Harper v. Herenton: The Final Round

Just before the 5PM newscast Wednesday, I caught something from WREC/AM600 to the effect that Mayor Herenton (speaking at his conference on his school consolidation plan) had offered to resign if consolidation went through. Stunned, I flipped on the television to WPTY/24. Nothing there. Nothing on the other stations that I saw. But then at the end of the newscast, Cameron Harper and Dee Griffin returned to reporter Terrance Bates at City Hall where it was confirmed that Herenton had jokingly said it!

Thus was Harper's much-discussed and frequently-vilified question to the Mayor, after a Rotary Club speech, vindicated. Or so I see it. Clearly, it made a mark on the Mayor. He was forced to concede, albeit indirectly, that his style was a problem in the consolidation push. The mess that the conference collapsed into afterwards (see next post) only confirmed it. Yet again.

I fired off an email to Cameron as soon as the broadcast ended. I really wasn't expecting a reply until today. After all, he and Dee to a 5PM, 6PM, 9PM and 10PM newscast! My email had three questions for him:

If it's correct, can I ask you three questions? I'd also like to publish your responses.
1. What was your reaction on hearing this news?
2. What is your response?
3. Do you feel vindicated in any way?

But late last night, I got a reply! He wrote:

Hi Mike.

Well, there's never a dull day in Memphis. I wish I could tell you I
had some kind of over the top reaction when I heard what The Mayor said,
but instead, I just shook my head. I think Lewis Carroll came to mind.

Specific to your last two questions: I don't really have a response
other than, you can't make this stuff up. Vindication? What's to
vindicate? Maybe he finally understood the point of my question.

"All in all, it's just another brick in the wall."

Cheers!

Cameron

My thanks to Cameron for the reply. You can read WPTY/24's account here. Notice too that both Cameron and Dee were very quick to spot and analyse the Mayor's use of the "if, then" construction. Make consolidation happen, then he'll step aside.

As I have said before, it's time for aggressive questioning of the Memphis Mayor from the local media, print and broadcast. Cameron has shown it will work, threats from the subject included. I haven't been shy about admiring his quick thinking, pointed questioning and solid determination to follow through in this. Mike Matthews and Richard Ransom, Darrell Phillips and Bill Lunn, Jay Hermacinski, Jacinthia Jones, Jackson Baker, I'm looking at y'all now. The fight is over and the presumed "Golden Gloves" winner has been rocked back on his heels. Time for the next challenger to step in. Then, the next and the next. It's long past time for transparency and accountability and honesty from our Mayor.

Go get 'im.