On Sunday I attended an event titled “Who Wants to be a Candidate,” the second installment in a series presented by MPACT Memphis, New Path, and the Memphis Urban League Young Professionals, “non-partisan” non-profits, all. The meeting was held at the Central Library, and the topic at hand was 2006, “the largest ballot in Shelby county history.”

Between 30 and 40 people turned out to hear a distinguished panel comprised of (from left to right):

Jerry Hall, a Democratic activist, politician, party spokesman, and owner of a company called “GCI”
Jackson Baker, senior editor of the Memphis Flyer, who was drinking a Red Bull
John Ryder, former chairman of the Shelby County GOP, and bankruptcy lawyer
Leon Gray, a long-time radio man and soon to be commentator for Progressive Talk Radio 680 AM.

Jason Bolt of MPACT Memphis was moderator.

All four panelists were impressive, and were quite obviously veterans of the local political scene. The discussion was not terribly practical, for those seeking more information about becoming a candidate for local office, but the speakers shared a fair amount of general campaign advice, seasoned heavily with political water-cooler chitchat. The audience was a bit less striking, yet equally entertaining.

First, a note about panelist Leon Gray. A former employee of 600 WREC, Gray now works for Air America radio’s new Memphis affiliate. Gray will soon be hosting a program (”the Bottom Line”) in the 5-7 timeslot, opposite WREC’s Mike Fleming. Regular readers know my take on Fleming and his non-blog, but now he has another reason to take notice: Gray already has his blog up and running, before his show has even gone live!

Furthermore, while I detest his politics, Gray is a much more interesting speaker. If I were Ray Steele, I’d be getting nervous about now. On the other hand, Fleming is better in person, so perhaps Gray will be a failure on air, too (good thing I didn’t say “failure” and “Air America” in the same sentence… oops!). But time will tell.

Among the highlights:

• Democrat Hall calls Shelby County voters ignorant (caught in the act twice by Gray!)
• Hall cuts on young politicians as non-serious “career” people (despite his young audience)
• panelists predict the end of the Ford-Herenton dynasty
• Hall and Gray bash County Mayor A.C. Wharton
• panelists demonize special interests in the development community
• Baker says TN Waltz isn’t over yet
• Gray says John Ford might walk
• Gray says A.C. might move to city mayor and Sherrif Luttrell to county mayor
• and the panel gives a District 87 candidate the smackdown!

Another entertaining moment came at the very end, after the panel discussion. Members of New Path took the podium to introduce their organization and thank everyone for attending. The two young men said New Path is a non-partisan project they formed about a year ago, spawning from conversations between freinds who were looking to get young people (between 21 and 40) more involved in politics. Their first project was to help Tomeka Hart’s campaign for school board (a non-partisan race), in which she unseated 17-year incumbent Hubon Sandridgeof (Baker’s interesting take on the runoff election won by Hart is here). Hart is also a member of the MPACT Memphis Board of Directors. After telling this, New Path opened the floor to questions about their group.

Q1. How do you determine which candidates you will support?

A. I’m not prepared to answer that. No, wait, ask me again.

Q1. Given that New Path is non-partisan, how do you determine who you support?

A. We go by our “New Path Criteria.” Any other questions?

Q2. What are some of your criteria?

A. I’m not prepared to answer that.

A2. We’ll put that on our website.

Fishkite looks forward to seeing how New Path’s non-partisan criteria shapes up, and wonders if it will look anything like this.

No offense to New Path, because they seem like nice enough people, but it doesn’t look promising:

New Path is part of a growing movement by young black leaders. Along with Mpact Memphis, the Memphis Urban League Young Professionals has also been started in the last few years with a focus on engaging the 21- to 40-year-old demographic.

With a focus on cooperation, diversity, and inspiring action, the creation of New Path marks the first step in implementing a new vision of political leadership in Memphis, Robertson says.

“We don’t want to be labeled as some kind of collection of angry, underground political assassins,” Robertson says. “This is an organization first and foremost about . . . making Memphis a better city. We don’t have a political ‘hit list’ and we’re not just about initiating change for change sake. We’re looking to reconnect the citizenry.”

Orrin says the group is not committed solely to supporting black candidates, either.

“We would support any candidate we think will make this community better,” he says. “This is about something bigger than black and white. It’s about better leadership, not just black leadership.”

Wow, now that’s a Bimbo if I’ve ever seen one.

You live, you learn.

***

Below is a rough transcript of the panel discussion I scratched out. All dialogue should be considered paraphrase, unless placed between quotation marks.

***
Q. How can this election cycle change the dynamics of the county?

Gray: Term limits take out, “praise God,” several county commissioners. I hope the Tennessee Waltz doesn’t do the Democrats harm.

Ryder: 6 of 13 will be open, and that will change attitudes.

Baker: up for grabs are judgeships, the entire state house, half the senate, one U.S. Senate seat, the Governor’s seat, and the Shelby County Democratic chair.

Hall: it’s important for young individuals, and for us to get new voters involved.

Ryder: new candidates have a better chance in an open seat; incumbency is a powerful barrier.

Gray: 40% of those who are registered didn’t vote. we should be concerned about GOTV. our last real local election was 2000.

Hall: Waltz and term limits will take credit for my work.

Q. Any advice for those looking to run for office?

Gray: Don’t. Just kidding. 1st work on another person’s campaign. Ask questions. Make sure the campaign is interested in organization and structure: yard signs, fundraisers, commercials. Organization is #1.

Ryder: Tap into experienced people who can help. Volunteers must know you and believe in your ideals. First thing you need to know: what is my purpose for running?

Baker: “Sartre said ‘hell is other people.’ Well, politics is other people.” Establish a degree of trust with those involved in the political process. (Cross-talk… Gray mentions Harold Ford, Jr’s easy political career. Baker says he’s the exception)

Hall: This is a craft and a skill. You must “understand the history of relationships.” Get to know the community. Know the political players.

Ryder: This is the last oral tradition that has survived. You can’t “google it.” You need to know people, and figure out who knows what.

Hall: I’ve been doing this since I was 17. I’ve walked every street in Memphis.

Gray: Prepare for this question: “why will you spend 15 times what you will make?” This quesiton will be more important in the wake of the TN Waltz.

Q. If campaigns are about knowing people, knowing power players, and inspiring volunteers, why is money a factor?

Ryder: If a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it…

Hall: You need money for advertising, for materials, food for your volunteers, for gasoline…

Ryder: advertising, how to shape your pre-existing message.

Baker: Get to know the political patrons.

Ryder: The ugly truth is that the TN Waltz is nothing compared to what happens in local politics. Most of the money comes from development, real estate, brokers, loan people…

Hall: Developers are special interests.

Baker: Some developers have never lost, even when it seems like they lost (in court, or an election), they really win.

Ryder: neighborhood associations are the counterbalance, but they have atrophied.

Hall: It’s not enough to be right…

Ryder: …or to have the right qualifications. It’s all about persuading your neighbors.

Gray: For the newcomers who don’t know the process, here are three rules to a successful campaign: 1. Name Recognition, 2. Ability to Raise Money, 3. Less Negative Baggage.

Baker: We’ll never get away from special interests, because you must represent some interest to be elected. All nine legislators from Tennessee voted for the (horrible) bankruptcy bill. Why do you think that is?

Q. What do you mean by negative baggage?

Gray: Negative baggage is “my uncle just got stung,” 3 DUIs, 3 kids outside marriage, etc.

Hall: You can create negative baggage (if you’re an evil Republican).

Ryder: You should do a self-assessment first.

Q. Is entrenchment caused by or the cause of voter apathy?

Ryder: They feed off each other. Turnout is caused by answering yes to two questions: do I feel I am personally affected by the outcome, and do I think my vote will help determine the outcome of the election?

How will the Tennessee Waltz affect the ‘06 elections?

Baker: Well, it isn’t over yet. People will be more conscious of the need for ethical history.

Hall: You can make a case against any incumbent.

Baker: People will be guilty by association.

Ryder: The number one issue shifts from property taxes to ethics.

Gray: I’m interested in the Waltz trial. Will this (sting operation) become a precedent? It will draw national attention. There will be a Shelby County jury. If the prosecution is incompetent, John Ford might walk. I don’t like stings. It makes the supposed good guys not so good and the allegedly bad guys do bad.

Baker: I defended you (Gray) against my colleague Chris Davis.

Gray: I saw that.

Hall: If they do walk, it will have a different affect on the elections.

Gray: “this may be the most positive negative thing that’s happened in 25 years.” People are turned off because they see the same names on the ballot every year.

Ryder: The trial will be part of the campaign. All the defendants are pleading entrapment. Government will try to show previous disposition to accepting bribes. Question: who else was approached, and who turned it down?

Gray: Public opinion can be swayed in the blink of an eye.

Hall: People are looking for an opening to run. I hope this next election will be about issues. “We don’t need career builders, we need serious people.” (Translation: no young candidates).

Gray: Hall is accusing Shelby County voters of being ignorant.

Hall: They’re not ignorant, they’re just not… (Ryder: engaged?) engaged. Shelby County voters know what Harold Ford, Jr. does and always call his phone (crosstalk: yeah, but that’s just when they need their weeds pulled), but when I worked in the U.S. Senate office, I only got two calls from minority voters. Shelby voters don’t know what the U.S. Senate office does. They don’t know what the county clerk does.

Gray: So, you are saying that!

Q. (from Naval officer stationed in Millington) will homeland security be an issue?

Baker: it depends on what happens.

Hall: yes, it matters for the next 10 years. Safety is important. One time is too many.

Baker: The issue is being ignored.

Gray: If it had been an issue pre-9/11, it might not have happened. We shouldn’t be over there in Iraq. Blah blah blah…

Ryder: It won’t be an issue unless there’s another attack, no.

Gray: It should be lumped in with crime.

Hall: See! Ryder said nothing about economics! [Uh... what the heck is he talking about?]

Q. What are the top three issues for the country or state?

Panel: Uh… we’ve already been discussing that, but…

Baker: Taxes, schools, consolidation, ethics

Gray: education, economics, crime. The % of African Americans at 201 Poplar is too high. I’m going to air an interview with Sherrif Luttrell soon.

Ryder: Tenncare, immigration

Hall: economics, “I don’t know anything else.”

Q. What are the key races?

Hall: 9th Congressional District. Getting past the Ford dynasty.

Baker: The U.S. Senate race, county commission races. There won’t be much difference in the U.S. Congressional races. Depending on Tenncare, the Governor’s race.

Hall: Don’t forget judges.

Ryder: All the open seats.

Gray: A. C. Wharton would be upset if he wasn’t mentioned. A.C. might not want his county job again, but Luttrell might.

Hall: It bothers me that the head Democrat is “in love with Republicans.” He held a Bill Gibbons fundraiser!

Q. I’m a district 87 candidate…

Panel: tell them your name, remember “name recognition.”

Q. My name is Andrew Rome Withers. I’m late for another appointment. I need to rush out to attend the NAACP forum… I just wanted to thank the panel… blah, blah, blah…

Panel: do you have a question?

Q. Blah, blah, blah…

Gray: you’re politicing!

Q. Blah, blah, blah…

Gray; you’re still politicing!

Panel: Next question!

Q. (another Dist 87 candidate, a young man) Is Shelby County ready to elect a young political candidate? Somebody who doesn’t have the support of developers?

Panel: Nice speech, but at least you put it in the form of a question.

Hall: There’s never been a better time. “I’ve always supported young candidates.”

Ryder: Don’t be afraid of cheesyness (such as making your campaign sign the shape of a bone if your last name is “Boner.”)

Q. Is the county mayor’s endorsement (of Gibbons) a concern?

Gray: “Not only is it taboo, it’s stupid!”

***

SIDE NOTE: According to the Memphis Flyer, Gray says he was fired from his last job because of Gibbons:

For almost three decades, Gray has been associated with WLOK-AM 1340, the long-standing gospel music station owned by Gilliam Communications. In addition to co-hosting a morning show, Gray had also become known for his controversial evening program, The Bottom Line. He would have celebrated the second anniversary of that show next week.

Company president Art Gilliam would not comment on the reason for Gray’s departure “out of deference to the employees,” saying that the station had decided to make a change. But Gray believed that statements he made about Shelby County district attorney Bill Gibbons led to the show’s demise. “The reason for the change, in my opinion, was about pressure,” he said. “I don’t know where the pressure came from, but I feel it had something to do with my weeklong questioning of Bill Gibbons and the selective prosecution by the office of the district attorney general.”

Interesting, no?

***

Gray: Partisan politics is “out the door in 16 years.” It’s going away. Going the way of the dinosaur.

Hall: I disagree. As we saw in Ohio, 16% of African Americans voted for the GOP.

Ryder: You can’t count on young voters marching lock-step down the party line. Next year the chamber of commerce is pushing for bi-partisan, non-partisan…

Hall: That’s a set-up! We keep seeing a transformation, as with Jimmy Moore who became a Republican…

***

That’s all I’ve got, folks.

For more on the goofy grassroot Democrat happenings in Memphis, check out this post at Half-Bakered.