Wharton for Memphis Mayor?
Tuesday November 11, 2008
Three years before the next Memphis mayoral election, A.C. Wharton is gearing up to get his name on the ballot. A $500 per person fundraiser is being held next week in support of Wharton for Memphis Mayor. There is a lot of speculation around town regarding the timing of Wharton's announcement. Why is he campaigning so early? Could Herenton be planning another "resignation?" And if so, does that mean that Wharton is in Herenton's pocket? Then again, does it really matter as long as someone other than Herenton is in office?
So what do you think about A.C. Wharton running for Mayor of Memphis? Share your opinion by leaving a comment or voting in the poll below.
Comments
It will not Matter because if he does become Memphis Mayor you will crucify him if he doesn’t take your bribe money, roll over and fetch when you want him to. This city has seen tremendous growth with Herenton in office but that does’nt account for anything. Stop your greedy ways and consolidate the conty and city so that we can provide a quality education for all of our children instead of one group. Look at Nashville. Oh, and what about the allegation that a well known business Man tried to set Herenton up. But there was very little media coverage. Any other city would have been all over this story. To the reporters that wanted to cover the full story I understand you couldn’t for fear of lossing your jobs. Memphis still the Good Old Boy South. There will be many to follow this comment with stats and clever commentary, stick to the issues I just metioned. Many of us already know this but do not speack it. A black Mayor becomes wealthy and powerful while in office like all other large city Mayors but he is ridiculed. Is that not the reason that most get into politics wheather we want to admit it or not. Mr. Herenton I wish good luck in all of your endeavors and thank you for giving Memphis citizens hope.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your thoughts. I would like to respond to some of them and will, as you requested, stick to the issues you mentioned.
First, you mentioned the tremendous growth under Herenton’s reign. Can you clarify what you mean or provide supporting information? The kind of growth that first comes to my mind is the city’s growing poverty rate or property taxes.
Next, you mentioned the set-up allegation and suggest that there was little media coverage. On the contrary, that was actually pretty big news until neither Herenton nor the woman making the accusation could come up with any evidence. Unfortunately, a story doesn’t stay newsworthy if there is nothing going on with it.
Lastly, you suggest that the mayor is ridiculed because he is black. Wow. I’m not even sure what to do with that one. I’ve got to say that in a majority black city that keeps voting in the same black mayor term after term — race is clearly not an issue. Do you believe that the black citizens who are fed up with Herneton feel that way because he is black? Or is it just the white people who are not entitled to an opinion that has nothing to do with race?
Trust me — politicians (whether white or black) receive criticism and scrutiny from citizens of every color. In fact, it is our responsibility as citizens to hold our leaders accountable.
Again, I appreciate your comments. I just grow frustrated with being accused of racism, simply because I am a white individual who is disenchanted with our black mayor.
Mike63,
I will also stick to the issues you brought up. Although the Memphis guide pretty much said how I feel I have to speak up.
The only growth I’ve been able to find in Memphis since the take-over by King Willie are taxes, crime and urban sprawl.
You call Memphis the “Good Ole Boy South”?!?! A city lead, run, populated and ruled by ‘african americans’ hhmmmfff. It is run by the “Good Ole Boy” network alright. People helping thier cronies at the expense of the city and its citizens. Thats why this city is dieing. Those with the wherewithall to leave do. Then our illustrious mayor has to come up with more money, so its time to annex another part of Shelby county. Of course, then comes the multitude of For Sale signs. Now Im sure you will say that is just racist white people leaving. But I say its really people with some money and sense of numerous colors leaving a sinking ship. If FedEx hadnt already put so much into this city they would probably have left a long time ago.
Do you think its a coincidence that NorthWest and Delta have merged but that hasnt meant more jobs or flights into Memphis?
You speak of a quality education for all children. The schools in this city have the same amount of money spent on them, they recieve the same books and pull from the same pool of teachers. The difference lies in the parents. Yes, I am saying that you can tell the ghetto from the non-ghetto by the involvement of parents in thier childrens lives. It doesnt take a village to raise a child, it takes a mother and a father. Working together to create a home-life structured in such a way that thier children are nurtured and loved.
So tell me Mike63, what made you such a racist bigot? I have lived in a number of cities in my life, both in the US and abroad and I have never seen such racism as I see here, both white and black. Even Atlanta wasn’t this bad.
I judge the Mayor of this city not by the color of his skin but by the results of his work. Under his watch Memphis has moved into the top 5 in violent crime every year, can’t sell a unique building like the pyramid (even though several people have offered to outright buy it), has at least two basketball venues that are unused even though still not paid for and a mayor who openly hates white people.
The only thing keeping me from moving to Dallas Texas is that with the new laws put in place in the last election there is no way for this mayor to take office again. Lets hope that Memphis can last 4 more years of the King and his court jesters before we are finally rid of them.
I for one I think it’s time for Herenton to retire his atitude is extremely partisan and that’s not good for the city, and yes AC Wharton I think would make a better mayor,he is highly intelligent and very capable but not as a arrogant, but I also believe that Mayor Herenton has done a good job on Memphis infrastructures but not a good job at steming Memphian racist behavior problems, he only Exacerbate the Racial problems that exist in Memphis, he also appear to be too lax on crime which is plaguing our city, and the citizens of Memphis don’t seem to care that he doesn’t care, there is no out cry of any sort about our cities outstanding criminal over flow, and the people that seems most responsible to me look much like myself (Black), I see predominantly blacks running the city, it’s becoming really hard to Reconcile Memphis pass racist goverment with this predominantly black runned failed government, it’s not just Mayor Herenton fault, it’s the citizens of Memphis fault for not crying out to it’s officials to stem crime or any Corrupt behavior that should be deemed as unacceptable, and also for not holding our city officials accountable, we can not giving them a pass because they are black, to me our black citizen of Memphis must realize that two wrongs don’t make a right, the dream is too create a foundation for all to grow and prosper, but it seems more like business as Usual, or the phase when electing our officials “It always been done that way”.