They Came, They Saw, They Picnicked

Pols converged from near and far at Shelby Democrats’ gathering on Saturday….

It started slow, and there were moments when name politicians, fixing to orate, looked out on empty tables and chairs, but as the middling steamy Saturday wore on, the Shelby County Democratic Party’s “BAD” picnic (the letters stood for “Bring a Democrat”) began to gel.

By the time the last two major speakers — gubernatorial candidate Roy Herron and 9th District congressman Steve Cohen — took their turns, the crowd had become large and enthusiastic. Meanwhile, candidates and office-holders and personages of all kinds had come and gone.

There were gubernatorial candidates — besides Dresden state Senator Herron, Nashville businessman Ward Cammack, and local favorite Jim Kyle, the Democrats’ state Senate leader; mayoral candidates — Charles Carpenter, Jerry Lawler, Detruc Stigall, Myron Lowery, and A C Wharton on the city side and county mayoral aspirants Harold Byrd and Deidre Malone; and assorted others running for various offices.

There was beer, soda, hot dogs, Bratwurst, and ribs. A little music on the P.A. system between speeches. All in all a good showing, overseen by Lexie Carter and party chair Van Turner and others, held in the spacious back yard of generous hosts Anthony and Karina Tong in Cordova.