Democrat Anthony Foxx hopes to win Charlotte's mayor's race by building on the energy from Barack Obama's local campaign. When he formally announced today, he showed he's at least got the stagecraft down.TV risers faced a podium at West Charlotte high school. Directly behind the podium was a small bleacher with an appropriately diverse collection of supporters.
A disembodied voice introduced speakers, who entered from behind the kind of blue curtain common in Obama's and other presidential campaigns. One speaker, Joan Martin -- sister-in-law of former GOP Gov. Jim Martin -- introduced a biographical video. Then former Mayor Harvey Gantt introduced Foxx.
After the candidate himself spoke, the sound system blared Curtis Mayfield's "Move on up."
All this was different from earlier city campaigns, where candidates usually say their piece with little fanfare. "Who would have thought 10 years ago we'd have had a video for a city race," said Foxx supporter and longtime Democrat Steven Porter.
35 comments:
Just like Obama - Style over Substance . . .
Is this guy for real...where can I get a copy of his voting record? Anthony is just another self serving IDIOT!
May as well get used to it. Like it or not, he is the future mayor. Maybe governor. . .
He's black and he is the next mayor. Witness Nick Mackey.
Charlotte has always wanted to be Atlanta, so now we too can have all black Mayors. No qualifications except race, but our stupid city will elect him because he is black
I wish for once the Observer would be fair and actually report on Lassiter. Substance over style!
Yep, the minority that is becoming the majority in this city will run to vote for him based on one single factor... presidential election 2008 all over again. Disgusting.
Please we do not need Anthony Fox for mayor. Regardless of his race. He has only been a city council person for one year. He does have have any voting record and does not have any substance.
"Yep, the minority that is becoming the majority in this city will run to vote for him based on one single factor... presidential election 2008 all over again. Disgusting."
Yes it is...That is what happens when non-taxpayers, freeloaders and illegals vote... The new Change...
Whether you support Anthony Fox or not, please evaluate him on his record and not his race.
I am not evaluating on race...as was said earlier, evaluating on record. One term in city council, seriously? I have always been a proud Charlottean, but if he is elected, I will mourn. A progressive city will see a decline.
How many of you have met the man? He will stop on the street and engage in an intelligent discussion of the issues. He grew up here and he loves this town. He is a great young leader and we need him and as many more like him that we can find.
Let's take a look at Foxx's record then, for all of those who seem to think that he is style and no substance:
Foxx was born in Charlotte in 1971, went to CMS schools throughout his k-12 career, and then managed to get in to Davidson College. After the Wildcat received his BA in History and was elected Student Body President, he left Davidson to be a Root-Tilden-Snow Public Interest Law Scholar at NYU. He became a member of the NC bar in 1997. He has served as a judicial clerk for the Sixth US Circuit Court, joined the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, served as Counsel to Mel Watt when he was Ranking Member on the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. In 2001, he became Counsel to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. In 2005, when he was elected to the City Council At-Large, he served on the Economic Development Committee and chaired the Transportation Committee. he will have served 2 terms before the Mayoral Election.
Pat McCrory chaired no Committees before running for Mayor, despite serving as a City Councilman for 3 terms. He served on no part of the national stage. He never spent time in Charlotte Schools. He neglected Charlotte by simultaneously trying to be Mayor and run a losing campaign for Governor.
Style over Substance.
excellent candidate for the future of Charlotte. Coming from Pittsburgh, PA, I am excited about the future of Charlotte. Still, its very dissappointing that the racist and hate-filled comments left here are from people living in the Bible Belt and the city that gave the nation Billy Graham.
Are you people asleep when you are in church or did you miss the meaning of Christianity. Is the only thing the Republican Party has left is to appeal to the racist and hate-filled voter?
These comments are a terrible reflection on a minority opinion in Charlotte; it is a bad reflection on a city that welcomes many Northerners. Is that really Southern Charm?
Thank goodness, last November, North Carolina made the nation proud by voting for Obama and turning Democratic.
It would be nice if all the hate-speech was left to the gutter where it belongs.
Thank you from a proud liberal, pro-union Catholic Democrat from Pennsylvania
I first met Anthony while we were students at Davidson College. While he is not a close personal friend, I have kept up with him from time to time throughout the years since then. You may differ with him politically, but I can assure anyone reading this that Anthony is extremely intelligent, thoughtful, charming, diligent, motivated, giving, and, most importantly, has a special love for this city. There is really nothing not to like about him, unless perhaps you are judging him based on what your (mis)conception of a youngish (he's about 38, although he looks much younger) African American lawyer who has excelled in every conceivable arena, starting with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.
At least one candidate cares about the future of Charlotte and its citizens! Go Foxx!
Get, rel this guy is not caple of running a garbag truck must less the city of Charlotte..Go crawl back in your hole and take your wife with you..What a joke!!! Supersize it boi
Being sounsel to Mel Watt is reason enough not to vote for him..All BS,no way Charlotte has drpped, so far.. Hello South Carolina, here's comes more Charlotte taxpayers heading for the border...
john from Pittsburgh,get your as- back up north, the south will rise again without you yanks...take fox with you...We have one socilist in the black house we damn sure do not need one here in Charlotte....tea party, tea party
From the national news, to the local news. I have never felt so much racism in the country that I love! For many years we have had to vote for whatever person that was running, now we do have a choice and some of you choose to make it about color. Thank God we do have a majority that will look at records and not the color! In the national spot light the racism is calling the protest "Tea Baggers", what will the few Charlotteans call it?
For those concerned about the moral integrity of some of the posters here read again. They are just acknowledging the fact that some individuals will vote for this candidate based on one single element, race. The same thing happened in Nov '08 so how can the assertion of being racist not be applied to those individuals as well?
Obama junior! Actually much like Obama, has no record and is promising everything...just like Obama...I really don't care about the color of his skin just that they are smart, understand reality, believes in the american dream of honest hard working people when left alone by government do their best! Nope This isn't your Guy! Just another Obama, campaigns on Change & Hope and is a good public speaker but in fact is a nothing more than a Con. You have to give him credit he is a pretty SLICK Talker but then again he is a Lawyer!
It's a shame you don't actually know Anthony. You're missing out on an intelligent, well-educated, thoughtful, and good person. Period. I'm disappointed in the comments.
I am surprised that you racist, mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging,sheep for brains, Flat-Earth repoblicans can type out somewhat complete sentences with only thumbs on your stubby little hands.
To all of you that think Obama is style over substance...step to the right! Obama actually has a brain unlike his predecessor. I know that it is hard for you "hicks" to actually think that NOT all black people are free loaders etc.. but I invite you over to the trailer park to see otherwise!
Listen and see what Foxx has to say before you pass judgement.
Stop comparing all black politicians to Nick Mackey- we dont compare all white politicians to GW Bush!
These guys can graduate at the top of their class and perform beyond their peers, but all that's seen is the color of a man's skin. I guess Russ is the leader of the brainless! The good 'ole "Bible Belt" is shining thru again!
SO Anthony Foxx is a career student, lawyer and politician. From what I have read he has NEVER started a business. Has he ever held a job other than one that was in a law firm or on the taxpayer's dime as a so-called public servant?
It is great he is from Charlotte, but to those who think he won't get votes purely because he is black are lying to themselves and to the other posters on this board. And those "single issue" voters are just as racist as those who will only vote for a white candidate.
In order to write laws and execute laws, it might be wise to be well-versed in them.
I don't remember Pat McCrory being tremendously successful in Business.
But you know who was, another black candidate... Harvey Gantt.
I don't know when some of Charlotte became so racist. I don't know much about Foxx yet so I haven't form an opinion. I won't rule him out because he is black. I'm not familiar enough with John Lassiter yet either. I don't know who else is running. The last I checked blacks were still the minority in the community and can not elect anyone to anything without support from others. Nick Mackey came from one of those districts drawn to give blacks a majority. There are districts with white majorities (Sue Myricks). I don't hear any complaints about that.
Just reading some of this makes my skin crawl. I'm a white Charlotte native and some of you really ought to be ashamed of yourselves. It's very easy to see from your posts that you are woefully ignorant. You're just angry because Faux Noise has whipped you into such a froth that you can no longer make sensible comments that are articulate and well-written. 9:48,11:30, 5:23, 5:28, 5:32, I'm talking to you. Please go away and be quiet.
Regarding the candidates, both are accomplished individuals and either would likely be a good mayor.
All of you sore losers from the past presidential election of a visionary who will forever attempt to destroy people because of race, I have one question. Will you need a copy of his "birth certificate" as well? He WILL BE the next mayor..... accept it!
Did he use to be an asst. coach for the women's basketball team at Davidson? If this is that man, we used to have a resto outside Davidson, and he used to always hit us for free food all the time - he was relentless - if this is that man. I hope I'm wrong.
???? If the MINORITY is winning the elections...then the MAJORITY must not be the MAJORITY anymore...welcome to the new normal. We as a country and a city now vote on the issues and the BEST candidate available.
It looks like foxx may win. God help us. Charlotte is headed down the drain. Here comes another Atlanta. Foxx will vote for anything that will uplift his race, and make it even tougher for a middle aged white man to succeed in the Charlotte area. Look for higher taxes and less or poorer quality services, because they are on the way. Again. God, Please help us!
It's too bad we have to deal with this punkification of all the mayors we've had since I've been alive.
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