Have you ever felt that everyone around you was going crazy over something that wasn’t nearly as big a deal as they thought? That’s how I’ve felt during the whole sheriff debacle, which has to rank as the most overblown brouhaha I’ve witnessed in Charlotte in a long time.
Neither Mackey nor Bailey, no matter their personal histories or characters, are the bad guys here. The state hearing last weekend made it obvious that, like it or not, Mackey followed rules as laid out by local Dem honcho David Erdman, who is the real culprit in what was essentially a case of serious slack-assedness by the Democratic Party. So, yes, the “election” was a bad joke, and Erdman is the guy responsible. So, get rid of Erdman, and let his start smoothing over its racial divide, if it can. But for crying out loud, let’s get on with life. In the end, it was just a Sheriff’s race.
This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2008.
OK..it is “just” a sheriffs job. I agree there. And I agree the local Dems messed it up. But as far as Mackey is concerned…I can’t imagine anyone would want him or anyone with the controversy surrounding them like him in a public or political office. He certainly would have absolutely no credibility or decent reputation now. He certainly wouldn’t be as effective now. And not necessarily because what the Democrats did but because of what HE has and has not done. The clincher was bringing Sharpton in. The three things Sharpton lives by is controversy, his idea of racial behavior and if a TV camera is going to be there. It’s easy to throw the racial card on the table and a lot of people are afraid of that so they bow down and jump on the same racial bandwagon. Try to forget color for a moment, look at Mackey’s reputation and look at his unwillingness to provide info or cooperate. Regardless of color, that kind of behavior has no place running any public office for any city, much less one I live in.
If this was such a small issue then why did Mayor McCrory along with all the others put up such a fuss? Nick Mackey won the election fair and square, to have it overturned like it was was a terrible thing to witness.
And anyone who mouths off that Nick Mackey lacks credentials just doesnt know what they’re talking about.
Nick Mackey besides earning a law degree has masters in Business, Public Administration, Criminology in addition to his undergrad degree. And he served 12 years on the CMPD.
Nick Mackey has more credentials than McCory, Park Helms and Chipp Bailey combined.
And 29% of Americans polled think Bush is doing a good job. There will always be that small percentage that can\’t see the forest.