When Will They Learn
I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt, but there's a limit to being fair. Fool me once shame on you,fool me twice shame on me. The incumbents aren't guilty in this case. They're just caught up in the mix. But both of these challenging candidates should know better than to partner up with some of the people they are hanging with. Both of them have been on the campaign trail before. One has spent a small fortune trying to get in office. The other has been on the beaten path for quite some time. Not as a candidate but a worker.
Jennings Bernard is what you call a perennial candidate. He has entered every race he could, and even some he shouldn't have. In one race he received less than 100 votes. I think he is the epitome of the word unelectable. In spite of his name being on every ballot in recent history. Also an ongoing daily radio program for the last few years. He has been unable to make an impact. Now he is running against Karen Camper for State Representative in district 87. Who is both a newcomer and the incumbent. She was appointed to take the place of deceased Representative Gary Rowe. She also ran for for the City Council unsuccessfully. I don't know who is behind this woman, but obviously they have some clout. My guess is the forces that have worked against him in the past, will continue to do so, and Ms. Camper will be reelected. His original partner in politics is not endorsing him. Though they have made it a personal goal to inject themselves in other races.
I don't always agree with his stances but I do admire his steadfastness. Eddie Neal has been an adamant supporter of local left wing politics since the days of "Enough Is Enough." Which by the way was the brainchild of Jennings Bernard and Thaddeus Matthews. Last year he was appointed on a interim basis to represent district 92 after Henri Brooks was elected to the County Commission. Since he was the first in that group to get into office, appointed or elected. You would think the other members would have been ecstatic over the win, but they weren't. Jennings barely mentioned it on his radio show. Only then because Eddie Neal called. Thaddeus didn't mention it on his blog at all. Though he's endorsing him now. Which has more to do with his opposition of G.A. Hardaway than his support of Eddie Neal. In the special election to fill the seat. They all set by quietly while the powers that be slid Hardaway in office. And totally overlooked Mr. Neal. I hope Eddie Neal is aware he is a pawn in a personal squabble. And doesn't let Thaddeus become the kiss of death. By using him to promote his show. If it's not already too late.
When you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas. Both of these guys are old enough to know the score. Since they obviously haven't learned yet. When will they learn?
posted by Common at
10:43 PM
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6 Comments:
I predict G.A. Hardaway will be reelected. Not that he's doing anything, but he always finds the camera. He has joined forces with Javier Bailey and the Rainbow Coalition in a class action lawsuit against the council. He also showed up at Bev Johnson's White Soire'. Right now he's playing the role of the flunky, but he has potential. I expect him to run for bigger things.
Jennings vs. Karen Camper: Definitely Camper -- in a landslide.
Common, believe it or not, Jennings does have a significant audience, but it's on the internet. Most of us who live out of town are the listeners. I even know some people out of state who listen everyday. We want to hear what is going on in the Black community, whether the host is ignorant or not. Ditto when it comes to Thaddeus. Once upon a time, we used to get news from WDIA. However, with Bobby "booty on the brain" O'Jay at the helm, that no longer is the case.
The reason Jennings is going to lose is because he is an embarrassment to Memphis on so many different levels -- from his racist rants to his ignorance on current issues. He doesn't even realize when he complains that Karen Camper had only been in the district three days that it's because he's been set up. The County Commission got together and planned it because they know every time there is a vacancy, here comes Jennings Bernard. He couldn't get elected dog catcher in a canine sanctuary.
G.A. versus Eddie Neal. Eddie Neal should be elected. Sure, G.A. may win, but what can you expect from a district that kept re-electing Henri Brooks? Sometimes you get what you ask for.
G.A. is not well liked in Nashville. He has bad bills, he annoys his fellow members, and is constantly grandstanding. You wouldn't know this because all the media cares about is Ophelia Ford. The story about Eddie Neal is true. Eddie's bill had bipartisan support -- Senator Paul Stanley (R-Germantown) was the Senate sponsor, and Stanley had no problems passing it. Barbara Cooper lied and said she would pass his bill about running for two offices at the same time, but she turned right around and gave the bill to G.A. Then G.A. took Eddie's name off the legislation and killed it in the House with Joe Towns.
Anonymous 3:18,
I know he would be glad to hear from you. Better yet, he would appreciate if you called the show. The day I caught him,he talked for forty minutes on an hour show. He tried to ban my friend because they did on WDIA. Jeff Lee was just being a hater, but Jennings didn't have enough to fill the void.
You certainly know Memphis politics. Obviously you are not in Jenning's circle of advisors. Obviously nobody that he listens to, has told him that. He is enamored with people like Jerry Hall. A political pondent who is always wrong.
You have a point about the voters in Hardaway's district. If they repeatedly belected Henri Brooks, they'll go for anything. He doesn't have much of an act to follow.
Common:
You don't have to worry about me being an advisor for Jennings -- EVER. I don't fool with ignorant people. That particular Titanic will sink on its own. I listen for entertainment purposes only. My dad turned me on to his show a few years back. I didn't believe the stories he was telling me about the show, so I listened for myself. I found out he was right!
You probably know by now that Jennings pulled the plug on WLRM (or so he claims) and that he's planning on doing his own show from 2 pm - 4 pm on the internet. He talked for about 10 minutes (after taking 20 minutes to start) and claimed he was going to take a break. As of 3:18 p.m., he's not back, but as you know, this is often the case with his show. He did the exact same thing on Friday. When he was on WMQM, my dad would listen to him and complain about him taking 30 minutes of an hour show to get started. This is the main reason people don't take him seriously as a talk show host, businessman, or politician.
As for Jerry Hall, his resume consists of two things: (1) running the campaing of a convicted felon and (2) getting knocked out cold at Peabody Place. If that's what it takes to be a "political strategist," then I apparently wasted my time and money by going to college.
I just found out about Jenning's so-called break. He claims it was costing him $2000 a week. If he was paying that much, Dave Brown would have found a way to keep him.I was coming to write about it, but you've beat me to the punch.
In my possesion I have one of the hottest shows Jennings Bernard ever had. I listened to it the other day in it's entirety. Jennings refused to acknowledge what the people wanted to hear. He put all his faith in Janis Fullilove and Leon Gray.In spite of their dwindling popularity. If their personalities were all that, they would have still been at WLOK.
I think we have seen the last of Jennings Bernard. His pride alone should cause him to quietly disappear from Memphis politics. He can't even win with a Commercial Appeal endorsement.
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