The Atlanta media is having a field day with the McKinney-Johnson GA-04 race. Atlanta's very own Molly Ivins/Maureen Dowd, Atlanta Journal Constitution Editorial Page Editor Cynthia Tucker, blasted Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney in an exceptionally well-crafted and insightful opinion piece that clearly outlines why she does not deserve re-election.
You can read the entire article here in the AJC, but the highlights of this opinion piece below are priceless.
We know it's not going to be a good day for McKinney when Tucker starts out with this:
McKinney speaks loudly but has accomplished little in her 12 years in Congress. That's because her outrageous rhetoric and loopy antics distance her not only from the Republican majority, but even from many of her Democratic colleagues. She has few allies.
Tucker, who is black and IMHO, makes Maureen Dowd look like an amateur, isn't afraid to address the aura of racism and anti-Semitism that is so often found in McKinney's reckless rants and her political history. She continues by debunking the myth that McKinney's opponent Hank Johnson, garners all of his support from white voters
But she frittered away her promise, recklessly playing the race card and picking fights not only with opponents but also with those who should have been allies. In 1997, when she was challenged by John Mitnick, a Jewish Republican, she allowed her father, a spokesman for her campaign, to engage in blatant anti-Semitism. In 2000, her Web site posted her inflammatory analysis of Al Gore as having a low "Negro tolerance level."
In the July 18 Democratic primary, she couldn't rouse enough support to win 50 percent outright against two opponents -- a poor showing indeed for any incumbent. While political observers believe most whites will support her black opponent in the run-off, a lot of her middle-class black constituents are tired of her, too.
Atlanta is very fortunate to be represented by John Lewis, our highly respected and influential Democratic Congressman in GA-05, which primarily includes the city of Atlanta. He is our John Conyers, a voice of reason and strength, and has always enjoyed strong support throughout the community and even among the city's affluent in-town precincts. McKinney's opponent, Hank Johnson, is thought by many to be very much like Lewis in terms of persona and demeanor. Tucker pulls no punches in articulating the stark contrast between McKinney and Lewis:
She doesn't have the prestige or power to pass a resolution in support of sweetened ice tea.
By contrast, her colleague, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who represents Georgia's 5th District, has the moral authority to get things done. He, too, is a vocal critic of the invasion of Iraq. He, too, has frequently disagreed with the policies of President Bush. He, too, is a Democrat -- a member of the minority party. But when Lewis threw his determined efforts behind extension of the Voting Rights Act, it passed.
It's the difference between infamy and influence.
I ask this of any Atlanta Metro area/Dekalb County Kossacks who support or are considering McKinney as your choice in the forthcoming primary: do you really want to be represented by a histrionic and inflammatory ranter who has no influence in DC? Think about it. With Hank Johnson, we get a candidate who has the potential to be another John Lewis. Which would you rather have? Infamy or influence?
There have been many, many comments of support for Hank Johnson on this site. As many of you are aware, he is significantly trailing McKinney in fundraising and needs our help to ensure a victory on August 8th. Regardless of whether you are local or an out-of-area Democrat who would like to bring an end to McKinney's embarrassing and unproductive tenure, please consider making a donation to Hank Johnson here. Be sure to put the customary $.01 in your contribution so the campaign can identify netroots support. If you are Johnson supporter, please hit the "recommend" tab so this will stay up awhile and hopefully raise some funds for the campaign.