The candidates' forum at the University of Memphis' Holiday Inn was the first time would-be candidates for the Memphis mayor's race have shared the same stage since Mayor Willie Herenton announced his resignation.
And while some said the forum was too early (Herenton rescinded his written promise to resign and the election commission won't set a race date), the organizer, County Commissioner Mike Carpenter said he had actually started organizing the event when Herenton's last day was still July 10.
But the prevailing wisdom, Carpenter said, is that there will be a city mayor's race at some point "and that the folks we had here today are likely to be candidates when that race happens. I think it was substantive and I don't think it was too soon."
As for a missing County Mayor A C Wharton (see earlier post), candidates generally felt he should have been there. "Any group that asks me to speak, I'd go to speak and I wouldn't take into account whether it was strategically beneficial for the campaign," said City Councilman Jim Strickland. "He should have been here."
"'Any group that asks me to speak, I'd go to speak and I wouldn't take into account whether it was strategically beneficial for the campaign,' said City Councilman Jim Strickland."
Strong words from a dude who hasn't even declared himself a candidate yet. In the event that he does fun, I think Strickland may find that there are constituencies he needs to interface with more than a room full of a Republican County Commissioner's friends. But there I go think strategically again.