At the risk of over-reading Memphis mayor A C Wharton's decision to welcome Bill Haslam into City Hall's seventh-floor mayor's office -- and stand with him before TV cameras -- that move is now looking like pretty wise. As Rick points out in an earlier post, Memphis is more of an island unto itself than ever in Tennessee, so much so that Haslam, a two-term city mayor with a moderate record and moderate campaign focus, may potentially be the best ally the city can hope for on Capitol Hill.
Wharton continues to insist there was no political significance to the meeting, but the most popular Democrat in Shelby County -- if not the state -- standing next to the Republican nominee in his office in front of cameras during the general election is not inconsequential. Haslam's massive victory should earn him some leeway with the Republican legislature, and some of that margin probably was helped by Wharton's move. Memphis must hope that Haslam wasn't just offering empty rhetoric when he pointed out that his wife, Memphis native Crissy Garrett Haslam, would kill him if he didn't take good care of the city.
Haslam told us Monday that he would be back in Memphis on Saturday for meetings. Mayor Wharton might remind him of that campaign-season hospitality.
Wharton continues to insist there was no political significance to the meeting, but the most popular Democrat in Shelby County -- if not the state -- standing next to the Republican nominee in his office in front of cameras during the general election is not inconsequential. Haslam's massive victory should earn him some leeway with the Republican legislature, and some of that margin probably was helped by Wharton's move. Memphis must hope that Haslam wasn't just offering empty rhetoric when he pointed out that his wife, Memphis native Crissy Garrett Haslam, would kill him if he didn't take good care of the city.
Haslam told us Monday that he would be back in Memphis on Saturday for meetings. Mayor Wharton might remind him of that campaign-season hospitality.
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