled, Mr. Mayor, they're not as deferential on the west side of the Plaza as they were on the east side, they FIGHT over here.

Sidney Chism was right, you ARE going to have to piss people off and take stands now, or you will be in a quagmire of which you may find difficult to extricate yourself. Welcome to the big leagues, Mayor Wharton.

Carol Chumney to have HQ Grand Opening

COUNT ON CAROL CHUMNEY

for MAYOR

VOTE October 15th

Early Vote Sept. 25 - Oct. 10, 2009

Grand Opening Carol Chumney for Mayor

Headquarters: 3179 Poplar Ave.

(across the street from East High School)

Sunday, September 13, 2009 - 3:00 P.M.

Phone: 901-454-4055

Website: https://www.carolchumneyonline.com

Contribute on the campaign website

or mail your check to:

Carol Chumney for Mayor

P.O. Box 770537

Memphis, TN 38177-0537

YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED!

Paid for by Carol Chumney for Mayor, Carol Chumney, Treasurer

Let's think about that video and the upcoming interview, shall we?

By the way, the video was LWC post 1500, some applause, please! Thank you.

Now, you can call Mayor Herenton many things, but stupid isn't one of them. It has been suspected by many that he didn't leave until now because he wanted some say in who replaced him; he said he ran in 2007 to protect the city from Herman Morris and Carol Chumney. Well, while Carol's not doing so hot in our poll over on the right, she's giving Wharton a run for his money at this WREG poll.

Maybe he realizes that Wharton has had slippage because people are a little tired of him as well, and because they are figuring out that he wants Wharton to succeed him. What better way to get AC back in the good graces of those East Memphis and Midtown white folk than to take veiled shots at him like "it would have been UGLY" and "I would have DESCRIBED him"?

The Mayor did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday, people, given the last thing that he wants is a Chumney victory.

Well played, sir, well played, I doff my cap to you.

Wow. Just wow.

Brother Watkins over at West Tennessee Liberal comments on the latest press release and recent actions by our former Councilor and erstwhile (and probably FUTURE) candidate for Mayor.

It's an interesting piece, to say the least; peruse at your leisure...

Miss Chumney wishes to respond.

In response, no doubt, to the published reports that a Wharton campaign for City Mayor in 2011 (or before, perhaps?) is in the planning and fund-raising stage, Carol Chumney has issued the following statement:

I am surprised by the attention given to the potential announcement by County Mayor Wharton that he will begin raising money for a City Mayor election over three years away. Perhaps he has some inside information from his good friend Mayor Herenton that he should share with the citizens.

The people of Memphis should keep in mind that Herenton has made it no secret that he intends to hand-pick his successor. However, the people now know after the last election where Herenton was nearly defeated, that they do have the power to elect their first choice as City Mayor from the many serious contenders who are well-qualified who have their eye on that position.

I do wish Wharton the best during the remainder of his term as County Mayor in addressing the county’s growing fiscal problems, getting the Med properly funded, working to save babies' lives and reducing our ranking as having the highest infant mortality rate in the country, reducing our growing poverty rate, and moving our county up from 11th in the state in terms of economic growth. These problems certainly deserve his full attention.

It’s a new day in politics. On the national level, we are seeing both the Democratic and Republican parties open the door for ground-breaking candidates that will bring real reforms and needed change, and reject the old time good old boy politics of cronyism and corruption. We can do this too in Memphis, and have energetic leadership with the passion, drive and dedication to bring reforms and positive change.

We must make our city safer for families, bring efficiencies to help bring jobs to Memphis, and improve education to help every child have a chance to succeed. We deserve better, and it’s now up to the citizens of Memphis to make their voices heard.

All righty then.

You can't please everyone

While Vibinc and I have noted Carol Chumney's decision not to run, it appears that not everyone is on board with this decision.

Polar Donkey is of the opinion that Carol has consigned herself to the political scrapheap by opting out:

The only way Carol Chumney has any political relevance or future isfor her to run in this special election and get back on the council. Otherwise, she will never get re-elected to the council again and she will never be mayor. Why she can't figure this out is beyond me.

Read the rest of his reasoning HERE.

Carol is OUT for SD-9

Update: with a hat tip to Mr. Baker at the Flyer:

CAROL CHUMNEY ANNOUNCEMENT

8/20/08
Contact Info-486-6891


As you know, I've been devoted to serving Memphis for over 17 years. I will always be grateful for the public's confidence by electing me 7 times as State Representative and 1 time as City Council member, District 5. It was a true honor and will always mean a lot to me.

I put my 17 year career in public service on the line to run for Mayor of Memphis last year because I believe strongly that we can do better in this city. I stand by that decision.

I'm glad to see several good candidates pulling petitions to run for the soon to be vacant City Council At-Large District who can continue to bring needed reforms to the Council. It's good to have some new faces with new ideas on how to make Memphis better.

I thank the many supporters who have called asking me to run for that position. I've had calls from the press and media, and am making this statement in response to those questions.

After prayerful consideration, I have decided not to run for the vacant City Council seat.

I do love and want to serve the people of Memphis, and very much want to be part of bringing the change we need. When the right opportunity presents itself for public service, I'll be ready to again offer my 17 years of state and local government experience, my platform of positive change, my passion, drive and dedication to making this a world-class city, for consideration by the voters.

In the meantime, I'll continue my 21 year private practice as an attorney, volunteering in the community, and spending time with my family and friends.

MPA Endorses Chumney

I was informed moments ago that Carol Chumney has won the endorsement of the Memphis Police Association, to add to her growing list of labor and other endorsements.

The groundswell continues as the quest for REAL CHANGE in the city points toward a Chumney victory in October!

Chumney HQ Kickoff/Rally For Change This Sunday

Rally For Change
Sunday, August 26

2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
2879 Poplar Avenue

Memphis, TN 38111

Join Carol as she opens her headquarters to the public. Now is the time to come together for change. There will be food, drinks, music, yardsigns, special guest speakers and more!

RSVP right here!

An Upward Turn of Events...

Last night, I received a phone call from a close friend of mine who is a principal advisor in the Chumney campaign, and my friend had startling news.

My friend called to tell me that Carol's fundraising, which has been her weak spot up to this point, had taken a dramatic turn for the better since the beginning of August, and she was now pulling in $3000-6000 A DAY.

I stopped my friend and advised that I was too smart to be spun or be fed bullshit. My friend was ADAMANT, noting that they had seen the figures for themselves, and they went on to tell me that the campaign would now more than adequately be able to compete once September hit and the stretch run for the mayor's race hit.

This tells me that people have finally come to the inescapable conclusion that the only candidate capable of unseating the incumbent is Carol Chumney. It stunned me, not because Carol couldn't do it, but because I was not sure that the citizenry of Memphis would give her a chance; this news reaffirms my belief that she can win this race.

She is gaining momentum every day, and I am asking to you to get on board if you want TRUE, SERIOUS change in the operations of the City of Memphis. We have until October 4 to win this race, and if you believe as I do that the future of this city AND this region is at stake, come by and help. Click on this link, and begin the process of reclaiming this city for ALL of its citizens, not just the developers and those who live in gated communities.

If not here, then where? If not now, then when? If not you, then WHO?

The time is now.

The new mayor's poll is out

What? You haven't seen it? All right, go here and look at it, then go to the CA article and look at the link to Steve Ethridge's video about the poll. Go on, I'll wait.

OK, I know Carol took a hit, a solid one, but not a fatal one, not by a longshot. I'd send the condolence cards to Herman first, who is in single digits if Wharton is in, but only at 12% if AC DOESN'T get in. If you read the numbers carefully, and I hope that you do, you will notice that between April, when the first poll came out, and July 8-10 when the poll was taken, Carol lost 12% of her white numbers and AC picked up 16 %.

I believe that was because people really took seriously the idea that AC would run, and he is, after all, the County's most popular political figure by a wide margin.

Now, doesn't it strike you as odd that the CA would decide to do this poll right at the same time as www.draftac.com showed up and all this hoopla of will he/won't he took off? I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.......

I also am going to suggest something else here. I now believe it's not just the developers who are pushing AC to run. There's someone who has a real hope that someone will become Mayor of Memphis that will move this city forward without obsessing too much about the past, especially the most recent past. Someone who will try to fix the problems without mentioning the fellow who helped cause them.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. They had dinner the other night for a reason. All I'm saying is that you should not be surprised if one day this week, prior to Thursday, that there would be a press conference where the two old friends, the Mayors of Memphis and Shelby County, will stride out arm in arm and announce that four terms is enough, and that Mayor Herenton is going to get out and ask us to vote for his friend AC Wharton to succeed him.

Herenton really doesn't want to keep going, but I suspect he would rather eat rusty nails than turn the city over to Chumney or Morris. This way he goes out on his own terms, turning the city over to someone he trusts not to piss on his legacy.

His legacy is that he has done more for Downtown than any other mayor of Memphis, and I would be hard-pressed to dispute that. The Poplar Corridor and Codova have done well, too.

However, the irony of all of this is that the poorest parts of town, which also have higher concentrations of African-Americans, have suffered with job losses, higher crime, higher drug use, and higher poverty. That is part of his legacy, too, like it or not.

If this happens, I also expect Herman Morris to get out, maybe to run for a Super District seat. However, while I can't speak for Carol, let me just say that I think it would be more likely for me to become a swimsuit model than for Carol to exit the Mayor's race. She knows this is about something bigger than herself, it's about giving people who AREN'T developers, who AREN'T trying to get a contract with the city, a real voice at City Hall. She's there to work for EVERYONE.

And what if Wharton gets in and Herenton stays in? Prepare for an uglier race than last year's 9th District Democratic Primary.

If AC stays out??? Carol and Mayor Herenton are dead even, and it will be a whole lot of fun!

Mayor Wharton, let's talk...

Well, here we are again, and I want to address this to our County Mayor, who is being begged to run for City Mayor against his old buddy, W.W. Herenton.

Mayor Wharton, I maintain that you are the most popular figure in this County, and some people want you to run because they think you're great.  Other people think, mistakenly, that you're the only one who can beat Mayor Herenton.

Let's level with each other, shall we? You KNOW what this is about.  Sure, Reverends Gray & Adkins are wanting to get revenge against Herenton (who doesn't?), but, for the REAL drivers behind this, Bobby Lanier & Karl Schledwitz, this isn't about Herenton, who is mortally wounded as a candidate and they know it.  

This is about stopping Chumney, just like it was 5 years ago.  Carol has a growing base of support among a diverse group of people who are tired of seeing the city atrophy, except for Downtown, due to neglect and policies that grease the way for developers to build subdivisions that diminish our resources as a city.  I'm sure that both of these guys, your "friends", had to change their drawers when they saw that CA poll showing Carol with a big lead.

You don't help anyone but these guys if you run.  Look, Mayor Wharton, Herenton is a wounded bear in his death throes, and if you run, while you may win, WW is going to do EVERYTHING possible to destroy you.  Don't think he won't bring up the personal tragedy of your son's situation.  If you have ever done ANYTHING wrong, it will be in the street, you can count on it.  How can that help when you run for Governor in 2010?

Don't play coy, we KNOW that's why you were raising money earlier this year, you want to make a run for Bredesen's seat.  If you do, great, you could only be an improvement.  However, if you run for Mayor of Memphis, all of your dirty laundry, however much or little that is, will be out there, because Herenton will have put it there.

Mr. Mayor, wouldn't it be better to save that money? Let Carol become your partner across the Mall who can work with you on the pressing issues of the day, rather than having to fight with whoever might replace you in the County Building.

Mr. Mayor, in your heart, you KNOW you don't want to do this.  Tell all of them thanks, but NO thanks, you have a job to do and it's the one to which you were re-elected last year.

Carol will take care of Herenton on her own and then we'll ALL be better off.

CHUMNEY at Drinking Liberally TONIGHT!

Come to Drinking Liberally TONIGHT at 6:30 to hear Carol answer questions from the wild and woolly DL crowd, of which you could be a part! Herman came close to filling the house, we need to completely fill it!

It is at DISH at the corner of Cooper and Young...

Wintermute creates Chumney Blogger Button

I had been looking for one of these, and had asked the Chumney staff to do this, but 'Mute stepped up to the plate!



Go there and get the code...

Here are the Pics from Chumney's Filing

It's time to get this party started!

Thanks to Wintermute for the brightening of the first picture.

Chumney files Tuesday morning

And I will be there.  If you are a Chumney supporter (and I hope you are) please come down to the Election Commission offices by 9:45 A.M. on Tuesday morning as Carol files for Mayor of Memphis at 10 A.M., with comments to follow.

This will be an interesting summer, and if you are supporting Carol (or if you're undecided) then come join us!

Update: I overslept, people, that's why I wasn't there....

All right people, let's pay attention here..

Like most of you, I was initially dumbfounded when my councilor, Carol Chumney, abstained on Jack Sammons' resolution to remove Joseph Lee as MLGW CEO. WTF?

Well, as Carol's letter to the CA points out, the Sammons resolution amounted to, to steal a phrase, a tale told by an idiot, filled with sound and fury, signifying NOTHING.

Sammoons' resolution would have asked Joseph Lee to resign. Hey, Jack, did you forget that LEE ALREADY RESIGNED??? It's our pigheaded Mayor who REFUSED TO ACCEPT LEE'S RESIGNATION. So, your answer is to ask him to do something he already did?

Sammons' resolution was there to A) take the pressure OFF the Mayor, B) try and trap Carol in to piling on to Lee, and C) make Carol look bad, because he's in the pocket of the developers who want to keep Carol out of the Mayor's office.

Carol's resolution, which didn't get a second, would have put the pressure back on Herenton to accept Lee's resignation. Seeing what her fellow Councilor was trying to do, she wisely backed off and abstained, preventing this meaningless piece of crap from passing. As Carol noted:

My resolution asking the mayor to accept Lee's resignation puts the responsibility where it belongs -- back on the mayor, whose lack of leadership has perpetuated this politically and racially charged controversy. Under the city charter, without written charges, a trial and a judgment, the council has no power to remove Lee. All of this is orchestrated to take the heat off the mayor.

It's difficult in an age where we are besieged with meaningless information to see below the surface as to what's REALLY happening, but this is one of those times where you have to look, or you'll miss the real story. Carol was right, there's a right way and wrong way to do things; Sammons has done them wrong for so long, he's forgotten the difference.

Wow, all hell is breaking loose!

Well, we're eleven days from the nominating petitions even being AVAILABLE, and the filing deadline isn't until July 19! Yet, the jockeying for position in the Mayor's race is hot and heavy.

First, we had the polls commissioned by Karl Schledwitz and Richard Fields showing that the Mayor was trailing Carol Chumney. Now, the daily fishwrap has gotten into the act, asking Steve Ethridge to poll Memphians about the race, and guess what? Ethridge finds the same thing, showing my Councilor leading everyone there, too.

Apparently the developers are getting scared again that Carol could win and threaten their empire of sprawl; more than one source has indicated that the Schledwitz poll was intended to scare County Mayor AC Wharton into the race. However, that was before the troubling news that Mayor Wharton's eldest son had been arrested in Knoxville on statutory rape charges.

I really don't believe that Mayor Wharton will make this race, whether Mayor Herenton gets out or not. No, Mayor Wharton's popularity will not be remotely affected by his son's situation, but I can't imagine trying to run for public office while this is happening, just because his head and heart wouldn't be in it.

It's a long freaking way just to the FILING DEADLINE, much less the campaign, but some things are clear:

1) The city is of a consensus: HERENTON MUST GO.

2) For now, before the bloodletting campaign begins, Chumney is the pre-race favorite because of her bulldog-like opposition to Herenton.

3) Nice and unthreatening to the city's power structure as he seems, Herman Morris doesn't seem to be getting any traction with the average citizen.

4) John Willingham, District 2 is calling for you, and you'd better listen; your mayoral campaign only helps one person, and his name is Willie Herenton.

5) Carol still needs to get a plan out there; at some point, people will start to ask, we know who and what you're against, as we are, too, but what will you DO to fix these problems, what are you FOR?

However, we're still a ways off yet from the official start of the campaign, so there's time for all that to shake itself out.

UPDATE: Bob at 55-40 has a really good take on all of this.