Our Nation's Mayor

Spencer Art Gallery, Broad St., Charleston, SC 

At recent public events I've twice heard Mayor Riley being introduced as Our Nation's Mayor. He is Charleston's mayor but since we've been fortunate to have him in office for almost forty years I think we can generously share him now.

This New York Times article asks Is Joe Riley is the Most Loved Politician in American? We may not all agree with everything he has done but most of us were comforted by the fact he was still in office to help steer Charleston through the recent violence. Thank you Mayor Riley. He has been the mayor since I have lived in the city and I have felt very fortunate. It is still hard to believe we will need to consider new candidates for the role. Big shoes to fill!

Presidential candidates swarm the Holy City

Mayor Riley at Marion Square, Charleston, S.C.

Holy confusion, kids! The city is swarming with Republicans, giant black SUVs and buses with Newt Gingrich's face plastered on the side. Newt leered in the window overseeing my caprese sandwich at Caviar & Banana. One gentleman in the crowd had a vehicle with a giant stuffed dog on the roof and a sign saying "Dogs Against Mitt Romney," so that settles that.

Newt Gingrich's bus outside Caviar & Bananas

I had planned to meet my blog buddy Chuck to talk about a few of his photo projects and to hear about a speaking engagement I had suggested him for and I didn't realize what a hotbed of activity I had picked as a location. We were directly across from the Sottile Theater where the debate was taking place.

Earlier that morning, however, I had timed my morning walk to hear Mayor Riley stake a claim in the lowcountry for President Barack Obama. He was surrounded by College of Charleston Democratic students. I ran into reporter David MacDougal who wrote the event up for the Post & Courier.

"I speak from a city and county where, four years ago, a majority of residents voted for Barack Obama as president," Riley said.

"In about an hour, in an event that is apparently closed to the press (at the Sottile Theatre), candidates will be talking" about why they should be elected to lead our country, Riley said. "We have a leader in this country. He resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and his name is Barack Obama."

Play it again, Sam.....I mean Joe

I heart Joe

When I first came to town and had a slightly more Canadian accent than I do now, I was bewildered to hear my co-workers talk about someone named "Maralee" attending so many events. Reporting on weekend activities someone always seemed to say, "Maralee was there!"

It didn't take me too long to figure out that Miss Popularity "Maralee" was actually the Charleston pronunciation of Mayor Riley. Joe Riley was mayor when I arrived and after 36 years of leading Charleston he is running for what he promises to be his last campaign on Tuesday.

I'd love to get the flooding fixed, I'd like to see cruise ships kept manageable, but I have seen Charleston flourish and grow during the time I've lived here while many towns have not. I'm up for giving him four more years. Play it again, Joe.


Get out and vote, kids! Here is link to the State's article: Riley's Last Hurrah