When local boosterism outstrips pragmatic realities

Heh.

Analysis: The 11 most logical picks for Joe Biden’s vice president, ranked https://t.co/JQkCOeDUjn

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 5, 2020

Yesterday I was listening to our local Atlanta NPR Political Rewind, journalists, campaign managers, activists, bureaucrats, politicians and academics (basically all the insiders), getting around to talk about Biden's pick for VP. They were nearly giddy.

Keisha Lance-Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta, has so far turned in an unexpectedly credible performance during the riots. She has partnered with the white conservative governor and together they have been effective in keeping the rioting in Atlanta to a minimum. Good for them.

The Political Rewind insiders were drooling over her new prospects. Just as they had earlier drooled over the prospects of our earlier Mayor (and Bottoms' mentor) Kassim Reid, now under FBI investigation. And earlier over Stacey Abrams. And earlier over Osoff. They are always anticipating that which has not happened yet.

It is particularly absurd with Lance-Bottoms. Tissue thin resume. Former mentor under investigation. One accomplishment so far and that is not to let the city go up in flames. That is a credible accomplishment, just not really much for the second most important political position in the world.

It was also striking. After five minutes of handicapping her chances ("She's ranked in seventh place, just ahead of Stacey Abrams"), there was a pause in the conversation. Some clearing of throats. After cheering her riot performance, they had to at least go through the motions of looking at the cons.

Local executives like Governors and Mayors have an especially hard time, it was claimed, because they have to demonstrate the effectiveness of their decisions based on their results. That was the cover talking point that they quickly settled on. They were excited for her but wanted to be realistic about her prospects. Because she has to answer for her decisions.

Then there was some more throat clearing. Finally someone mentioned the many questions raised about possible corruption at Hartsfield Jackson airport which the city controls. They moved past that as quickly as possible. Then they alluded, without specifically mentioning, to the Mayor's giving away of vast sums of tax subsidies to a consortium of out-of-town developers for the redevelopment of a few dozen acres of downtown blight. A plan with no details, no estimates, no forecasts, no future vision, no public reviews. Just rushed through in the dark of night with no discussion. As I say, they merely alluded to "other decisions that might come under review".

It was kind of an entertaining performance if you enjoy irony and unintentional satire and as long as you have some line of sight on the contextual facts they were unwilling to actually share with the listening public.