Comments on Advance Indiana™: Indianapolis Mayoral Election Results Same Story As Four Years Ago

On Smith backing Ballard and Tully backing Kennedy...

2011-11-10T09:44:56.525-05:00

On Smith backing Ballard and Tully backing Kennedy, I'm pretty sure there was a little role playing go on there. Tully was quite comfortable with Ballard's handling of the city the past four years. The Star faced a huge backlash against Smith's column defending Andre Carson's latest race-baiting antics. I don't think either Tully's or Smith's columns on their mayoral choices was sincere. I think it was quite concocted to show arguments for supporting either candidate.

Yes, the race-baiting ads targeted black voters, b...

2011-11-10T08:18:51.645-05:00

Yes, the race-baiting ads targeted black voters, but the fact they were being used was discussed widely in the local news media prior to the election and brought protestations from Ballard and the Republican Party. The race-baiting pitch is really getting old and turning off white voters.

I'd agree with you about that ad except it was...

2011-11-10T08:09:44.251-05:00

I'd agree with you about that ad except it was played on BET and urban radio, not media outlets generally watched/listened to by white voters.

There's no doubt a number of black clergymen and business leaders were behind Ballard, and even the Star's Erika Smith supported him. But the black vote wasn't what cost Kennedy the election, it's because she's not a populist and didn't attack Ballard on the issues where he was vulnerable.

I wanted to see an ad about the Bissard case. I wanted to see him hit on ACS and the water deal. The BR parking garage. I wanted to see attacks on the bribes to Irsay and the Simons. But we got crime and education.