Morrison endorses no one

In a brief exchange with Steve Morrison yesterday, I got the feeling that this would happen.

Today, he announced that he would not endorse either of the remaining candidates for mayor of Columbia. He cited his own humility, which I believe is completely sincere, knowing him:

We have always wondered at the hubris of losing candidates endorsing winners, but have come to understand the demand for unity in traditional party politics.  But, we were attracted to this race precisely because it was a non-partisan race among neighbors, a race not burdened with the extreme divisions of contemporary party politics.  Ours was a noble, some say naïve, cause to overcome the divisions of race and political party.We have no political “machine” with the ability to “deliver” votes to any candidate.  We have deep respect and extreme gratitude for our wonderful friends and neighbors who supported us with their time, energy, money and votes.  They are intelligent, independent thinkers who will vote their conscience on April 20 after considering each candidate.

Trouble is, sometimes humility is unbecoming, and this is one of those times. Almost a third of those who voted last Tuesday looked to Steve Morrison for leadership in this city, and he just declined a unique opportunity to lead them toward a clear conclusion in this hard-fought race. He didn’t have to have a machine, he didn’t have to lift a finger to “deliver” votes. He just needed to use the power he had to lead.

Now, this race remains a big question mark, and I think Steve Morrison could have tipped it pretty clearly one way or another. No, I’m not saying his voters were sheep who would vote, each and every one, for his designated successor. But enough of them, torn over the choice, would have taken a cue from him to make the difference.

I think I can identify with one reason why he didn’t endorse, though:

Columbia is blessed to have two candidates for Mayor with winning qualities.  One is a traditional Republican, the other a traditional Democrat.

That’s the clearest statement I’ve seen from him as to why he called himself a unifying figure — because he saw the other two in such partisan terms. And he doesn’t want anyone to see him in those terms.

I can dig that. Now that I’m no longer with the newspaper, I’ve been tempted to get involved in politics at long last — if not in my own behalf as a candidate, then in support of another. But the very first person I back, my readers will say, “See, he was a (Democrat, Republican, whichever depending upon whom I’m supporting) all along.” And I cherish my independence too much to encourage that sort of misinterpretation. I think Steve does, too.

Tomorrow, I’ll be sitting down with Steve Morrison for a video interview that I’ll probably post the next day sometime. At that time, I’ll explore his thinking on this further, along with other issues. Don’t touch that dial!

10 thoughts on “Morrison endorses no one

  1. Kathryn Fenner

    Humility does not usually refer to itself in the first person plural.

    Steve Morrison was a spoiler candidate who will not even stand up and be counted as the Democrat he obviously is. Wishy-washy in the extreme. I’m very disappointed in him.

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  2. Maude Lebowski

    Kathryn I’m more disappointed in Columbia voters who failed to elect him. He was, far and away, the best candidate. I find his reasons for not endorsing to be honest and admirable.

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  3. Doug Ross

    Unlike The State, maybe Mr. Morrison doesn’t think either candidate is right for Columbia. Sometimes the best choice is no choice… I applaud his decision to let the people decide (which should result in the worst choice based on the electorate’s ignorance and apathy)

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  4. Kathryn Fenner

    I find it hard to believe that Steve Morrison cannot figure out who is closer to his ideals (hint, his name is also Steve.) If arts funding is a big deal, and it is to many Morrison supporters, does anyone believe Kirkman will approve arts funding more than Steve Benjamin would? Really.

    Of course the people can and will decide, but as we all told Brad, when you are up close and personal with a candidate, you may be in a better position to suss them out. Steve Morrison’s abdication of, maybe not “endorsing” a candidate, but of at least giving some guidance, is disappointing.

    Maude–I was disappointed with the lack of clear positions taken by Morrison in the debates reported. he seemed to simply want to inhabit the middle ground and figure it out when he go there, while both of the other candidates had real plans (although Kirkman’s seems to have been largely to lock up the city coffers). Now, Morrison may well be quite able to make it up as he goes along, and do it well, but I am much more impressed with the dynamic plans of Steve Benjamin. He’s done his homework!

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  5. Jim

    If Morrison would have endorsed for this race, it would have been for Finlay, just conjecture and what I have heard. He is a strong fiscal conservative and people are wrong that assume he is a Democrat.

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  6. Lynn

    I have wondered as the pre-runoff campaign drew to a close if there were too many easy assumptions made about Morrison’s intended direction. I’m not convinced that Morrison is one of Brad Warthen’s “unparty.” There is always a possibility that he is of the party that is convenient for him at any given moment, and willing to juggle things to avoid commitments that would limit his ability to play power games.

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  7. Kathryn Fenner

    I think the folks who think somehow Steve Benjamin is going to raise taxes unilaterally and bankrupt them are getting hysterical. Steve has said unequivocally that “the city has lost its moral authority to raise taxes.”

    “THE CITY HAS LOST ITS MORAL AUTHORITY TO RAISE TAXES.” -Steve Benjamin

    Besides, he is one vote out of seven, and the legislature has severely limited how much the city could raise taxes, and even if the city doubled your taxes , which it cannot remotely do, it would be the cost of a dinner out for the most expensive properties (except for the Finlay spread, maybe).

    Morrison’s crew were pretty much all hard-core Democrats, so if he is a closet Republican, I’d be amazed. A yellow dog, maybe.

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  8. Kathryn Fenner

    @Lynn–very interesting! You may have something there. I doubt that a successful litigator could possibly be a nice and apparently indecisive as Morrison purports to be. In the legal community he is known to be pretty hardball about discovery–the requirement to timely release documents and other evidence to the other side as requested. Delay and obstructionism favors his type of private client, to be sure, but he is said to have frequently taken it beyond the permitted limits.

    A wise man tried to teach me to distinguish between the truly nice and the merely pleasant.

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