Atlanta mayoral race: Poll shows Mary Norwood with early lead

[-thomass]

Bernie was the candidate of the white hipster liberal. AA’s were not gonna flock to that.

[Larry X]

Originally Posted by -thomass

Bernie was the candidate of the white hipster liberal. AA’s were not gonna flock to that.

Im black and I voted for Fort, I knew he wasnt going to win because he's too radical for bougie black folk to support. Black folks prefer a black devil in sheeps clothing rather than someone who actually will fight for our best interest but doesnt fit the non threatening image.

[CaliDreaming01]

Originally Posted by Larry X

Im black and I voted for Fort, I knew he wasnt going to win because he's too radical for bougie black folk to support. Black folks prefer a black devil in sheeps clothing rather than someone who actually will fight for our best interest but doesnt fit the non threatening image.

People consider African Americans to be left wing because most vote Democratic. Big mistake. African-American culture is rooted in the American South and thus is conservative. This is why so many latched on to Bill Clinton and his Third Way politics.

I read an interesting article that found that members of other minorities groups, as they became more wealthy move sharply left in their politics. African-Americans, on the other hand, move right.

[Clayton white guy]

I agree that most Blacks I meet here in Clayton County seem to rank from "some what" to "very" socially conservative. They also seem, for the most part, to be "happy capitalists", so it seems that Bernie Sander's "socialist leanings" would be a "no-go" here in Georgia and the rest of the Deep South. Just my observations from conversations I have had.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by CaliDreaming01

People consider African Americans to be left wing because most vote Democratic. Big mistake. African-American culture is rooted in the American South and thus is conservative. This is why so many latched on to Bill Clinton and his Third Way politics.

I read an interesting article that found that members of other minorities groups, as they became more wealthy move sharply left in their politics. African-Americans, on the other hand, move right.

[primaltech]

I'd say the political generalized midpoint of Black Americans in 2017 is socially moderate, and economically very progressive.

Sum total = left of center. Democratic. Yeah, many in the black community still feel uncomfortable with LGBT, but they have a much stronger feeling in favor of better social programs and public health care and all those very core Democratic positions.

But yes, that doesn't mean they are Vermont/Scandinavian socialists. African Americans are more Social Democrat than Democratic Socialist. A strong welfare state and safety net, but within a generally capitalist society. (Which is a great position, it's also my own view on the best way to organize a society/economy.)

[Forhall]

Who will be Atlanta’s next mayor? City Councilwomen Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary Norwood will face off in a Dec. 5th runoff.

He also accuses the “right-wing” AJC (please stop laughing) of being in the bag for Norwood. Our sister station, WSB-TV, is also in cahoots, according to Hizzoner’s histrionics. Also, he accuses us of hiding Norwood’s sneaky ways.

Torpy “also fails to note that Mary Norwood accepted significant political contributions from the same airport vendors during her last race for Mayor in 2009.”

OK, I’ll bite. I checked.

An AJC story written by one of our investigative guys dated Oct. 16, 2009, said, “Norwood’s airport donors gave her $11,300 this period,” about 8 percent of her donor total.

That same story noted that then-City Council president and mayoral candidate Lisa Borders brought in $20,150, about 8.5 percent of her donor pool. (She finished third and didn’t make the runoff.)

And a charismatic state senator who was climbing his way up the polls at the time pulled in $36,350 from airport companies and individuals. That young(ish) pol was none other than now-Mayor Reed, the same fellow sending out a letter telling me to look into Norwood.

The AJC, the 2009 story said, “found in recent mayoral campaign reports that almost one of every five dollars given to Reed from large donors came from businesses or individuals with a financial stake at the airport. Such donors — concessionaires, engineering firms, parking companies and limousine companies — were a significant source of cash for Franklin’s campaigns.”

That is Franklin, as in Shirley, who was mayor at the time and was pushing for Reed, just like Reed is now pushing for Bottoms. Franklin, I may add, now can’t stand to be in the same room as the current mayor, mostly because of his penchant for dumping on her time in office in a narrative that extols his accomplishments.


The old way in Atlanta, historically known for civil rights and business, was for the African-American machine to pass the Maynard Jackson torch down to the next able person.

In 2009, that guy was Reed, getting a blessing as he entered the campaign from civil rights hero and former Mayor Andy Young. During the runoff, all sorts of support in the black community came out to push Reed across the finish line, 715 votes ahead of Norwood.

This time, in a city that is a bit more white and upper-income, the surviving two candidates will vie for the supporters of six vanquished opponents, who make up 55 percent of the remaining vote.

I called Ricardo Jacobs, a veteran who works at a Department of Veterans Affairs center and who chairs Neighborhood Planning Unit-R, which is in Bottoms’ district on the southwest side.

Jacobs likes both candidates.

“Mary Norwood has always been in our community helping out,” he said. “Keisha lives in the community. She’s a little different. She has a strong staff who does things in the community.”

Jacobs said voters in the surrounding neighborhoods, who are mostly black, will be sorting through the qualifications of Bottoms and Norwood in the remaining days.

“NPU-R is an older community and many of the elders will support Mary. They know her. The younger voters will probably go for Keisha.”

Jacobs added there’s no longer an anointing. “It’s no longer, ‘You’re next in line.’ You don’t have that meeting at Paschals,” referring to the African-American restaurant that served as a meeting place for Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders during the civil rights movement, and also was an unofficial headquarters for political meetings.

“There’s no longer direct ties to certain people,” Jacobs said. “It’s wide open now.”

Atlanta mayoral race: Hints of a racially charged runoff | Torpy

[ekman243]

Why would anyone take serious what Torpy writes about Kassim Reed. He hates the guy and his bias shows. He hates Bottoms only because Reed likes her.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by ekman243

Why would anyone take serious what Torpy writes about Kassim Reed. He hates the guy and his bias shows. He hates Bottoms only because Reed likes her.

I don't see bias here. He's calling Reed out on his accusations against Norwood with a dose of reality. If you want to find hatred, look there.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by ekman243

Why would anyone take serious what Torpy writes about Kassim Reed. He hates the guy and his bias shows. He hates Bottoms only because Reed likes her.

Torpy was mocking Reed by showing what he was claiming about Norwood was true about himself. For Reed to try and paint the AJC as ‘right wing’ is laughably ignorant.