Dominque Wilkins switches to Kasim Reed
My AJC colleague Ernie Suggs sends word that the Human Highlight Film has apparently added flip-flopping to his repertoire of gyrations.
On Thanksgiving evening, during half-time of the Atlanta Hawks – Orlando Magic game, basketball great Dominique Wilkins announced that he was endorsing Kasim Reed for mayor of Atlanta.
That’s fine.
But Wilkins’ endorsement comes less than a month after he recorded a robo-call for Mary Norwood, supporting her for the general election.
“In basketball, you just can’t show up for the game. You have to work very hard every day in practice,” Wilkins said on behalf of Norwood in the 24 second call. “Mary Norwood is someone who has always worked hard for Atlanta and not just on game day. Now it is time for us to help her.”
On Friday, from his hotel room in Philadelphia, where the Hawks are playing the 76ers, Wilkins said that since he recorded the call for Norwood, his political thoughts have changed.
“Mary Norwood is a very nice lady, but Kasim has been a friend of mine for a long time,” said the Hall of Famer, who played more than a decade with the Hawks and who is recognized as the franchise’s greatest player. “He is good people and I think he will make a great leader. He will do a great job of fixing some of the problems we have in Atlanta.”
Wilkins said he was initially unsure of who he was going to support for mayor. He said a friend of his took him to meet Norwood in October and he was impressed. But he said that since that endorsement, and watching the race play out, he decided that Reed was the better choice for him.
“He has the leadership skills that make a great leader,” Wilkins said. “I think he will do a good job in a long line in the good mayors of Atlanta.”
Efforts to reach the Norwood campaign have thus far been unsuccessful. But we’ll add any comments as we get them. Wilkins said he did talk to Norwood before announcing his switch to Reed.
“She understood,” Wilkins said.
It is still unclear who Julius “Dr. J” Erving, who endorsed Lisa Borders in the general election, is supporting in the runoff.
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311 comments Add your comment
TRUTH
November 29th, 2009
4:22 pm
Norwood has gone this far because Reed is that bad. The voters are just sick of the Jackson Machine corruption.
PoliticOracle's list of things that don't exist in Atlanta
November 29th, 2009
4:23 pm
PoliticOracle, if it makes you happy to call it the Jackson political establishment instead of the machine, then the point is conceded. If you want to state further that it doesn’t operate exactly like Tammany Hall did, point conceded.
But to imply that the Cracker political machine in Augusta is somehow germane to this election in Atlanta in 2009, because Mary Norwood’s ancestors were involved in politics in Augusta is clearly jumping the shark.
Of course you would have nothing to do with any attempt to tie the word Cracker to Mary Norwood would you?
Sandra Thomas
November 29th, 2009
4:27 pm
I only listen to what the candidates say in elections. Gung-ho supporters say a lot of stupid things to try and drum up support for their candidates. I was appaled at the comments Bunnie Jackson made and the Clark AU professors, but Kasim Reed didn’t make those comments. Nor did Lisa Borders or Mary Norwood. In fact, they’ve all been surprisingly civil throughout this campaign until this latest ad. I don’t like the way Mary tries to subtlely accuse Kasim Reed of injecting race into this campaign. No one has mentioned her race in this campaign and I have not been harrassed for supporting her either. I was a proud Norwood supporter, but i don’t like these tricky tactics. I don’t believe Mary is pushing these things, but the people around her need to be shown the door for this mess.
You all know this is misleading and I hope she clarifies what she meant tonight at the debate. If she was speaking toward Bunnie Jackson and the Clark A U professors she needs to call them out by name, but she and Kasim Reed had done a good job being tolerant until her latest commercial.
John from Augusta
November 29th, 2009
4:28 pm
The Augusta Political Machine was formed around a state senator named Charles Walker. He is currently in federal prison for corruption. Ms Norwood’s family is not of the correct ethnic background to be part of the Walker Machine. Charles Walker and Roy Barnes were good friends but I doubt that they have visited in jail.
Let's talk about the quote
November 29th, 2009
4:29 pm
I found the quote Sandra Thomas was talking about, that interjected race into the election
During the next few weeks, I intend to do whatever I can to wake up those African Americans who have become “bamboozled” into believing that a moderately educated, southern white women will do something for them.
Can you believe Mary Norwood said that? Some nerve.
I hope she does to Sandra Thomas
November 29th, 2009
4:33 pm
I hope the question is asked, I hope Norwood repeats the Bunny Jackson quote word for word, then looks Kasim straight in the eye, and challenges him to look directly into the camera at Atlanta voters and tell us, does he, or does he not agree with Bunny Jackson-Ransom, who has been one of his biggest supporters?
I would like that Sandra Thomas. Would you like that?
MC W
November 29th, 2009
4:34 pm
“Some white people in this town are hilarious. You get on these threads and play victim. I’m sick of it. YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM! Atlanta is a great city that needs improvement, but people are still moving here in droves and I for one am sick of all that whinning white people.”
Some of us have a fair reason to whine. For instance: being assaulted in front of a large crowd of cheering onlookers (black) by an enormous, very-well dressed rabble-rouser (black) immediately beyond the line of vision of Atlanta Police officers. This is my story, and were it not for the sixty dollars I had in my wallet I may not be in full health today, if alive.
I couldn’t help but wonder why it was that they were pointing and laughing. Some of them were married couples with children in tow. But, being in the South, I decided to use Southern “logic” to try and understand my “audience” and found that the one thing separating myself from them was phenotype, i.e. continent of ancestry, i.e. race.
What happened?
I was confronted by this man for no reason at all, except that he thought I threw away his mp3 player (or something). Apologizing profusely for the misunderstanding, and then told that I would receive the beating of a lifetime, I called him an idiot. Stupid? Yes. But do I deserve to die for throwing out a barb like “idiot”? I’ve been called much worse in my lifetime.
Here’s what we “whinning white people” are tired of: living in fear. We didn’t grow up marching in Klan parades, but from the treatment we receive on a DAILY basis in Atlanta an onlooker would think it were so.
Oh yea. What if I said I was tired of violent, angry, hateful black people? Would Jim receive a call for this comment to be removed? How fair is that?
I hope she does TOO Sandra Thomas
November 29th, 2009
4:34 pm
Pardon the grammar mistake retired educator!
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
4:39 pm
Dude, cool your jets. I deal in facts and facts suggest that Atlanta doesn’t have anything close to a political present in its political system. Understand what a political machine is, before you comment on it. Do you consider President Barack Obama a socialist? Because Fox News does, but does that make him one? No it doesn’t. There is an academic definition of what socialism is just like there is one for political machine.
I was not suggesting that Mary was a part of the Cracker Party in Augusta, in fact I don’t even know if the Cracker Party’s name has anything to do with race. Don’t give me your race-baiting. I’m not the one trying to racialize this election. It looks like Ms. Norwood has already done that and angered one of her black supporters, even though I agree that she didn’t call Reed out by name with the race accussations. What she said in the ad is fair game, because of some of Reed’s supporters.
John from Augusta
November 29th, 2009
4:42 pm
PoliticOracle….”I deal in facts”… What facts id you have to accuse Ms. Norwood’s family of being part of the Walker Machine?
John from Augusta
November 29th, 2009
4:44 pm
id should be did.. sorry
Chutzpah politicoracle
November 29th, 2009
4:45 pm
politicoracle puts the term Cracker Party in the same sentence as Mary Norwood and then wants to accuse others of race baiting?
Now that’s chutzpah!
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
4:53 pm
I honestly don’t know anything about the Cracker Party, except that it was in Augusta. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have even posted about it. I never want my comments to be used as race-fodder.
If Charles Walker was a part of the Cracker Party then it has nothing to do with race.
politicoracle makes a Freudian slip
November 29th, 2009
4:55 pm
politicoracle, though you are crafty, even you aren’t above making a Freudian slip, as you did with your last sentence in your last post:
What she said in the ad is fair game, because of some of Reed’s supporters.
Exactly. Because of the reprehensible statements like those of Bunny Jackson and others, Norwood is well within her rights to point out that some Reed supporters have, in the most ugly of ways, tried to interject race into this election.
Thank you for confirming the legitimacy of her ad with your Freudian slip politicoracle.
Mary takes the high road
November 29th, 2009
4:59 pm
Actually she didn’t even say some Reed supporters, she just said some and left it at that, knowing full well that some of both sides have engaged in some ugly rhetoric. Even though the Reed camp has people of much higher profile than the Norwood camp engaging in such ugly tactics, Norwood left it at the word some.
That’s Mary taking the high road, once again!
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:03 pm
It wasn’t a slip clown. I don’t like the Bunnie Ransom comments and they are counter-productive in this campaign. Bottom line is, Reed’s record speak’s for itself. Mary Norwood pales in comparison to him.
I saw earlier where someone said that my handle is being used by the Reed campaign. Thanks for the flattery, but no thanks. I don’t think they’d like the way I was critique I’ve been handing out.
PoliticOracle shows us what's under the facade
November 29th, 2009
5:09 pm
Ever notice when politcoracle makes a misstep, like the Freudian slip, how the civilized facade of the oh so astute political commentator fades away and the name calling begins?
I wonder if that’s why Kasim Reed resonates so well with politicoracle?
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:11 pm
@Mary takes the high road.
It’s bad messaging. If she wasn’t directing her comments at Reed, it wasn’t worth bringing up. I think the lady a few posts up has a point and it would be interesting to know how many Norwood supporters feel the same.
I think it was a risky ad, but we’ll see what happens Tuesday.
The Late Maynord Jackson
November 29th, 2009
5:12 pm
PoliticOracle…. Call it a day, you are not helping Reed.
VOTE REED EARLY & OFTEN…
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:22 pm
Its no facade, you’re being sophomoric so I have to put you in your place. I have never come on here and spewed ignorance and misinformation. When I believe something the be right I stand up for it, no matter which candidate I support. There have been times where I took my comments too far and I stepped back and apologized or corrected the information.
I’ll say again as I said yesterday, if Norwood wins I will support her because I put Atlanta first. I don’t want Mary Norwod to be mayor, because she looks different than the past four mayors.
Mary Norwood is not a stronf leader and she has shown little competence as a city councilmember. If you’re supporting her that’s you right, but I’m with Reed on this one. It took me a while to get there, but he’s the best candidate. I’m not moved by candidates that have been “around”. I have seen lots of people be “around” and “accessible” but that doesn’t answer our city’s ills. Thanks but no thanks.
I have laid out many reasons wh I support Reed. Tell me why you support Norwood. Actually, spare me the rhetoric and let the voters do the talking on Tuesday.
PoliticOracle shows us what's under the facade
November 29th, 2009
5:24 pm
I hope it comes up tonight politicoracle. I hope the moderator repeats the Ransom quote word for word, then asks Reed to look the voters directly in the eye and tell them whether or not he supports that statement made by one of his major supporters.
That alone would be worth the price of admission
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:29 pm
@The Late
You wish I would go away. I’m waiting on this debate and balancing my accounts for the month.
Why do you choose to use the handle that defiles the dead?
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:30 pm
@The Late
You wish I would go away. I’m waiting on this debate and balancing my accounts for the month.
Why do you choose to use the handle that defiles the dead?
You’re not helping Mary Norwood either. Many of her African American supporters compare her accessibility to the late mayor.
@sophi'e post is the best yet!
November 29th, 2009
5:30 pm
You are dead on the money RIGHT you have succintly stated what is true reed is an egotistical, arrogant self loathing selfish little twit he needs a smack up side his head what kind of sugar is in stepahnie rampages kool aide i don’t understand why his mother and brothers have not reeled in this silly two year old b/c at times that is what he acts lke sadly his 40 and almost at the point where he is stuck in his selfish ways i can’t imagine what kind of behind he will be to his wife if that ever happens i met the guy and as much as i hate to admit it i do see him for what he is but there is redemption that only God and humbleness can do for kasim sad to say but i don’t want him to win he is not sincere he is selfish i understand wanting a career in politics there is nothing wrong with that it is just the man’s attitude/arrogance and lying is what gets me he is questionable on ethics in both his personal and professional life if he continues this way he will be a man alone both personally and professionally. mary needs to win for atlanta’s future and kasim needs to take a break and talk to God seriously! I do wish him well and mary also. good night
The Late Maynord Jackson
November 29th, 2009
5:31 pm
PoliticOracle Why do you choose to use the handle that defiles good judgement?
PoliticOracle I'll tell you why
November 29th, 2009
5:38 pm
The best reason to support Norwood. There are only two candidates left in the race. So much for me being a paid Norwood staffer LOL.
Each candidate has a record of strengths and weaknesses. Norwood has been more willing to take on the political establishment, when she’s in a reduced power position, Reed has shown more ability to work with the party in power when he’s in a reduced power position.
But when are the arcane policy issues that wonks like to talk about are put aside, I go back to gut instinct. And the best summation I have heard yet of Kasim Reed was by a guy named Danny in Creative Loafing’s Strettalk.
Something about Reed just don’t flow right.
The was this book out awhile back called The Gift of Fear, where crime victims distrusted their gut instincts, sometimes out of fear they would look rude or impolite, and became crime victims because of it. Not that Kasim is like any of the monsters described in the book. The degree is not the same, but the principle is.
Underneath the slick facade, gut instinct says there’s a unseemly underbelly, that Atlanta can’t afford. An underbelly that says Kasim Reed does what’s best for Kasim Reed, not what’s best for Atlanta’s average citizens.
Not the best endorsement of Mary Norwood, but right now, the race is down to the final two.
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:43 pm
Don’t answer a question with a question. Can’t you get your points across fairly, without bringing in a dead person that still has family that may read these posts. I’ve never really read your comments because of your handle.
There are many hysterical voters in this town ready to vote in Norwood, because she’s white. Its sickening to me and don’t start assuming I’m black, because you know what assuming does.
You’d probably be really surprised if you met me. I’m from a very diverse background. White or black, many in this town see past Mary’s fluff and are ready to elect Kasim as OUR mayor.
The Late Maynord Jackson
November 29th, 2009
5:49 pm
PoliticOracle…If you didn’t read, how did you know what I wrote? Not the sharpest tool around.
VOTE REED EARLY & OFTEN…
PoliticOracle I'll tell you why
November 29th, 2009
5:55 pm
Surely oracle you aren’t implying that the only reason anybody is voting for Mary Norwood is that she is white are you? I’m sure some are, just as some will vote for Reed for the same reason.
But let’s not imply that’s the only reason. Character counts, and as it was put so well, something about Reed just don’t flow right.
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
5:55 pm
Let me re-phrase. I don’t take your posts seriously because of your handle. I glance them, but most times they’re as ignorant and classless as your handle.
PoliticOracle I'll tell you why
November 29th, 2009
6:02 pm
PoliticOracle, it’s like the young lady who brings her fiancee home to meet the family. Mom and Dad love him, he’s got the degree, the fancy suit, goes to the right church, has the corner office and says the right things.
But Grandma pulls the young lady aside and says she just doesn’t trust him. Mom and Dad shoo Grandma away, because she’s not wise to the ways of the world, having dropped out of school in fifth grade and spent her life on a farm in the country.
But then it turns out he has two women on the side, and the company is about to fire him for selling documents to a competitor.
Grandma was right. She wasn’t the most learned in the room, or the most sophisticated. Just the only one who read him right. Gut instinct.
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
6:13 pm
@tell you why
Your logic is flawed. You are basing your judgement of Reed on innuendo and that bothers me. Is it because he’s black? There have been many ethical questions asked about Mary Norwood as well. Like her usage of thousands in taxpayer dollars to “communicate” with voters, print fliers and make trinkets for her to run for mayor. I also heard that her council staff has been made up primarily or family members related to her by marriage and that she stole her husband from his first wife when she worked for him while she was younger, but no one is talking about these things because they really aren’t important.
Please tell me how your gut reservations have any credence with this man, who has had a successful 11 year career in the legislature and worked to partner in one of Atlanta’s most prestigious law firms.
If anything, Norwood and Reed both should give equal pause because they’re both human but we’re all human so I’m sure they’ve made mistakes. Do better, because I don’t trust yor gut with this city. If you’re that good, why don’t you run?
Oh PoliticOracle, oh PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
6:22 pm
Good as you are you’ve made two missteps in one day. First of all, I’m not basing in strictly on logic. Like I’ve said, after you look at it logically, just like any other situation, you factor in gut instinct. Like the guy in StreetTalk said, like I have said is the best single summation of Reed, something about Reed just don’t flow right.
But that wasn’t your misstep.
You just couldn’t resist playing the race card could you politicoracle? You who acts so above the fray. Is the distrust of Reed because he’s black? Did you really say that?
Did you really ask if the distrust of Reed is because he’s black?
PoliticOracle, I thought better of you. I thought you would truly be on top of your game, and go check out the StreetTalk column before using that time worn ploy.
Because if you had, you would have seen that Danny, on page 11 of Creative Loafing, the one who said it best, the one who said something just don’t flow right with Reed is
An African-American!
Oh politicOracle.
Where'd that train go that just ran me over?
November 29th, 2009
6:42 pm
You never saw it coming did you PoliticOracle did you?
Danny, the guy in Creative Loafing’s Street Talk, the guy who put it best when he said there’s something about Reed that just don’t flow right, just happens to be an African-American.
Yes, when push came to shove, you couldn’t resist playing the Is it because Reed is black? card, could you PoliticOracle?
Then along came Danny from StreetTalk. And you never saw it coming.
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
7:03 pm
Hey, I call it like I see it. Norwood is as fishy, if not fishier, than Reed and I don’t see these accusations hurled at her. She’s been an opportunist, but she gets a pass. She injected race in this election and now its out there. She has to shore up her base if she has any chance of winning, its a huge gamble that she’s probably going to lose.
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
7:08 pm
Did anyone see the debate just now?
MC W
November 29th, 2009
7:16 pm
“She injected race in this election”
How?? I certainly haven’t heard it. What I did hear was the radio ad recorded by the Kasim campaign, featuring Maynard Jackson, R&B music (which I love, incidentally) and a comment about “passing the torch”. What do all of these things, understood together, say to their intended audience?
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
7:28 pm
So the usage of Maynard Jackson’s speeches to appeal to Democratic voters is racist? No its not, if anything it’s uber-partisan. I want to know the same thing that Reed was asking in the debate. Who is Norwood speaking of when she talks about they are trying “divide our city”.
Its a far reach to say Reed has been race-baiting. He has a very diverse cadre of supporters.
Deborah
November 29th, 2009
7:31 pm
PoliticOracle’s comments remind me of Reed talking points: that people are supporting Reed because he is so magnificent, and Norwood because she is white. I know he believes that Norwood’s accomplishments are thin, but then what exactly has Reed done for average Atlanta voter lately?
It’d please me to see why Reed is not the lightweight I perceive him to be, and I bet Mr. Oracle could fill in the blanks as to why he is such an obvious heavyweight, a natural executive or legislative power? How do we know your support for Reed does not flow from racism, the charge you make against “hysterical” Norwood’s supporters?
Teela
November 29th, 2009
7:40 pm
Well, I for one love what “Dead Maynord” has to say because it’s true, true, true. He re-enforces it and each time, at least for me, over time, it makes me think of the Maynard years..
“There are many hysterical voters in this town ready to vote in Norwood, because she’s white. Its sickening to me and don’t start assuming I’m black, because you know what assuming does.”
WHAT??? Ok, I’ll answer in kind. “There are many hysterical voters in this town ready to vote for REED because he’s black.”
Goose and gander stuff, fool.
@ Deborah
November 29th, 2009
7:43 pm
Hey Deborah I just got to toot my own horn a little bit.
Didn’t you just know that when someone was referenced in StreetTalk saying that they just didn’t trust Reed, that a Reed supporter was going to come on here and say it’s because Reed is black? Not even thinking, in their way of thinking, that the person who said it was an African-American?
They didn’t even see it coming, did they? LOL
@Galloway
November 29th, 2009
7:49 pm
@PoliticOracle You seem like a reasonable guy. I encourage you to meet and get to know Kasim Reed. Judging by your message posts, I can guarantee that you will not like what you learn. He is without question one of the most dishonest, self-absorbed men I have met in all of my years on this planet. Mary Norwood may not be a rocket scientist. But if given the choice between Reed and almost anyone else, I would vote for his opponent. Although this conversation has sunk down to racial inuendo and charges of paid bloggers (some true) I will say that some of the attacks I’ve read here are well founded. He is a very smart man, for sure. But it’s a wasted gift when he can only use it to benefit himself.
Sure politcoracle
November 29th, 2009
7:50 pm
Sure politicoracle, the invoking of Maynard, and passing the torch set to a background of R & B music is strictly a democratic partisan ploy, with not even the slightest hint of race involved. It’s strictly an appeal to democrats, because they one thing they are all united in is that their first choice of music is R & B.
Smart isn't everything
November 29th, 2009
7:52 pm
Bernie Madoff is smart. Maybe even smarter than Mary Norwood. Would you want him to be mayor?
Character counts.
don don
November 29th, 2009
7:56 pm
lets face if the republican candidate was black and the democratic candidate was white. the black republican would win in atlanta. it doesnt matter which party the candidate says they are. politicoracle you think youre so smart and know whats best for atlanta then you should run for mayor instead of annoying everybody on her by calling them ignorant.
Funny isn't it?
November 29th, 2009
7:58 pm
Isn’t it funny that some of the same people who claim Mary interjected race into this are the same people who have used the words Mary and Cracker in the same sentence on this blog, and then implied people who don’t trust Reed don’t trust him only because he’s black.
Deborah
November 29th, 2009
8:06 pm
“Atlanta is a black city, a symbol to the world,” said Tom Houck, a political strategist supporting Reed. “Putting Mary’s face on that picture would be hard for a lot of people to stomach.”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jAmfrB7AOrAcp7nWyoXVJkrvg74wD9C9B06G0
PoliticOracle
November 29th, 2009
8:11 pm
All, I was looking at some of the old posts on here and let me tell you, not all of them are me. I hate posting under different handles, but I’ll have to start back because my handle keeps getting jacked. The poster at 2:16 wasn’t me nor was the poster using my handle to discuss Race. It seems that supporters from both sides have started to use my handle, so from now on I’m gonna post randomly. The election’s almost over anyway. It’s really annoying though. That’s why I have never used my real name on here. It’s open season and anybody can get on here and say anything.
Funny isn't it?
November 29th, 2009
8:14 pm
Surely you don’t think Tom Houck was referring to race with that comment do you Deborah?
I’m sure he must have been referring to the amount of asphalt in Atlanta, and that the symbol of Mary driving on those roads in a ‘98 Buick, instead of a fancy Mercedes or BMW would be hard for image conscious Atlanta to stomach.
That has to be what he was referring to.
Oh politicoracle!
November 29th, 2009
8:17 pm
It’s down and dirty that someone hijacked your handle. But I’m betting that was you on the 6:13 post. Still can’t believe you didn’t do your due diligence and checkout the Creative Loafing StreetTalk column before throwing it out there that people might trust Kasim strictly because he’s black.
Between that and the Freudian slip, it hasn’t been your best day.