Shifting ground in the race for mayor of Atlanta
For the first time in more than a generation, a white candidate stands a chance of becoming mayor of Atlanta.
This is not a topic that Mary Norwood, the two-term, at-large member of city council, wants to dwell on.
“We all come in our packages. This is the package I got. It’s not very big. It’s good and feisty. And it’s real passionate,” she said over a recent lunch.
The last viable white candidate was Sidney Marcus, a prominent state lawmaker who worked his way into a runoff with Andrew Young in 1981. Marcus lost, of course.
There are many reasons to place Norwood in the same league, or better. She is driven and organized. In June, Norwood became the first 2009 mayoral candidate to break the $1 million mark in fund-raising.
But this is not just something about Mary. Far from it.
In the last decade, the city of Atlanta has experienced a population revolution.
We won’t know the details until after the next census. But there’s every reason to believe that the city’s poorest voters have lost their place as the cornerstone of Atlanta politics. And that a young, wealthier, biracial mix of new residents — many of them professional — has replaced them.
A buppy-wuppy alliance, if you’ll pardon the flippancy.
“It’s like the population of the city has been thrown into a blender,” said Harvey Newman, professor of public administration and urban studies at Georgia State University.
Estimates are that, from 2000 to 2007, the city of Atlanta’s population exploded by 23 percent, which translates into 102,671 new residents. That’s the equivalent of 40 people moving within the city limits each day, every day.
At least until the Great Recession, condos and apartments like those found in Atlantic Station served as magnets. “Raging gentrification” is another factor, Newman said.
“Now you can go from downtown Atlanta virtually all the way to Decatur on the east side, and go from one gentrifying neighborhood to another,” the GSU professor said.
Nor is the reclamation of old housing limited by race or geography. West End and adjacent communities saw an influx of new African-American residents with rebuilding on their minds, Newman said.
In those seven years of growth, the city’s white population increased from 31 percent to 36 percent. Atlanta’s black population dipped from 61 to 57 percent, Newman said.
But those single-digit shifts are only part of the radical demographic change that Atlanta has experienced.
In the mid-1980s, public housing residents were a stronger presence in Atlanta than in any city in the nation — scattered over 42 government reservations for the poor.
Beginning with Maynard Jackson in 1973, the projects became the place where mayoral campaigns were birthed. They represented an edge of 10,000 and more votes, overwhelmingly African-American, that usually determined the outcome.
“When Andy [Young] was being persuaded to run for mayor, they lined up all the tenant presidents — usually older black women who ran their public housing organizations like master sergeants,” recalled Angelo Fuster, a long-time City Hall insider. “You lined those up and that gave you a significant share of the vote.”
Entire political machines could be created with flyers, word of mouth, and a fleet of vans or taxis to haul voters to the polls.
But in addition to concentrating voters, those dismal, mismanaged warehouses were packed with crime and vermin. And in case you haven’t noticed, they’ve nearly disappeared.
By November, 23 of 25 family housing projects in Atlanta will have been demolished.
Bowen Homes met the bulldozer last month. By Election Day, the population of the projects will have dwindled from a one-time high of 50,000 to a few hundred. Only high-rises for the elderly remain.
Ousted project residents have been sent to live with the general population. And their departure has shaken Atlanta politics.
“A lot of those folks have moved elsewhere in the metro Atlanta area,” Fuster said. “But more significantly, even if they’re still here, there’s no organization that can marshal them, organize people to vote and work in campaigns.”
Mayoral campaigns have set to work — in search of those tested voters who have vanished, and untested ones, newly arrived.
Lisa Borders, now the president of the Atlanta City Council, recently named state Rep. Stacey Abrams as her new campaign manager. The move was explained as a shift of emphasis from fund-raising to fieldwork.
“You have to work harder and dig deeper,” said state Sen. Vincent Fort, a supporter of mayoral candidate Kasim Reed, a Senate colleague. “It requires a new style and technological proficiency.”
And Norwood? She keeps meticulous track of her yard signs: 40 percent in Buckhead, 40 percent on the south side, and 20 percent in northeast Atlanta.
It would be an overstatement to say that anything is now possible in Atlanta politics. But many new things are.
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54 comments Add your comment
Base
July 19th, 2009
5:06 pm
So who cares, the city is still a transportation nightmare for whoever gets the job.No one has a plan.
Duston
July 19th, 2009
5:30 pm
Transportation is still better then us here in DC, and we even have a light rail and metro system that works. I would take ATL transportation problem anyday!!!
George Bush
July 19th, 2009
5:51 pm
propaganda nice try though LOL
david
July 19th, 2009
5:55 pm
She will be the same as the others,just by assocation.The city of Atlanta will vote black regardless of how good the white candidate is.They need to vote for the best qualified candidate,althought he is to rich and smart to take on the black machine.He will just do his radio/tv job and do it well!
It 'don't' matter if you're B or W
July 19th, 2009
6:14 pm
With all that has happened in Atlanta the past few years, I’m ready for a change of “landscape.” I’m Black, and I’m tired of seeing the Maynard-Andy-Campbell-Franklin machine and shenanigans continue. I’m sick of it. They are all in bed with each other (add Luz to that, for Shirley). All politicians are the same, for the most part and there’s been plenty of White political scandal and ineptitude in this city and state (Swindall, Gingrich, Purdue, Zell, and others). But, as some song says, A Change will do you good.” I’m with you david: I wish CH would run. He’d get the finances in shape, at least. Even though my credit rating is higher than what I heard his is. Whoever will clean up the city, decrease crime, give honor/pay to our public service workers, and better those pitiful schools in Atlanta needs to win. Fortunately I live OTP, so, y’all have fun now, ya’ hear!
Voice of Reason #1
July 19th, 2009
6:21 pm
‘Base’, add water, crime, education to your transportation need for the city. And a decrease in ATL celebrity-centered news. With things the way they are, it’s going to be a mess to clean up. And I say instead of HOV’s and HOT lane, just open all lanes up to everyone. No one uses those special lanes as they should to make them effective. Most people are not going to give up their cars. Open them up!
FairandBalanced
July 19th, 2009
7:07 pm
“I would hope that a wise white candidate, with the richness of his/her experiences, would more often than not reach a better conclusion than an african american who hasn’t lived that life,”
Lilard of South Georgia
July 19th, 2009
7:17 pm
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary will definitely be in a run-off for Mayor. The question is simply this: Which African American candidate will she face? Woodard (Woodward?) defeated Michael Bond in the run-off for President of the City Council a few years back, and then she threw it all away to run against Cynthia. She lost. The times are changing. Shirley had all of the developers’ money. All of the housing projects came down. Any connections? You decide. Besides, they had Clayton County where they could send the projects’ students. Clayton was such an easy set-up. It already had an easy villain. They could blame all of its ills on a white man, John Trotter. They will let it run itself into the ground with a “perfect” and “willing” leader in Eldrin Bell. Bell couldn’t even stay in Clayton County on his election night in 2004; he had to saunter up to Fulton to party on that night. You think that he is loyal to Clayton? Ha. Clayton is the perfect dumping ground. The property values need to be driven southward before the Big Boys come in and buy up this prime real estate. Only county in the USA with four Interstate Highways (I-85, I-75, I-285, and I-675) running through it. Most (about 80%) of the busiest airport in the world is located inside of this county, with the new international terminal soon to be built inside of this county.
Yes, the new mayor of Atlanta will have to amenable to the developers. Will this new mayor be Mary or Kasim? Borders is a bit player, with Tom Cousins and crew hedging the developers’ bets just like they did in the days of Maynard and Andy. Not all of the developers’ monies will be put in just one camgaign. They had rather deal with Kasim. He is a businessman, is sharp, but makes them a little uneasy. It will be easier to co-opt an African American woman like Lisa Borders. Mary (Quite Contrary) will actually be the most difficult one to deal with. She is the “true believer.” Kasim learned real politick at the feet of his father, June Reed. June (yes, this is his real name) played footsie with the GOP in the days of BUSH 41. Kasim was just a teenager back then, getting ready to make a name for himself at Howard.
Who do the developers put most of their money behind? Don’t worry. They will hedge their monies. Norward and Reed? Norwood and Borders? I think that Norwood makes the run-off. She presents a problem to the developers who care only about green. Not the environment. Atlanta has always been a green city. (c) The Georgia Citizen
Bjamil
July 19th, 2009
7:19 pm
FairandBalanced. Like that. Great. Sotomayor.
MR Geography
July 19th, 2009
7:51 pm
Lilard of South Georgia, are you saying that clayton is the only county in the us with 4 interstates running through it, I believe fulton has 285, 75, 85, and 20 running through it. Dallas County, TEXAS has I 20, 30, 35, 40, and 635 running through it, jefferson county, alabama has I 20, 50, 65, and 459, there are many other counties with 4 or more, you should look that stuff up before you blurt that out.
MR Geography
July 19th, 2009
7:56 pm
dekalb county ga also has 4 with I 675, 85, 285, and 20. Cobb county also has I-20, 75, 575 and 285 going through them!!!
Lilard of South Georgia
July 19th, 2009
8:03 pm
Raised your ire, did I?
Lilard of South Georgia
July 19th, 2009
8:12 pm
Mr. Geography (not Grammar): I thought that a question mark (”?”) ended an interrogatory, not a comma (”,”). Yes, I, Lilard, have lived all my life in Vidalia Country and only get to traverse I-16 once per year when we travel to Savannah to visit Uncle Gunward. Yippee! I apparently was wrong! Rush! Everyone now rush to buy up some valuable land near Clayton’s Flint River. Remember that Jonesboro is the nation’s Little Continental Divide! Is that true, Professor Geography? Quick! Get on Google and do your awesome research! By the way, what is your name, please? Did your mother really name you “MR [sic.] Geography”? By the way, Jim, I have been missing you on the Gang!
Lilard of South Georgia
July 19th, 2009
8:24 pm
Mr. Geography: I don’t think that I would try to get nasty with Lilard of South Georgia on this blog or on other AJC blogs. I have eaten so many Vidalia Onions in my life that I ain’t sweet no more. I can be a pure b_tch on these blogs when you try to get smart with me. I’ve got you covered, Mr. Geography. By the way, Dr. D. says “Hel-ler.” Do you teach with him? I think that he was the one who furnished me the misinformation about the interstates, but he teaches Languages, not Geography. Et tu, Brutus?
Johnson
July 19th, 2009
8:25 pm
I don’t know what difference it makes, all politicians are full of crap. They will never change anything. They are all out to get whtat they can get. We as wise citizens do not believe that you needed a tax increase to raise $56 million. I saw on the news where the city of Atlanta spent over $50 million for a new payroll system. I believe it was a year of so ago. Talk about waste of money. Talk about stealing from taxpayers.
Noah
July 19th, 2009
8:29 pm
transportation in the city of Atlanta is not terrible, its the suburbs that has the worst traffic. Moreover the forward thinking beltline project will increase public transit big time by tying 22 miles of light rail into the current marta system.
Jane
July 19th, 2009
8:34 pm
Never fear at the last moment John Lewis and the Mayor will pull the same racial political trick that they pulled in the Fulton county chairman’s race. A white liberal will have a tough time getting elected.
Lilard Again...
July 19th, 2009
8:52 pm
That’s it. Move on the discussion under three new monikers (Johnson, Noah, Jane). Pitiful. Yeah, I am full of p-ss and vinegar this afternoon. I am tired of this little Henry County sneak who wants to throw out names and yet wants to hide behind his many made-up monikers. He has, on occasion, Jim, been a smart-_ss with you too, even deprecating your journalistic skills and having the temerity to comment on your forehead. He’s hiding now. He ain’t such a smart-_ss now. Politicians full of crap? No, this Henry County serial blogger is full of crap. I, Lilard of South Georgia, have had enough of this fake. Thanks, Jim, for your timely and many topics. I just thought, that as a Woman of the Sweet Onion, I needed to call out this insipid sneak this afternoon. Tchau, tchau!
MyCityOfAtlanta
July 19th, 2009
9:10 pm
Just wanted to point out Lilard that your repetitive off-topic posts defeat the point of blogging on a political blog. Someone pointed out a minor mistake you made… oh well. It happens. Let it go and allow other people to contribute to this blog in a meaningful manner as you did in your first post. (No offense is intended) Regarding the blog topic, as a long time resident of GA and Fulton County, I am utterly disappointed with the direction this city is heading. Crime is out of control, the budget is bleeding red, city departments are inefficient and wasteful, etc. I hope come election day, the residents, of what I believe to be a great city, use their votes wisely and vote for the most qualified candidate and not for skin color.
Don
July 19th, 2009
9:30 pm
Nice try, Gunnie. I don’t think that Lilard is keeping anyone from blogging. I think that she was just miffed at some smartass. I rather like her spunk. I also enjoyed her insights about the mayoral race. Lilard, you’re OK with me, girl.
david
July 19th, 2009
10:08 pm
TO..It does not matter. I concede that we have bad white officials with in state goverment.Sonny,Cagle,and Richardson have screwed up the state the way Shirley and the gang have done.I do not think it is a race issue,rather electing crooks who are after anything they can steal!If the city keeps breaking up in to smaller towns it will cease to exist.Take for example the county of gwinnett building a ball park and they say they are broke and laying off good people.MY CLOSING IS YOU SHOULDNOT SPEND IT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT.Maybe we can talk again.
Julie Brown
July 19th, 2009
10:34 pm
Do not let recent polls fool you, Borders or Reed will be the next Mayor of Atlanta. It is highly possible that Norwood will be in a run-off. To that end, in my humble opinion, the ending result will be the same as Hillary & Barack during the democratic primary. This is not about race, but simply the facts as I see it.
Coyote
July 19th, 2009
11:06 pm
I was anxious before opening your blog, sensing that it was yet another weak AJC argument why we intown residents should support another downtown business community (i.e. developer-picked) candidate for mayor of Atlanta. Lo and behold, one of your writers must have turned off of a gridlocked I-75 on his drive in from East Cobb and noticed one of the hundreds of Mary Norwood yard signs.
The thesis of Mr. Galloway’s article was entirely predictable. In typical, historic, AJC editorial fashion, a white candidate could not possibly be elected because she had been passionately involved in Atlanta city politics, working on behalf of ordinary citizens living in Atlanta neighborhoods, for almost 20 years. No, it would have to be because the demographics had shifted, because all the rich folks, black and white, had run out all of the poor folks, black and white, into surrounding counties.
Shirley Franklin looks really good when she is compared to her felon predecessor, Bill Campbell. But those who have dealings with the City (and I am not one of them) tell me that it’s more of the same, or worse, just with a better PR spin. Those who pay ever-increasing Atlanta taxes and see deteriorating city services (and I surely am one of them), know that Shirley Franklin’s campaign manager, Kasim Reed, or “high-rise” Lisa Borders will only bring us more of the same. Do we have any reason to believe otherwise?
Mary Norwood has attracted support from the ignored homeowners of the Southside to the ignored homeowners of the Northside because she has been our voice in city government. She has backed up her calls for openness and accountability with her leadership of the Council in unanimously voting to override Mayor Frankin’s veto of an audit of city department financing. Why not open the books for all to see?
The November election is not about the color of the candidate or the demographics of the city. It is about whether voters in the city of Atlanta want more of the same waste and inefficiency, or whether they want a noticeable change for the better in the way the city government serves them.
I’m voting for Mary.
zeke
July 19th, 2009
11:33 pm
About time! Atlanta will never have a viable mayor and government until the voters get off black for black’s sake and elect a QUALIFIED MAYOR AND A QUALIFIED COUNCIL!!!
Marcus Graham
July 19th, 2009
11:51 pm
It’s Atlanta………………who cares……compared to the rest of the USA?
dude
July 20th, 2009
12:02 am
The race of the candidate will not have anything to do with it if the candidate can relate well to the voters. Clark Howard would win the race in a landslide if he ran. Most think he is qualified, likable, relateable, and he has instant name recognition. Black folks aren’t mindless drones willing to vote for anyone black. In fact its been black voters mores than whites willingly to vote for others outside of their race.
Yawn
July 20th, 2009
12:20 am
Honestly, the problem is that NONE of the three frontrunners is all that exciting. The expectation is that Norwood’s going to take care of Buckhead and give south Atlanta the middle finger. Reed and Borders (just like Franklin, Campbell, Young and Jackson)will continue to take care of their HBCU friends who act like they own the city. Depending on your perspective, either of those expectations could be good or bad. But the real issue is how will these candidates change city government and who will they bring into city hall to run the departments?
The parade of incompetent boobs currently running city government is unbelievable. This administration has ignored department heads who don’t come to work, department heads who, almost 8 years later, still don’t do thier jobs and department heads who spend more time setting up their next job opportunity than running their departments.
Wake up taxpayers! Start asking the right questions or you’ll get the same song, second verse.
John
July 20th, 2009
6:35 am
The last 2 (black) mayors have run this city right into the ground. We all know Campbell’s legacy of corruption. Not as well remembered is the incompetence and corruption of Franklin’s administration. We have had scandal after scandal. Does anyone remember when the water department was busted for stealing cash and marking water bills as paid? How about the misuse of city credit cards for personal expenses like getting their nails done? Then we have news worthy items like Franklin’s son in law who is doing life in prison and her daughter who was convicted of money laundering. When there was talk of privatizing the airport and possibly injecting the area with millions of dollars to offset our taxes, Franklin and Delta squashed the idea, coincidentally at a time when her family members had businesses at the airport. The list of scandals goes on and on. This city is teetering on the edge and I blame our last 2 mayors for putting us there. That is why, for the first time, I’m voting along racial lines. Mary Norwood will probably get my vote because that is the only chance we have for stopping this business as usual jobs machine for incompetent and corrupt city workers that the City of Atlanta has become. It is a darn shame that it has come to this. Thanks Shirley.
Gunny & Trinia G.
July 20th, 2009
7:10 am
I don’t live in the City (well, I live in the City of Stockbridge) but I will speak with great authority on the issues pertaining to the City of Atlanta and the County of Clayton because I have fun making fun of the boobs who work there. I like to throw stones in glass houses.
Gunny & Don
July 20th, 2009
7:14 am
Oh Please! Leave us alone!
politicaloppp
July 20th, 2009
11:19 am
Why should anyone trust Mary Norwood or Lisa Borders. They have sat on the City Council for years and made this city what it is today. First, Lisa Borders hasn’t voted on anything. She has no voice. How can she speak for anyone on their issues. Secondly, Mary Norwood doesn’t even know how the city is run. She says, “for years we have had different accounting procedures and that’s why we don’t know how much money we have,” Is that someone you want for a mayor? My goodness, fresh ideas need to come from someone that hasn’t been part of the problem is what the city needs. Mary Norwood comes to committee meetings unprepared, asks stupid questions just to get face time on t.v. and hasn’t a clue as to how the city operates. Voters should be conscious of candidates that are just running because it is the next step up the political ladder. Mary Norwood gets in the run-off simply because of the demographics–that’s it. We definitely don’t need to City Council members in a run-off. Lisa Borders has been inconsistent from day one. What has she accomplished that makes me think she is ready to run the city. When seven people including your commuications director leaves your campaign something is wrong with the candidate.
jason
July 20th, 2009
3:27 pm
I hope whites don’t just vote white and blacks don’t just vote black. Both races have a record of voting down racial lines. Why is it ok for north Atlanta and gentrified East Atlanta to vote white but not ok for southside blacks do the same. Vote for the best person! Period. We need to clean out our city council too! What a bunch of morons. Sorry if I am crude. That include the white council members too. The whole place needs to be gutted black and white. Oh and that horrible Watershed Commisioner has got to go!
A Political Demographer
July 20th, 2009
3:46 pm
Even a cursory look at the crosstabs from the Insider Advantage poll will dispell the notion that Norwood’s commanding lead has anything to do with changing demographcs. Insider Advantage reports that among African-American voters, Norwood has 32.4% compared to Borders 12.5 and Reed 4.8%. In other words, Norwood has twice the African-American support that Borders and Reed do combined. This election is not about changing demographics. It’s about long-term demonstrated commitment to making the city work for ordinary voters again. There’s a reason Norwood is in the lead: people know her and know she cares what happens to them in their neighborhoods. It’s not as interesting a story, but it is what’s happening out there.
politicaloppp
July 20th, 2009
4:17 pm
Seems to me the Mary Norwood campaign staffer is not to bright. It is changing demographics that will get Mary Norwood into a run-off. A seasoned campaign should know that the only reason African Americans polled high for Mary Norwood is because of the way the question was posed. They may know Norwood’s name, however, the final analysis is they will not vote for Norwood because they can’t trust her politics. Polling African Americans is difficult. Many are just telling you what you want to hear. ha. ha. ha
A Political Demographer
July 20th, 2009
4:28 pm
Read the poll, politicaloppp. It was not a name recognition question. It was a horserace question. If the election were held next Tuesday the Insider Advantage poll suggests quite strongly that Norwood would win and that the subsequent analysis of that win would not be some simplistic re-hashing of the old “changing demographics” line. What is chaning are voters expectations of what a local governmetn should delvier for them. Not unlike the Burrell Ellis win last year in DeKalb. Good government matters, and it matters more today to ordinary voters all across Atlanta than it did a decade ago. That’s the change. Not the demographics.
politicaloppp
July 20th, 2009
6:17 pm
Burrell Ellis should never be compared to Mary Norwood. Burrell is an astute elected official and understands how government is run. Mary Norwood doesn’t understand how policy making works. However, people have hung their hat on polls and most of the time the ending result did not match up to the poll. Mark Taylor said African Americans polled high on crime. However, is first commercial spot was the beginning of the end for Taylor. African Americans are concerned about crime, but we’re more concerned about a good education for our children, quality jobs and healthcare. Stop thinking you know what you don’t know.
A Political Demographer
July 20th, 2009
7:21 pm
The point is was making was not to compare Norwood and Ellis (though both are honest, a rarity) but to compare the political environments in which the one was elected and the other is running. And indeed some scepticism about polls are in order, but you might want to pull up the archve at 538 dot com for November 08 to see just how close reputeably pollsters (such as Inside Advantage, the pollster under discussion here) got to the results. So it’s simply silly to keep reaching for some reason to dismiss the underlying reality here: Insider Advantage reports that among African-American voters, Norwood has 32.4% compared to Borders 12.5% and Reed 4.8%. In other words, Norwood has twice the African-American support that Borders and Reed do combined. And that gets back to the original reason I posted: with that kind of broad-based support, Norwood’s being in first place has nothing to do with demographic changes and everything to do with her long-term involvement throughout the city with an electorate ready and eager to vote for someone who will make the city work for them again.
Charles,
July 21st, 2009
9:28 am
Good information about the candidates and demographics.
Louversia
Charles,
July 21st, 2009
10:05 am
Hi Charles,
This is the article about the up coming candidates and what they bring to the table.
Louversia
Edwina
July 21st, 2009
10:41 am
“A Political Demographer”? “politicaloppp”? They both sound like a bunch of laid-off campaign staffers to me. LOL! I just hope y’all are getting a little kickback from this grandstanding on Political Insider.
At the end of the day, it’s really between Borders and Norwood. Reed’s stoic demeanor will be his downfall (despite his large financial war chest), Thomas’ “angry young Black man” schtick will wear thin, and poor Jesse will have fallen asleep at his campaign office plantation. The other candidates — which really are jokes at this point — will recede further into the shadowed obscurity they all share.
Hell, y’all should get ME to write about this! LOL!
A Political Demographer
July 21st, 2009
11:50 am
Edwina says that I and politicaloppp “sound like a bunch of laid-off campaign staffers to me” – isn’t that irrelevant? You might address the ideas advanced, not make an ad hominem attack. I didn’t see you argue anything to counter that Norwood has put together a bi-racial coalition capable of winning and governing, as shown by Insider Advantage’s poll that among African-American voters, Norwood has 32.4% compared to Borders 12.5% and Reed 4.8%, meaning that (and this was the original point) that Norwood’s lead is not adequately explained by demographic changes alone. Number are numbers, whoever cites them, and you Reed and Borders partisans ought to grapple with them rather than dismiss them out of hand. By the way, when will Borders and Reed release their polls? Norwood released hers.
A Political Demographer
July 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
How interesting. Things went quiet as soon as I asked when Borders and Reed will release their polls. If politicaloppp or Edwina or any of the other bloggers here clearly allied with or employed by one campaign or another had any new data to bring up to counter the fact that Insider Advantage’s poll shows that among African-American voters, Norwood has 32.4% compared to Borders 12.5% and Reed 4.8%, he or she would have done so already. Silence speaks.
A Political Demographer
July 21st, 2009
9:07 pm
Still no offers from Reed and Borders to release their polls, I see. The word leaking out from Reed’s campaign at last weekend’s CFA Candidates’ Forum was that Norwood’s lead had grown, up to 41 or 42%. (Perhaps some rounded up while some rounded down …) All of us who observe from the sidelines of this election and analyze the numbers would love to have some more data. In the interest of science, Reed and Borders should release their polls.
crazy Norwood
July 21st, 2009
9:10 pm
Those who know her best know that we are all screwed if Mary wins.
newA
July 21st, 2009
11:36 pm
Borders is indecisive (proven by her removing herself/ then re-inserting herself into the race & her recent shift in her campaign’s leadership). There is no way I’d want her to be my mayor. Norwood has been on the city council, which is as much to blame as the mayor’s office. Also, she does not appear to understand clearly the current state of the city’s finances and her stance on the furloughs was unclear.
Change in Atlanta
July 23rd, 2009
3:35 pm
If any of these Person is elected for Mayor please close Pine street Homeless shelter down because the crime rate is up in midtown and I cant even walk of my door without one of the same homeless people baegging for $1.00 the same one’s for years still on the street begging especially the one in the wheel chair on ponce de leon and peachtree i am going to move of that area because of the homeless problem.
Mara
July 25th, 2009
2:59 am
It is really interesting to read all of this, but some of you don’t realize how serious this is. We have two leading candidates who do not have a clue on how to run the city. Mary, I have worked with her and Lisa, not on their campaigns but city hall. They are wonderful ladies to have tea with or go to a game, but neither of the two will be able to run this city. They will get eaten alive and we will all be in a worse space. The guys are all weird but Kasim Reed is the only person that I can see has what it takes. His facial expressions remind me of the preachers in black churches but what he is saying he will do and has done really does please me and my desire to keep my family in Atlanta. Please just vote on the best candidate for Atlanta. Do not vote about race, it has never gotten us anywhere and it won’t now. All is at stake.
newA
July 29th, 2009
6:15 pm
Mara, I agree. I am with Reed as well…
paleface on the southside
August 7th, 2009
12:02 am
Just met Kasim Reed Tuesday at a Night Out Crime event in SW Atl and a group of us were discussing issues with him in our community and we all looked at each other after the discussions and shook our head in unison. He will be torn to shreds. We need a tireless and fearless leader not a wimp. No fire in his belly. Now Mary, she’s got fire. And she doesn’t need to be in city hall to fill her pockets. She genuinely cares about this city and direction it needs to go. The city stooges in place now won’t let her near the records that would really show how horrible the record keeping is. That is why she is running that is the only way she can see what’s going on and she will fix it. It’ll be tough. Obviously I am supporting her. And I am a southside paleface (white) voting for the Caucasian American (white) female. And isn’t referring to a black person as African-American like calling a roach a palmetto bug…..
Jane
August 7th, 2009
1:00 am
Geez..I see someone else has taken my name, and it ain’t me.
I’ve been here for 40 years this fall…and the fall of Atlanta is gathering speed.
Racial lines? Come on! That is what happens here….blacks are bused in to vote for some black candidate, and whites cling in fear to the white candidate.
Now, the corruption of Atlanta is pretty deep…Franklin is pouting because she didn’t get that call from DC, Pennington is dragging his ass because it’s obviously tied to Shirley’s apron strings…and Mary Norwood? She is certainly NOT answering my emails, though she’s been in my house numerous times. Norwood is a feisty woman who has a good heart but I think she won’t survive the racial politics IF she gets in office. She will be shoved off the bridge. Kasim Reed? Part of that slick black machine. More of the same. Borders? a dilettante.
There is no candidate that can fill the necessary shoes, and I don’t mean Shirley’s. She is a total washout. What a surprise and a disappointment.
The way I see it Reed will win because it’s business as usual in Atlanta. And he’s black. And he’s a man….the same ol’ same old.
Sorry. I feel like sitting this one out.
Amri Johnson
August 7th, 2009
7:56 pm
I think Atlantans will vote for the candidate with the best plan. Despite the belief of many, black people vote for who they think is the best candidate. Sure, black folks votes overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, but look who he was running against (the muffled John McCain of recent days w/Sarah Palin vs. the viable John McCain of old potentially with a more viable VP candidate), and look at his strengths.
Don’t assume black people vote for someone just because they are black, it is not true.
Norwood is engaging, smart, adn strong, right now she is my front runner and if nothing changes, I think she will be Mayor. Remember, financial troubles or not 5-7+ years ago, she started talking about the transportation plan in earnest.
Goodness
August 22nd, 2009
11:41 pm
OMG! as a new comer to the city all of 27 months, it amazes me about the politics here. I am a black women and I do believe the city would be great in the hands of a women, borders or norwood is fine with me. Mr.Reed? Well he could be very well more of the same unless he makes it a point to be what he said he is “his own man” and make tough decisions regardless of any promises he may have made to the machine if it still exists. This will be an interesting race.
Atlantan
August 24th, 2009
11:31 am
Where have our ethics gone people?? Has politics really become this desperate? I don’t want to point fingers but I’d keep my eye on the likes of Norwood, afterall, her campaign is full of stealth. . . I wouldn’t be surprised if she went this far. . .Shame
Steve-o
August 27th, 2009
1:00 pm
Spikes, Borders, Reed….all gave to Barrack Obama’s campaign per the Huffington Post.That’s not the CHANGE Atlanta needs. Anti business and tax-tax-tax. Vote for those three if you want to further destroy our city. The past and current city government has run Atlanta into the ground. Franklin fires police officers, firemen and sanitation workers to make budget cuts…..but didn’t reduce that redundant staff that “supports” her. Most of those people probably don’t even show up. Vote Norwood.