How Cathy Truitt went from saying that John Tedesco would resegregate the school system to now endorsing him is an interesting story.
As noted in today's article, Truitt said she changed her mind after speaking with Tedesco on Tuesday night. But Tedesco says he didn't tell her anything different from what he has said during the campaign.
Let's go back in time to Monday.
At Monday's press conference, Truitt had less than flattering things to say about Tedesco and the new board majority. She told the media that voter dissatisfaction with the school system's diversity policy was unwittingly leading to a path toward resegregated schools.
"The community has to be careful of what it's asking for," Truitt said Monday. "They may get what they don't want."
Truitt's original plan was to submit a letter saying she was dropping out of the race. That would have meant the election would go on with the school board filling the seat if Truitt got the most votes.
Truitt said she had the letter in her hands outside the Wake County Board of Elections for a half hour on Tuesday as she debated whether to submit it. She was questioning whether the original letter was sufficient or if she should do more, prompting her to call Tedesco and ask to meet with him that night.
During the meeting, Truitt said Tedesco told her that he would not resegregate the schools. She said he also agreed that he'd support policies that would create 21st Century schools.
Perhaps even more importantly, Truitt said Tedesco agreed to work with Greater Garner Advocates, the group that had backed her. They had stood with her at Monday's press conference to warn that pure neighborhood schools would lead to resegregation.
Greater Garner Advocates members were standing with Truitt, Tedesco, school board member Horace Tart and school board candidate Carlene Lucas at Wednesday's press conference.
Former school board member Amy White, a member of Greater Garner Advocates, said Wednesday it's important now to have a seat at the table and for the group's voice to be heard. This is the second board election in a row that the candidate backed by the group has lost.
Tedesco said he'll listen to Greater Garner Advocates, like he'd listen to any other group. But he said it doesn't give them any greater voice.
Truitt said she wanted to continued to be involved in district issues, both as a member of Greater Garner Advocates and as an education advisor to Tedesco. When asked by a reporter if he'd accept her as an advisor, Tedesco sidestepped the question by saying he'd be glad to hear advice from people senior to him. He noted he was the youngest adult at the press conference.
In the end, Tedesco is still running his campaign to make sure he gets the most votes on Nov. 3 unless he hears from the state Board of Elections that the runoff is not needed.
UPDATED POST TO MAKE IT CLEARER ABOUT HER WAITING TO SUBMIT LETTER
Comments
Dramamine please!
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 11:45 — SDR256Whew! Such a series of 180's has made me a little disoriented. I have to say, I'm starting to feel sorry for Cathy Truitt. She has shown one of two things: either she tried to be a deep political strategist, and failed miserably. OR, she was honestly going through this with 'the best intentions' and failed miserably. Really, what a mess.
What she did show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, poor woman, is that she is an abominably poor decisionmaker. I hope she is relieved to finally step aside. I give her credit for offering to 'work off' the cost to taxpayers. If she took too much time to realize what a mistake the run-off request was - and I can understand how that could happen in the 'heat of battle' - at least she has made the offer to give some of her time as penance. She deserves credit for that. It makes me think she's not all bad.
But certainly I am not the only one who is relieved that someone who is so poor at either identifying or expressing her true views on a topic will not be representing the families of District 2. She may be knowledgable. She certainly has experience. But it has become excruciatingly clear that being a leader in making these kinds of important decisions is not in her skill set.
All that said, I will overtly claim complete inexperience at politics. And so for me, unless and until the State Board rules John Tedesco the outright winner, my paranoia won't quite go away. I just can hardly believe that the hard core status quo would slink away so quietly. Until that ruling is made, I'm still of the mind that we have to continue in 'campaign' mode for John. As much as you all know by now how I love shades of grey, this situation is simply binary for me. Can't risk a fuzzy situation come Nov. 3.
The fat lady still ain't singin'
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:32 — woodstockYou are exactly right about this not being over. Truitt has asked to rescind her request for a run-off; a request that may or may not be approved by the Board of Elections. There is no existing policy to manage such a request, so it is likely the elections will go on as scheduled. Also, to my knowledge, Truitt's letter ONLY asked for the run-off to be rescinded. I do not believe she made it clear that she would drop out if the run-off goes on. Even if she did, if Tedesco dones not get 50% of the vote plu one, the existing board will appoint someone.
Please plan on voting for Tedesco again.
Uh...
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 13:00 — Bob_SconceI think she basically said "I am rescinding my earlier request for a run-off election." It's up to the State Board of Elections to determine the legal significance of this. But, at minimum, they should consider it a withdrawal. Whether the election continues as planned, however, is another matter.
The main problem here is that there's a hole in state election law -- basically, there's no provision for what happens when the 2nd place vote-getter requests a run-off and then changes his/her mind. So, it falls through to the general provision that says "If somebody withdraws and still gets a majority of the votes, then the board decides who wins." That makes sense in a general election, but not so much in a run-off.
The State Board of Elections has authority over how elections are run, as long as they don't act inconsistently with state law. IMO, it would be reasonable for them to say "This situation isn't squarely addressed by law, so we'll decide to nullify the run-off. There's a small chance that they'd be wrong on the law, but who's going to complain?
You had me until this:
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 15:21 — woodstockYou had me until this: "There's a small chance that they'd be wrong on the law, but who's going to complain?"
I can think of a few folks that are chomping at the bit to find a reason to complain.
Well, ok, let's be more precise
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 15:52 — Bob_SconceMore precisely.... How many would have both standing and an incentive to complain? I'm having difficulty thinking of any person, other than Truitt and Tedesco, who might have standing. And, Truitt cannot go to a judge and say "Please stop them from doing what I asked them to do."
I hear you, and agree. I am
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 16:04 — woodstockI hear you, and agree. I am just saying things have gotten so crazy, I would not be surprised by much at this point.
No matter how confusing
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:40 — concerned2No matter how confusing, it seems like Mrs. Truitt finally arrived at the right thing to do. If the state board approves, this should end the runoff and officially save some of the money Wake Co. taxpayers would have spent on opening those non-municipal precincts in District 2.
Perhaps finally talking to Mr. Tedesco helped her to have that "epiphany". Maybe something deep down bothered her about potentially turning the seat over to the existing board to decide.
Whatever occurred, I'm just waiting and praying that the State Board of Elections will bring this to conclusion on Monday so we can start seeing the much-needed change here in Wake County.
Truitt signs
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:46 — thegrassisnotgreenerSince Mrs. Truitt is "officially" out of the race, would she mind if I took down her campaign signs?
...
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:08 — SideburnsAny good citizen would, right? :>)
Did I read that right?
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:41 — J8307200"Truitt said she had the letter in her hands outside the Wake County Board of Elections for a half hour on Tuesday as she debated whether to submit it. She said she called Tedesco and asked to meet with him that night."....so you concede the election, tell the media, but are still debating whether or not to turn the letter in? She was waiting for what? An epiphany...convincing by John Tedesco that he would or would not do something to her liking.....should that have been done before the press conference???
Mr. Hui, you wonder why we are paranoid?????????
If you give her the benefit
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:46 — KeungHui (author)If you give her the benefit of the doubt, she was questioning whether her original letter to drop out was enough or if she should go further, leading to the revised request to rescind the runoff.
Truitt has not earned any
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:43 — woodstockTruitt has not earned any benefit of the doubt. She has changed her position over and over again, made wild accusations then recented them, and has held multiple press conferences in which she has stated completely contradictory things.
Keung, I did not speak
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:58 — J8307200Keung,
I did not speak with her...did you get that from talking to her? Do you give her the benefit of the doubt? What additional information did she need/get from speaking with Mr. Tedesco to be able to finally turn in her letter? Reassurances? It still smacks of political posturing. "If I wait and turn in the letter, I still have a chance to win if Tedesco's supporters think the election is over. " I am sorry but I still don't get it...if you announce you are conceding, why do you need to speak to the person your running against before deciding whether or not to turn in your letter....I don't know maybe I am just slow......
She claimed, when I talked
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:39 — KeungHui (author)She claimed, when I talked with her, that she had every intention of dropping out of the race. The question seemed to be whether that was sufficient or she should do something more like withdrawing the runoff request.
Bizarre . . .
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:15 — Bob_SconceSo, Horace Tart and Carlene Lucas were there as well, everybody lining up behind John Tedesco?
Did Truitt ever actually make it into the Board of Elections to withdraw/rescind her request for a runoff?
The crowd standing behind
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 07:42 — KeungHui (author)The crowd standing behind Tedesco included the candidates, his supporters and a big chunk of Greater Garner Advocate folks. A lot of the latter group had apparently attended the Wake Ed Partnership regional roundtable that had taken place at the golf club before the press conference began.
Truitt dropped off her revised letter, asking for a recission of the runoff instead of just dropping out, before attending the press conference.
So, she still has not
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:45 — woodstockSo, she still has not dropped out. If the recission of the runoff is denied, what happens then?
She did drop off the letter
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 09:23 — KeungHui (author)She did drop off the letter yesterday with the Wake Board of Elections asking for the runoff to be eliminated. I'll doublecheck, but it's likely that if they still hold the election it means that she would be considered to have dropped out, leaving in place the possiblity that the school board could fill the seat if she gets the most votes.
I'm still waiting for an
Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:55 — KeungHui (author)I'm still waiting for an answer from election officials, but right now it's uncertain whether allowing the runoff to continue means that Truitt would have to submit another letter to drop out.