Democrat Paul Mattila and Republican Ray Butler have
several things in common besides the fact that they both aspire to win the
August special general election for the office of Trustee. Most importantly, each was
demonstrably a close associate of longtime Trustee Bob Patterson, who died
unexpectedly earlier this year.
As governmental liaison and general factotum in Patterson’s office, Mattila –
who currently serves as interim Trustee after being chosen by the majority
Democrats on the Shelby County Commission — was constantly in his boss’ company
over the last several years. Similarly, it was unusual for Patterson to attend a
political function without having at his side Butler, a CPA who served as his
campaign treasurer and all-purpose adviser.
Career proximity to the much-missed Patterson is one reason why
each candidate now bears his party’s nomination.
The two appeared together Monday night at the Madison
Avenue bistro Neil’s for a debate sponsored by the libertarian/conservative
group Defenders of Freedom. Each had something of a claque on hand, and each
acquitted himself well. Both were at pains to portray themselves as having been
policy confidantes at large, not just role players. Both pledged to maintain the
“team” left behind by Patterson.
The similarity of their presentations took something of a
humorous turn at one point when both Mattila and Butler claimed to have drafted
a memorable letter from Patterson to Mayor Willie Herenton in which the Trustee
volunteered to collect the city’s bad debts.
That portion of the debate may have been resolved – or
complicated – when a former employee of Patterson’s rose to say that she
remembered typing the letter, as dictated to her by Patterson himself. The two
candidates were compelled to fall back on the premise, no doubt true, that
there may have been, at various times, several drafts and several versions of
the Patterson-to-Herenton missive.
Late in the debate, another audience member asked a
question directed at a crucial point. Who had Patterson intended to be his
successor, Mattila or Butler? That gave Democrat Mattila a chance to make a
claim that, on several occasions, the former Trustee had conferred that
designation on himself. Significantly, Mattila contended, looking directly at
his opponent, one of those occasions was a three-way lunch at Applebee’s between
himself, Patterson, and Butler.
The claim took on special resonance when Butler not only
made no effort to refute it but said quietly, “That’s right.” In his own turn,
he pointed out that Patterson, for all of his across-the-boards popularity,
took special pride in his Republican affiliation. Therefore, argued Butler, he
himself could best continue the Patterson tradition.
Mattila got another boost on the point when, after the
debate was over, moderator Angelo Cobrasci confided that Patterson had told him
last Christmas that,”if anything were to happen to him, ” he – Cobrasci – should
do what he could to help Mattila succeed him in office.
To his credit, Cobrasci moderated Monday night’s debate
with scrupulous even-handedness, and there was no reason to believe that he had
any role in the Big Question’s being asked. But it was, and it was answered,
and it was by that indirect – and no doubt unintended – route that Patterson’s
alleged wish may in fact have been furthered.
A caveat, though: Mattila made a point of saying, “I’m not
running as Bob Patterson. I’m running as Paul Mattila.” In the final analysis,
the race is still between himself and Butler – two no doubt well-prepared and
perhaps equally credentialed familiars of the well-regarded man who preceded
them.
