The Crone Speaks

Well, ol' Susan Adler Thorp, in an otherwise dull and strained column, really steps in it this time. With a single remark, her limp examination of Mayor Herenton's appearance at a non-partisan Lamar! Alexander event gets kicked into orbit.

As both SAT and Jackson Baker [see below] note, Herenton has long-standing ties to Lamar! and is one to place those ties above partisan politics. SAT finds this so odd, it's worthy of a column-length dissection. Unfortunately, there's no "there" there. Thorp rehashes old news, but still seems baffled by Herenton's placing of the personal above the political.

But, in referring to the angry reaction of some Republicans, she calls those folks "the Taliban wing of the Republican Party." I mean, really...was that called for? No doubt she thinks quite well of herself for getting that zinger off, but for a woman who disdains Limbaugh's old use of the term "feminazi" it seems rather indifferently callous. Here's the actual context:

Although some local Democrats may be unhappy with Herenton's
participation, believing it gives Alexander credibility in the
predominantly Democratic black community, some local
Republicans also are disgruntled about Herenton's public support
of Alexander - particularly those who come from the Taliban wing
of the Republican Party,

"A lot of people in the party violently disagree with it, because
many people who live out in the county just don't like Herenton,''
said Conrad, a member of the local GOP steering committee.

Mixing that metaphor in with the racial discussion as she does, it's incendiary. SAT herself has reported on the en bloc voting of the black community in Memphis and Shelby County. It's common for that vote to go up to 90% to the Democratic candidate. Rare are the Mark Luttrell's of the area who can get up to half of the black community to support him nowadays.

Of course, the truly execrable Mike Fleming, of WREC talk radio, was all over this remark. His insightful analysis consisted of calling her "idiotic" and "stupid." That was pretty much it. He skimmed the foam of "the party line at the morning paper, where they're all liberal Democrats" and that was all. How shallow is Mike Fleming? Well, if he was a piece of paper, he'd be one-sided.

What we have in this Alexander event is an effort, somewhat misguided but seemingly well-intentioned, to create some cross-race and cross-party support happening, for the greater community good. The organizers are to be commended for making outreach efforts!

Their only problem is that they are Republicans. Had this been Democrats trying to woo Republicans and whites, SAT would have approvingly written of it. But being the other way around, she must snipe and gripe, and stir the pot.

How sad she is.

I know, some of the faithful readers here were expecting a major diatribe, but to what end? The main point of the article is nothing much. It's that single remark that's the real shocker. But what else do you expect from ilk like Thorp? She got off her shot, got her jollies, and left us sputtering. She's undoubtedly happy as a clam. Why give her any more satisfaction? Let her stew in her own bile. From everything I've ever seen of her, on television and in the paper, she a joyless person. That's got to be punishment enough.

Until next time.