KKK Ad Runner Loses TN Primary In Landslide

Being linked to "big oil" turned into a big problem for Tennessee Republican freshman Rep. David Davis, who became the first congressman from that state to lose in a primary in more than four decades. ...

Meanwhile, in the 9th District, in Memphis, a racially charged Democratic primary ended with an incumbent congressman trouncing the opponent who ran an ad linking him to the Ku Klux Klan.

Unofficial results showed Democrat Steve Cohen with 79 percent of the vote to 19 percent for Nikki Tinker, a black corporate lawyer who was his chief opponent in the district that covers Memphis, with all precincts reporting.

Cohen is the first white congressman from Memphis in more than three decades and one of only two white congressmen representing a majority black district.

"The results are pretty clear," Cohen told cheering supporters at a victory party. "I'm here to report that Tennessee and Tennessee (District) 9 voted firmly for the post-racial politics that has carried a new generation to power."

The campaign turned ugly in its final days, when Tinker ran a television ad juxtaposing photos of Cohen, who is Jewish, and a hooded Ku Klux Klan member. Tinker's supporters argued the district, which is 60 percent black and 35 percent white, should be represented by a black candidate. Cohen, a former state senator, has a long record as a civil rights supporter.

Tinker said her ad linking Cohen to the KKK for opposing a 2005 effort to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from a downtown park "merely states the facts. I think the nation needs to know Steve Cohen's complete record."

But the ad drew condemnation Thursday from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. It juxtaposed pictures of a statue of Forrest, an early leader of the KKK, and a hooded Klansman in front of a burning cross while asking, "Who is the real Steve Cohen?"

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[jackjack]

Glad she lost...hor­rible tactics~

.02 from a biracial (black, irish, indian, woman)

[poco767b]

Elevate the debate.

[Egalitare]

Three cheers for common sense. My brothers and sisters in Memphis voted for competent representation.

Mazltov, Cohen! You're welcome in my 'hood - and my church - anytime.

[FogBelter]

Aren't there other issues impacting the people of Memphis' 9th District with more merit than the statue of a Civil War General? Under the same argument, all of the statues of the Founding Fathers should be torn down as well ... they did nothing to end slavery, and were slave owners themselves.

What Nikki Tinker is guilty of is being politically cynical, and frivolous, and the voters of the 9th called her on it.

[uheardme]

You're right, why not tear them down. Do you think Steve Cohen will tolerate a swastika flying around in his district?? Nah, probably not.

[Brokerhenry]

This Nicki Stinker is supposed to be a corporate liar right!! Well, who would hire her to lie for them now! Payback is a b*tch!! I know, lawyer, liar, what the heck!

[AFPISCES]

Actually she is a manager at an airline, she has not been a corporate lawyer since she left Altanta in the 90s. Yet another lie on her part!

[jupitor]

We'll finally tennesee did you learn a lesson now? Black does not only vote for black! They vote for the best , just like we do! Now tennesee it's time for the white folks to set aside their pregidouse against black, and really take a good look at the Demacrate nomanee, with out seeing the color of his skin! Don't use the excuse he's a muslem, because that has been proven as a lie, and it's used to hid the racist problem in yourselfs! It's time to shake off the past, and put on the new! It's time to inter the 20 th century for those like me who are old, an leave the old in the past. It doesn't work intodays high tech world, and niether does the old maverick of Mccain who was a POW over twenty years ago! Respect him, yes-----------but vote for him for something he did more than twenty years ago is an excuse to say your scared of change! Older people like me have a time to be helpful and a time to help, but our time to lead with our old idea's are now passed. Mccain is no longer the maverick of his youth, just the maverick of the old now, with his memory problems and his pain , of his age! Sorry, that is life!

[agachieng]

It is a clear message from black people to America; it’s time for change. The past is what it is, acknowledged, not forgotten, BUT left in the past to pave way for the future. This is a year when the color of a person's skin will not get him/her elected into office. It is a year when American voters will not allow themselves to be "used". Ms. Tinker thought that as a black candidate in a predominantly black community, her ticket to the office would simply be handed over to her, irrespective of her deeds. That's not how black people think. Black people are always tougher on their own people, than they are on those from other races. What Ms. Tinker did, cannot be condoned and I can only thank her for providing such an unfortunate platform, so the voices of the people of Tennessee can be heard. It is loud and very clear.

[nunzia]

I sure hope you're right. My opinion has been that the race card in American is the trump card.
I would be delighted to learn otherwise.
It's the only explanation for a close race. McCain is a nasty incompetent man, so why is it close?

[Daly]

And the romur is that AA are supporting Obama because he is black, guess that in the light of this, it is not so true huh.

AA way to go!

[taitracee]

I am black and she should have lost, that was a tastless ad..she played the race card unnessesarily

[MPeter]

Very good. This should teach her a lesson. If racism is bad when practised by Whites, it ought be just as bad coming from Blacks. Let her go back to practising Corporate Law where she can lie and fudge facts and get away with it.

[Daly]

So true.

[jsrl317]

I am very happy this lady lost. She ran a despicable race baiting campaign. I hope this echoes through the country as we elect our first black president.

Congrats Congressman Cohen.

-John

[Vantunow]

Nikki Tinkler needs a guidance counciler or something.

Someone so cute, why is she wasting time to try and get to Congress?

She could have had a career in 'teleprompter journalism' or some corporate lawyer or something.

Make millions, be famous and lead a fun life!

All that thrown away for a POS Congressional seat from TN? Incredible.

[TrueIndy08]

she is a corporate lawyer... read the article

[roald]

Someone so cute... Better hope no one figures out where you live.

[AFPISCES]

Nikki needs Jesus!

[Northlite]

This news makes me feel good and proud to be an American.

I only voted for Republicans twice in my 40 years as a voter. One of the was Ed Brooke, the first Black elected US Senator in the 20th Century. Brooke won Massachusetts at a time when minorities of any stripe were less than 10 percent. Brooke beat a white man in that white state because he was a better man and better politician and the more liberal candidate at a time when liberals were still part of the Republican party.

I note that this is the same Senator Brooke who Barbara Walters had her affair with many years ago.

Next, we will make America a prouder and better place by showing that we can elect the best person to be our President--B. Obama! Will he solve all our problems? No! Will he perform miracles? No! But he will certainly be better for our nation than any Republican--the Republicans just lie, steal our money, damage our government, etc. And just the fact of electing Obama will change the world in so many profoundly positive ways.

[JohnFromCensornati]

Who was the other?

[TrueIndy08]

I was actually in Southaven Miss... last week and these commercials were running there! I was shocked when I saw this...

As a black female, I am utterly disgusted by this Nikki chick.... did she really think race baiting was going to help her??? We are moving beyond that.... I hope all politicians, black, white, asian, latino.... DEM or GOP understands that we are sick of the racial divide and we want our country to grow up...

People like her deserve to lose... thank you Memphis for showing her that these nasty tactics will be rewarded!!!

[thegirlnextdoor]

What an ignorant move. The KKK also hunted and hung Jews. Study history!

[TrueIndy08]

this just proves how utterly desperate this woman was....

she is a sad excuse for a politician!

[Americatortures]

Now she can run in a party who supports her brand of gutter politics..­...the GOP!! She can be like Condi and Ken Blackwell and Clarence Thomas!!!

[nunzia]

And Colin Powell.
The blood of hundreds of thousands of people is on his hands.

[westreal]

Girlfriend you just ended your political career with that stunt.