Shirley Franklin: Mary Norwood hasn’t demonstrated competence needed to be ATL mayor
On Saturday afternoon, this Insider column popped up on ajc.com, describing a speech that Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin gave last week to the Hungry Club.
Without mentioning the name of Councilwoman Mary Norwood, now the front-runner in the contest to replace her, Franklin cast vague aspersions on Norwood’s candidacy.
On Sunday, the mayor went into much more detail. In a comment on the Political Insider blog, Franklin freely used Norwood’s name, questioning her competency and lack of experience.
The comment was signed “Shirley.” A City Hall spokeswoman this morning that the following comment was written by the mayor:
I didn’t say I had any fear of white political leadership in Atlanta or anywhere. The vast majority of candidates I have voted for and supported with my time and money are white and I expect the same will be true into the future.
I support candidates with vision, integrity and intelligence and I have voted for candidates with these 3 characteristics throughout my life. Mary Norwood has none of these. Therefore, I do not support her candidacy for mayor.
Should she win I will wish her well and continue my activism in politics and civic affairs. Race nor gender are the issues for me. Competency is. Norwood has not demonstrated vision, competence or integrity in her public life as an elected offical. Rather she has spent her time building a political network to run for mayor. It looks like she’ll be successful.
She’s provided no evidence in her service on the Council as to her competence to govern. She has not led on ethics or public policy. In fact she’s known for slips of the tongue about what she’ll do as mayor.
Norwood has run against me as if she’s been a force for good in public debate on the issues for the last 8 years. A few weeks ago on the floor of Council she proposed holding up contracts because the new mayor might not agree with them as if the nine month procurement process had not been open, fair, competitive and comprehensive.
Ultimately she voted for the contracts but after hours of debate because a new political leader might choose other firms. That is the type of decision making I’ve replaced having found subjective rather than objective and fair processes when I arrived at City Hall in 2002. I am astounded Norwood proposed returning to [politically] driven procurement of city services. If you don’t [believe] me check the City Council archives of recent Council meetings.
We’ll add a response from the Norwood campaign as soon as we get it.
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635 comments Add your comment
General Sherman
October 26th, 2009
10:59 am
IS that the kettle calling the pot BLACK?
shirley
October 26th, 2009
11:06 am
Not true, General Sherman. If you have evidence, produce it.
THE REAL Shin Jasher
October 26th, 2009
11:08 am
W-O-W. Guess Norwood won’t be getting that endorsement from Franklin. I guess that leaves Borders and Reed. Spikes, Brownlowe, and Keyser should drop out of the race and stop wasting their money and our time.
OMG Wow
October 26th, 2009
11:14 am
Why is Mayor Franklin being so defensive about Councilwoman Norwood? Is Franklin worried about a tarnished ego on here record this past term? In my opinion, when an outgoing, failing mayor goes on the defensive with a candidate, that TO ME tells me I should vote for that candidate. Norwood may not have built an arch and turned water to wine as a council member, but she also didn’t run it to the ground. You also have to measure someone by the quality of their failures, which Norwood has no great disasters. How could she be “bad” for the job if she hasn’t really BEEN BAD on the council…? And yes, I’ve decided to throw my support for Norwood, and crappy second term Franklin has cemented that for me. (any PR is PR, Franlkin…your attempt to weaken Norwood is only strengthening her)
THE REAL Shin Jasher
October 26th, 2009
11:15 am
Norwood better watch out before Shirley goes Philly on that ass!
NorthA
October 26th, 2009
11:17 am
Norwood just doesn’t have it. She’s a nice lady and she might win because she’s been running for 8 years, but in terms of leadership skills and general competence she just doesn’t have it. Anyone who makes this about race is just hoping that it becomes about race, because that will turn the focus away from her lack of a substantive platform. What has Mary done in her time on council besides clamor and waste tax dollars?
Steve
October 26th, 2009
11:19 am
The only reason that Franklin is not backing Norwood is due to her color. Franklin is a racist. Stupid too. What has she done for the city of Atlanta? NOTHING.
Tea 4 2
October 26th, 2009
11:19 am
“I support candidates with vision, integrity and intelligence”, NORWOOD HAS MY VOTE. Franklin’s vision, integrity and intelligence has been an absolute failure. What was that company her SON IN LAW worked for?
Midtown Voter
October 26th, 2009
11:21 am
OMG Wow, you are completely correct. Franklin’s attack on Norwood tells me she is definitely the one for the job and will have my vote. In my book, none of the running candidates are outstanding, but a regime change at City Hall is certainly in order. Borders is far too engrained; Reed ran Franklin’s first and second campaigns for office; and Norwood has been on the City Council for years, but I believe she’s the candidate with the least tit-for-tat mentality of the three.
She will win this election and finally someone will do more than lip service to addressing this city’s crime problems, panhandling epidemic, and lack of concern for those of us that actually pay the majority of this city’s taxes. We need change or else I (and many of my friends) are moving onto a city that respects its respectful citizens, rather than much of the parasites that currently seem to get catered to in this city.
NorthA
October 26th, 2009
11:21 am
@Steve: Thank you for proving my point.
HERBIE
October 26th, 2009
11:21 am
THE REAL Shin Jasher you are an idiot. Norwood will have a runoff and then win by a landslide you fool.
And NORTHA you are a racist. She knows more than you put together.
THE REAL Shin Jasher
October 26th, 2009
11:23 am
Tea 4 2, Norwood has none of those qualities. Her vision only goes as far as she can see out of her Buckhead mansion. Her integrity is skeptical when she buys endorsements. And her intelligence..well you just have to look at her in any forums or debaltes to see that. You’d do better voting for Borders, who has all three of those qualities.
I Don't Recall
October 26th, 2009
11:23 am
The lady just said she doesn’t remember which presidents she voted for. That’s means she’s a comfortable LIAR and can not be TRUSTED. Simple stuff. Enough of these political hacks.
ATLVOTER
October 26th, 2009
11:23 am
Shirley is and always has been a joke!
nOrWoOd UnFiLtErEd
October 26th, 2009
11:23 am
NORWOOD UNFILTERED!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS0ekhf6PHM
THE REAL Shin Jasher
October 26th, 2009
11:24 am
HERBIE, your face is an idiot. There will be a runoff, but there’s no way she’ll win by a landslide. Keep my name out of your mouth.
Atlanta1
October 26th, 2009
11:24 am
I am white and I dont support Norwood’s mayoral run. I think Lisa or Kasim will be a much better candidate for mayor. This is definitely not about race.
Mel
October 26th, 2009
11:25 am
Here we go….Making another story about race. Thanks citizens of Atlanta….I can count on you as always…..So sick of this city!!
HERBIE
October 26th, 2009
11:25 am
THE REAL Shin Jasher you are a super racist, Norwood has the qualities to be mayor. More than I can say for a racist like you.
NorthA
October 26th, 2009
11:26 am
Norwood will be just as ineffective as mayor as she has been for the past 8 years on council. Look at her record and tell me what she has done. @OMG Wow, your proposal that since Mary Norwood “has no great disasters” suggests that she won’t be terrible as mayor is preposterous. I’ve never run a city into the ground either, elect me as mayor! Yay!
Randall
October 26th, 2009
11:26 am
Mayor Franklin is correct. Norwood has not shown any leadership during her tenure on the council. None. I actually live in Atlanta, unlike, I suspect many commenting on this post. Kasim Reed has my vote. Borders has too much political baggage and can’t answer any questions without skirting the issue.
Donny Fairplay
October 26th, 2009
11:26 am
I’m happy that Franklin is pushing back on Buckhead Betty. Norwood has been speaking in code about the City this entire race. She somehow has a good deal of Atlantans (White and Black) convinced that for the past 30+ years, every (Black) mayor has been complicit in financial mismanagement (stealing.) Her solution for this is to elect her because she looks different. Different package doesn’t mean better solutions or, in Mary’s case, any solution at all.
She’s scapegoated Franklin as some symbol for why she was unable to perform her job (a “strong mayor system”.) That’s simply not good enough. Race-baiting and double speak won’t work this time, Norwood.
HERBIE
October 26th, 2009
11:28 am
hey the real why dont you kiss it.
PR
October 26th, 2009
11:29 am
Shirley Franklin has no room to call someone not competant for the mayor’s job…considering she was totally incompetant in running the city. Atlanta is a mess because of her stupidity and lack of leadership. She might have been a good admin assistant for previous mayor’s but AS A MAJOR SHIRLEY WAS A JOKE! Can’t wait until she’s gone.
dart vader
October 26th, 2009
11:29 am
Yeah, If that crooked mayor, Bill Campbell, can be ATL mayor then any one who has a pulse and a shred of integrity is qualify to be the mayor of Atlanta. I use to like Mayor Franklin, but now I see that she is just one of the black cronies of the ATL government that is destroying the city!
War Eagle
October 26th, 2009
11:29 am
Shirley, sounds like sour grapes to me. Good luck to whoever wins in straightening out this mess we are already in now in the City of Atlanta.
Nina
October 26th, 2009
11:30 am
Everyone here who isn’t happy with Franklin needs to seriously look to her relationship with Kasim Reed and her pending endorsement. She seems to have taught the man everything that he knows. He chaired her transition team and picked Pennington.
Chef montuer
October 26th, 2009
11:30 am
IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT RACE IN THIS TOWN!
AH
October 26th, 2009
11:31 am
Lets stop dancing around the issue. It isn’t a race or gender thing it’s an airport thing. Franklin is scared to death that Norwood is going to upset the gravy train that is the airport. She may end no-bid, behind close door contracts out at the airport. That is the only thing Shirley cares about at this point, keeping the money flowing out of the airport into the pockets of her friends. Other than that she doesn’t care one bit about the top three candidates and what they would do if they won. Boarders is a strong supporter of the way things are at the airport, Reed is cagey on the issue (most likely wants to keep it the same but with his friends getting the benefit) and Norwood says one thing about it but acts like she will change it.
Ricardus
October 26th, 2009
11:32 am
Norwood can’t be mayor of Atlanta…she’s white! Don’t want no honkies running our town. She might pull us up by the boot straps and take us off the Plantation!
NewAtlDay
October 26th, 2009
11:33 am
Wow ! Am I surprised Mayor Franklin made those comments? A few years ago I would have been ( as I voted for her twice), but THESE days nothing she says or does surprises me…
Mayor Franklin – I sincerely ” Thank You” for your service, but just like the Mayor’s race, it’s time for the citizens of Atlanta to move on.
Higher taxes, poor city services, and an unacceptable crime and murder rate HAVE to be dealt with.
Mary Norwood will ” Open the Books” and do just that.
I’m convinced that Mary Norwood will hold folks accountable, work to balance the budget, and fight for us – something Atlanta has NOT had for some time now.
We NEED, and MUST HAVE, Norwood for Mayor !
Kevin
October 26th, 2009
11:33 am
If Norwood were black, Franklin would have nothing but praise for her. Franklin is a racist, and that has been evident for a long, long time. Norwood seems to have alot of support. There must be a good reason that she does.
atlwolf
October 26th, 2009
11:33 am
Bull$#!t, Shirley. This fiasco has been about race ever since that bigoted memo from Clark Atlanta. The black folks just cannot stand the fact that they may have a white leader in the city many consider to be the heart of black culture. Racism will never die because they will never allow it to.
Johnson
October 26th, 2009
11:34 am
I am not white but I would love to see Norwood win. We need fresh leadership. Reed will not speak against any wrongdoings of Shirley Franklin and her stupid admin. Reed was Franklin’s campaign manager for both of her elections. I see Franklin’s non-endorsement of Norwood as a victory. Who would want someone who was involved with a big time drug dealer (Franklin’s son-in-law and daughter living in her basement) and an ex-husband who funnels illegal drug money through his companies. Do any reasonable person believe that she did not know this? Why is it that Chief Pennington who calls himself a police chief allow this behavior to take place. There is an old saying, if you are not part of the solution, than you are part of the problem. I am sure that a lot of other criminal behavior has taken place in Franklin’s term. Franklin has not made anyone proud. She should have kept her dirty self in Philly since she wants to claim Philly so much. This is Atlanta and we are here to take care of our city not Philly. Remember Shirley when you brought Janice Davis her from Philly. Janice Davis was the CFO in Philly and everyone in her admin was indicted for criminal behavior expect Janice Davis. Now Janice Davis is in Texas waiting for Franklin’s term to end so they can split the stolen money that they have stolen for us, the taxpayers of the city of Atlanta, not Philly. I just have one question, is the media afraid to call Shirley and others out on things or do they just do investigative stories on people that they perceive that cannot defend themselves. Wrong is wrong no matter who you are. I STRONGLY PLACE MY SUPPORT FOR MARY NORWOOD. Norwood only did not want to go along with something blindly and wants to hold people accountable. Someone please tell Andrew Young to stop brown nosing up to Shirley and others and be the so called leaders of the down. He has to nerve to consider himself in the same league as Martin L. King and others. Ask Andrew Young is he secretly still getting payments from Walmart? I think that speaks of his character.
frankly
October 26th, 2009
11:36 am
Pleas tell me Shirley Franklin did not mention the word competence! How in the world would she know what that looks like? She has presided furloughing police officers in a city with a growing crime problem, an act killed any good will she had with me. She has NEVER adequately funded the police force , cut their annual pay increases, wasted countless millions on some stupid jingle, and she wants to talk about competence?
jennifer
October 26th, 2009
11:36 am
What a hit job! Franklin shows her lack of decorum by attacking Norwood’s integrity and intelligence. To then play the race card is just unforgivable. It’s one thing to disagree politically, but to show such naked hatred by launching a personal attack really should be beneath the sitting mayor. This is a desperate attempt to reinvigorate the campaign of Franklin’s crony, Kasim Reed. I am looking forward to Norwood bringing some civility to the office.
XYZ
October 26th, 2009
11:38 am
I am for Norwood! I agree it is not about color or gender — Shirley. I beleive she is the best of the candidates who will bring an infusion of energy for change (none of the candidates have seperated themselves from thier competitor).
Shirley your term is up…you can not return to office. The question is why do you dislike this woman? Not just this article, but you have taken “cheap” hits at her on the radio. After the heavy fines recently from the IRS, you must admit to yourself there are problems with the city’s current fiscal management system in place. I am one that do not believe in blaming the indians, but rather the chief. An effective leader take rsponsibility for the things that do not go well and when things go well give the credit to the team
Who ever becomes our next mayor will be inheriting a chaotic organization. They will be charged with bring order to the chaos. My prayers are with all the candidates and who becomes our next mayor–it will be their appointed time.
Stepheddie
October 26th, 2009
11:38 am
Hey Shirley, you just described Obama, but you voted for him.
Bill Campbell
October 26th, 2009
11:38 am
Shirley is a failure. It’s only because she’s not BLACK. It will be nice to have a WHITEY in charge. New HNIC.
Shaquesha Johnson
October 26th, 2009
11:39 am
Personaly I dont think a white person be a good leader for a black city. Atlanta is a black town and need a black mayor. I be voting for Kasim because Ludacirs the rapper say he be the best choice.
BreezyATL
October 26th, 2009
11:40 am
Hmmm… I remember it was said that Shirley didn’t have any experience and that she was riding the coat-tails of her friendship with Maynard Jackson to get into office… Boy did she prove her nay-sayers right. Our City has evolved into a porta-potty under Shirley’s reign as Mayor. I dont trust Borders or Reed to make any real changes. Same toilet, different load of crap if you ask me. We need someone who is passionate about halting any further deterioration of our city MORE than they are passionate about prestige and titles. Get our city back on track and get these post Hurricane Katrina transplants out of here, they’re the reason for all the senseless in-humane crime in our city. Out with the trash, beginning with Franklin!
tchance
October 26th, 2009
11:40 am
It appears Franklin’s position is race based and Norwood wanting to dig into past expenditures may expose this past administration for what they were. At first I was a big Franklin supporter but as time wore on I came to understand she does not like to be challenged and cannot handle tough questioning. i.e. when a local reporter tried to elicit an honest reason as to why the Chief of Police was not in attendance for news conference last summer regarding a car jackings and the like, Ms Franklin got down right nasty and very unprofessional. It does appear she is a racist
Sam
October 26th, 2009
11:40 am
Frankling hating Norwood is not a reason to support Norwood. Franklin also doesn’t like Cherry Coke.
Delmar
October 26th, 2009
11:41 am
Could Shirley be any more of a racist?
KKK Imperial Wizard
October 26th, 2009
11:41 am
If it ain’t white it ain’t right…..Vote for Norwood. Take back Atlanta white people. The “Brothas & Sistas” have done a shi**y job and run the city into the ground.
dart vader
October 26th, 2009
11:41 am
Atlanta will be another New Orleans of Georgia. Poor, corrupted and “chocolate!.” We need another Katrina to clean the slate.
les franks
October 26th, 2009
11:41 am
At the beginning of Shirley Franklin’s first term, I thought she was going to be a fine mayor. It didn’t take long to see she was just another of the fine tradition of the Bill Campbell legions. Any negative remarks coming from such a corrupt failure as Franklin can only be construed by thinking people as a compliment and exuberant endorsement.
RedTornado
October 26th, 2009
11:42 am
I think Mayor Franklin has done a good job. Considering what she inherited. There hasn’t been a honest , hard working mayor since Mayor Young. If Atl. doesn’t get a grip on crime, no one will want to come into the city. I don’t live in Atlanta City limits but, I go to Falcons, Thrashers games and concerts all the time. I do not like getting harrassed by the pan handlers every 25 feet I walk. It’s difficult to have it both ways. Encourage a live/play city that has a lot for tourists to do and still maintain a haven for the poor.
atlantaphotog
October 26th, 2009
11:42 am
Franklin’s comment, “I don’t fear white leadership.”, shows her fear by even bringing it up. She has run her entire administration based on race – who is she kidding? She’s simply fearful that once Norwood gets in office she’ll haul Shirley back to town to have to investigated for losing over $100-million dollars of our tax money and never accounting for it. She assumed she was a shoe-in for Obama’s Federal housing position simply based on her race as well, and when Obama denied her the title in favor of an actual (gasp) QUALIFIED man who was white, Franklin’s attitude gained a noticeable chip on the shoulder afterward.
Oh yes, we need change. People – you need to remember to get out and vote. Yes, it’s more important than your pilates classes or spending the day at Starbucks – VOTE. You can bet that Jackson and Sharpton will literally be rounding up black voters in school buses that day to take them to the voting booths to “defeat the evil white threat”. We’ve had enough of this – we’re on the downward spiral to become the next New Orleans or Detroit if a radical chance in leadership doesn’t take place here. You can make a difference. VOTE.
Leo
October 26th, 2009
11:42 am
It is good to know that Mayor Frankilin supported John McCain for President, she supports “candidates with vision, integrity and intelligence”. After all Obama has a complete lack of experience and a lack of “demonstrated vision, competence or integrity” in his “public life as an elected offical.” Rather he “has spent” his “time building a political network to run for” President.