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Bill Maher is a late-night host extraordinaire. He has been on the air for almost 30 years now and he shows no signs of stopping. Maher is a leader in the movement against political correctness and towards free speech but he still holds the views of someone on the left.

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#1- He was born and raised on the East Coast.

Maher is known for being the poster child for California nowadays, with his constant promotion of a certain green leaf. But he grew up on the other side of the US.

#2- His mom is of Jewish heritage.

A young Maher was unaware that his moms family was Jewish until he was a teenager.

#3- His dad worked for NBC News.

This might explain how Bill gained an interest in politics and current events. His dad was a news editor for NBC and current events were often discussed among the family.

#4- He grew up Catholic.

Currently, the only deity Maher prays to is whatever Greek God is in charge of marijuana production. His father was Catholic and Bill was raised in a Christian household until he turned 13 and his family split with the church over their anti-birth control views.

#5- At one point in his younger years, he worked at Arthur Treachers.

One of Mahers first professional experiences was working at the fish and chips chain stocking shelves.

#6- Huge surprise, he sold weed in college.

Maher credits his pot-dealing for earning him enough money to pay his way through college and start off a career in comedy. The life lesson here: kush makes dreams come true.

#7- He started doing stand-up in college.

Like all the greats, Maher performed his first stand-up gig at a Chinese restaurant off Route 17 while attending Cornell.

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#8- Maybe his mom and dad had expected something a bit more practical as a career choice.

A young Bill graduated from an Ivy League school in 1978. His parents were probably not expecting their Cornell-educated son to go into a profession in which at the beginning of your career, you earn no more than $30 a night, and if you do a really good job, maybe a free Arbys coupon.

#9- His first film role was in 1983 in the movie DC Cab.

The movie is about a bunch of wise-cracking cab drivers in DC. Mahers character was named Baba.

#10- He guest-starred on Roseanne.

He played Bob in the season 5 episode, 20 Years Ago Today.

#11- Dammit Bill!

Maher supported Ralph Nader in the 2000 election. Trying not to get too mad at him, but if more liberals had supported Gore in that election instead of going for a third party, we wouldnt have gotten President Bush, and a sequence of events that led to the US electing its first orange president might not have happened.

#12- He loves dogs.

As any good human should, Maher has an intense passion for mans best friend. He currently owns two dogs which he proudly featured on Real Timewhen the show was filming at his home.

#13- Hes a minority owner of the Mets.

There are two things all non-baseball fans know about the sport: Babe Ruth was a thing and the Mets suck at baseball. But apparently, Maher has faith in the team because he is a minority owner of the Mets.

#14- In 2002, he earned the LA Press Clubs highest honor.

Mahers show Politically Incorrect was canceled in 2002 because he was being politically incorrect on the show. Just days after the show wrapped, Maher was awarded the Presidents Award from the LA Press Club for championing free speech.

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#15- He wants to make sure audiences know his shows are not safe spaces from the get-go.

Politically Incorrect as a title made it pretty clear Maher didnt care if you were offended by his show. He wanted to carry on the tradition of titles that warned snowflakes not to approach with his next show. Unfortunately, HBO rejected the title he proposed, The Truth Hurts.

#16- Its good Real Time is on HBO.

Thanks to airing on a premium network, Bill can speak on his show uncensored and be as politically incorrect as he wants.

#17- Hes friends with Ann Coulter?

Most people on the left view Coulter as the symbol of evil conservatism. But she cant be that bad if shes friends with Maher. There have been rumors that the two media personalities dated, but Maher quickly shut them down.

#18- He apparently used to have a thing for supporting the losers of presidential elections.

Of course, well give him credit for siding with every sane American and supporting Biden. But, not only did Maher support Nader but he also openly supported John Kerry in 2004.

#19- He describes himself as a libertarian.

Maher says I want a mean old man to watch my money. Maybe in a different world where the parties swapped views on weed and the Republicans would leave a 64-year-old lady killer in peace, he might be a Republican.

#20- He has a star on the Walk of Fame.

He is the 2,417th person to be awarded this honor. If you want to go looking for his star, its in front of 1634 Vine Street in Hollywood.

#21- Were still waiting, Bill Clinton.

Ten years ago, Bill Clinton promised hed make an appearance on Mahers show. It still hasnt happened.

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#22- He dedicates time to making the world a better place.

Maher is the type of guy who firmly believes the saying facts dont care about your feelings. This is why hes a board member of Project Reason, a foundation that exists for the purpose of spreading scientific knowledge. I sincerely hope foundation members dont go door to door saying, Id like to talk to you about our lord and savior, the periodic table. He also is involved with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

#23- Hes a busy guy.

Maher hosts his own show on HBO and does volunteer work. You think the guy would want some free time alone with his bong, but he also performs roughly 50 stand-up shows a year.

#24- He made a cameo as himself in Iron Man 3.

Unfortunately, only a small snippet of the MCUs version of Real Timemade it into the movie. But it makes you wonder, does Maher have a superpowered alter-ego?

#25- Hes buff.

He keeps up with a daily exercise regimen and keeps his diet in check.

#26- He never misses a day of work.

Maher has been there for every episode taping of both of his shows: Politically Incorrectand later Real Time. Hes never called in sick and never taken a personal day.

#27- Hes related to actor Stubby Kaye.

Stubby Kaye was a comedic actor back in the era of vaudeville. He starred in several comedic and musical movies including originating the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls.

#28- He is weirdly obsessed with obesity in the US.

I kind of have to call him out on this because Maher seems to mention the obesity epidemic every chance he can get on Real Time. Yes, obesity is a problem in America and big people are usually at least partially responsible for their own weight. However, there are some genetic factors such as metabolism that lead it to be significantly harder for certain people to stay thin.

#29- He was close friends with Hugh Hefner before his death.

I suppose these hound dogs in their twilight years stuck together. Unfortunately, Hefner died in 2017 due to an E. Coli infection. Hefner was a big donor to the Democratic Party.

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#30- He holds the record for the most Emmy nominations without a win.

Maher has earned 40 Emmy nominations and not a single win. Given the amount of effort he puts into his shows, never missing a day of work, he definitely deserves a win by now.

#31- In 2018, a documentary was made about his career.

For the 15th anniversary of Real Time, Maher took a one-week break from ranting about current events to air a documentary about his career.

#32- Hes an executive producer on Vice.

Viceis a documentary TV series investigating news stories from around the world. Maher has worked on 111 episodes.

By Carrie Fishbane

An excerpt from the love letter: Hollywood Insiders CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, Hollywood Insider fully supports the much-needed Black Lives Matter movement. We are actively, physically and digitally a part of this global movement. We will continue reporting on this major issue of police brutality and legal murders of Black people to hold the system accountable. We will continue reporting on this major issue with kindness and respect to all Black people, as each and every one of them are seen and heard. Just a reminder, that the Black Lives Matter movement is about more than just police brutality and extends into banking, housing, education, medical, infrastructure, etc. We have the space and time for all your stories. We believe in peaceful/non-violent protests and I would like to request the rest of media to focus on 95% of the protests that are peaceful and working effectively with positive changes happening daily. Media has a responsibility to better the world and Hollywood Insider will continue to do so.

Do you know the hidden messages in Call Me By Your Name? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece

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Excerpt from:
Bill Maher: 32 Facts on the Political Talk Show Host - Hollywood Insider

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Legislators can't be the sole arbiters of what can be said and what cannot. So, some of this is on us.

Author of the article:

Well no, not here. Not in my city. And no one helped him out? How can this be? I suspect my reaction to the news of a recent attack on a man of Asian descent, while he was walking in the Plateau, was similar to that of many other Montrealers. We like to think were better than elsewhere, but all too often, what plagues other metropolises is also pestilent here. As in other corners of North America, racism targeting Asians is alive and well in the city.

Donald Trump might have never been our president, but he had and continues to have fans here. At recent anti-vaxx and anti-restrictions protests in the streets of Montreal, Trump-branded material from flags to tuques to shirts could be seen on demonstrators. That the former presidents hateful rhetoric reverberates here is no surprise, considering how loudly he shouted it. That his nicknaming the current pandemic after China would fuel a continuously increasing number of attacks against members of Asian communities was as predictable as the attack on the Capitol last January, even if many refuse to recognize it.

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Words matter and have influence. The Karens-of-the north, the racists who roam our streets and the trolls on our triple-Ws mostly get their cues from those with the largest of pulpits like the Trumps of this world, yes. But also from some of our own media hosts, pundits and columnists. When will they be held accountable for their racist and derogatory innuendos?

According to Section 319 (1) of Canadas criminal code, everyone who, by communicating statements in a public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of an indictable offence punishable by up to two years imprisonment, or an offence punishable on summary conviction. But beyond what is legally considered to be hate speech, there is much that we as a collectivity can consider objectionable and harmful. And legislators cant be the sole arbiters of what can be said and what cannot. So, some of this is on us, as the risk that comes with government-appointed committees to study what is offensive and consequential is that they could, above all, be guided by politics.

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We can set the tone of what well tolerate and what is intolerable while remembering that the rights of one minority cant matter more than those of another, both inside and outside of university walls. And as that collective, were not incapable of nuance, though, at times, it feels like weve forgotten what that is.

Today, when those on public platforms are called out for inappropriate comments relating to race or gender many who have been getting away with it for years will be quick to cry cancel culture, a now ubiquitous term that has been misused mostly by those who have been anything but cancelled. CNNs Brian Stelter refers to it as consequence culture instead, and I adhere to that way of thinking.

Eleven years ago this week, American right-wing pundit and religious supremacist Ann Coulter, who attacks not only ideas with which she disagrees, but the people who hold them in the vilest of ways, was to speak at a university in Ottawa. Following some opposition and security concerns, the event was cancelled. However, Coulter never was, as evidenced by the fact that over a decade later, she still has plenty of platforms to share her abject verbiage. But at least on that day in 2010, she wouldnt profit from vitriol. At that moment, away from governmental intervention, a tone was set as many citizens decided that well, no, not there. Not in their city. Its a good reminder of both the power that we have and also, of the responsibility.

Martine St-Victor is a communications strategist and media commentator based in Montreal. Instagram and Twitter: martinemontreal

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Excerpt from:
Martine St-Victor: In the battle against hate, we've got the power - Montreal Gazette

The right to vote isn't a right at all, but rather a privilege that should be reserved only for those "equipped to take part in the process," writes Matt Walsh, a 27-year-old, far-right talk-show host and blogger, at the Daily Wire this week.

Walsh normally would not merit a flicker of attention from normal humans. But in this case, he has provided a valuable service to the non-wingnut world by saying openly what fellow voter suppressors are only thinking. Or perhaps whispering amongst themselves.

"No It Isn't Easier To Buy A Gun Than Vote. But It Should Be," proclaimed the headline above Walsh's Daily Wire blog. Obviously, he relished killing two birds with one stone. Walsh bathed in conservative shock-and-awe. After complaining that guns were more costly to obtain and more restricted than voting rights, he wrote:

"Gun ownership is, after all, a more important and more essential right than voting. Voting is not really a human right at all, but a privilege that ought to be reserved for those who are the most qualified to do it. The ability to defend yourself and your family is fundamental. We all have the God-given right to ensure our own safety and that of our loved ones."

Having drawn the obligatory -- albeit sacrilegious -- connection between God and guns, Walsh delivered the kill shot:

"But determining the political course of the nation is something different. It is not fundamental and should not be opened up to any warm bodied (or even cold bodied, in some cases) person. In an ideal scenario, there would be tests and requirements for voting which rule out the voters who are not equipped to take part in the process and have no business involving themselves in it. That's the way it should be. That's not the way it is."

This was not the first time Walsh has ventured down this verbal dark alley. In June 2019, he tweeted "Every voter should be a taxpayer who can pass an 8th grade civics exam," apparently unconcerned about the tens of millions of Trump votes this would disenfranchise (along with several Trumps).

In a companion tweet, he added, "I absolutely believe certain people should not be allowed to vote. Specifically, ignorant and non-contributing people. There is no benefit whatsoever to their participation. They only cause damage."

This time, the tweet about guns and voting drew an approving response from the infamous Ann Coulter, who emerged from her crypt with this: "You're right. Possible solution: have Registrars in all 50 states mail guns to citizens."

Walsh surely was flattered to his creepy core: To an upstart agitator, Coulter's blessing is bigotry gold.

As with Coulter, gaining attention by provoking rage is Walsh's oxygen. He is best ignored for the most part. But with the Republicans' voter-suppression campaign in full swing, Walsh provided a service this time by exposing its ugly underbelly.

For that, Walsh has earned no angry reaction. Just a thank-you for spelling out the ongoing attack on democracy so succinctly.

Here's Walsh tweet:

See the article here:
Wingnut Matt Walsh says the quiet part out loud -- reveals how conservatives really feel about voters - Raw Story

Mandatory Credit: Photo by AP/Shutterstock (8558793f)Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Claudia Conway Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway and her daughter Claudia take their seats at the Women's Empowerment Panel, at the White House in WashingtonPence, Washington, USA - 29 Mar 2017.

In spite of family drama with her daughter, Kellyanne Conway maintains a net worth of $39 million.

She sold The Polling Company for a total of $1 million to $5 million.

She didnt pay taxes on the sale of the company due to a political loophole.

Kellyanne Conway was the senior counselor to former President Donald Trump from 2016 to 2020. Recently, she has stepped into the public spotlight over allegations of tweeting out topless photos of her 16-teen year old daughter, Claudia. Claudia later withdrew charges, saying her mother had been hacked. Kellyanne Conway then appeared during her daughters American Idol appearance. The TikTok celeb had stated she was getting into music to establish her own identity, according to USA Today.

See: The Elections Biggest October Surprise May Have Been a 16-Year-Old on TikTokFind: How Much White House Staffs Have Been Paid for the Past 18 Years

Yet, when Claudia performed, her mother swept her up in a big hug on stage in spite of the fact that Claudia had been contemplating emancipation from both her parents last summer. Last fall, upon leaving her White House position, Kellyanne Conway had told Salon she was seeking less drama, more mama for her future.

Heres what you need to know about this former Trump staffers career and net worth.

Birthdate: Jan. 20, 1967Net worth: $40 millionPrimary source of income: President and CEO of The Polling Company; senior counselor to TrumpCareer highlights: Senior counselor to President Trump

As a White House employee, Conway made $179,700 a year. But her business, The Polling Company, has earned her the bulk of her income in recent years. In 2016, Conway reported bringing home just over $800,000 in income from The Polling Company, according to a document obtained by Open Secrets. Between Conway and her husband, George Conway, the couple disclosed assets ranging between $10 million and $39.3 million when Conway started work in the White House in 2017.

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In September 2017, Conway sold The Polling Company for an amount between $1 million and $5 million. She was permitted to defer capital gains tax on the sale, because she was required to sell the business to comply with federal conflict-of-interest laws.

Deferring capital gains taxes can enable the taxpayer to offset the capital gains through tax-loss harvesting, or selling underperforming assets at a loss to reduce tax liability. After leaving the White House in October 2020, Conway started collecting a $15,000 monthly stipend from the Republican National Committee, according to federal filings.

Its clear that Trump has a soft spot for Conway, but the way their relationship began is vexing. In 2001, Conway and her husband were tenants in a New York City Trump-owned property and embroiled in a dispute over the decision to remove Trumps name from the buildings facade. During a homeowners board meeting, Trump was so impressed by George that he offered him a seat on the board. George declined and deferred the invitation to his wife, who accepted.

Ten years later, Kellyanne accepted employment from Trumps former opponent, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), during the 2016 presidential election. Conway transitioned over to the Trump ticket and eventually became his campaign manager during the months leading up to the November 2016 election. Since then, Conway has seen the White House staff cycle several times over while sitting in her perch as senior counselor to the president.

See: Donald Trump Recently Lost $700 Million How Much Is He Worth?Find: How Much Is President Joe Biden Worth?

Long before she was credited with introducing the phrase alternative facts into the public lexicon, Conway was born Kellyanne Fitzgerald in Atco, N.J. After she graduated from George Washington Universitys law school, Conway entered the political sphere after briefly practicing law. In 1995, at age 28, she founded The Polling Company, a political consultancy practice. In the 90s, Conway worked the cable TV circuit as a voice of the Republican party, but according to her peers, her opinions began to skew to the fringes of conventional conservatism.

See: 12 Political Figures Who Made Major Career ChangesFind: Bidens First Month vs. Trumps: Here Are the Major Numbers To Know

From the beginning of their relationship, Conway and her husband, George, a fellow attorney and political insider, were a match made in GOP heaven the two were even introduced by polarizing conservative pundit Ann Coulter. The Conways have four children, twins Claudia and George, Jr., Charlotte and Vanessa, and are rumored to reside in an $8 million, 15,000 square-foot Washington, D.C. mansion.

Despite the fact that Conway remains one of Trumps most trusted staffers, George is one of Trumps most vocal conservative critics.

Keep reading to see why President Trumps net worth is going nowhere fast.

More from GOBankingRates

Stephanie Asymkos contributed to the reporting of this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Is Kellyanne Conway? Inside the Finances of the Ex-Trump Staffer as Her Daughter Takes American Idol by Storm

See the original post here:
How Rich Is Kellyanne Conway? Inside the Finances of the Ex-Trump Staffer as Her Daughter Takes American Idol by Storm - AOL

If I were still a resident of Chattanooga and were participating in the vote for the runoff election for mayor, I wouldn't be able to allow myself to consider Tim Kelly for mayor, simply on the general principle that Chattanooga doesn't need its "66th" consecutive white male mayor. This glaring statistic, in the year 2021 no less, is not a good look for Chattanooga to the outside world. This city, my beloved hometown, for all the positive things that are happening there, gets a "zero" in diversity for local government leadership.

When the mayoral contest began I was so hopeful that Chattanooga would finally join other major metropolitan southern and Tennessee peer cities by having either their first African American or female mayor. There is still hope for that if the very capable leader Kim White wins in the runoff and finally puts Chattanooga on the diversity scoreboard. She would become Chattanooga's first non-white male mayor "ever". This would end an eye-popping "181-year" dominance of white male leadership of the local government. That is not a misprint. For 181 consecutive years, Chattanooga has been run entirely by white males.

What this statistic says to the outside world "subliminally" is "We the people of Chattanooga, collectively believe women and people of color do not have the intelligence, the character, the leadership ability, nor the wherewithal, to lead our city. As such, in any and every circumstance, we shall all elect via our votes (or not participating in voting), a white male to lead us."

I and others completely reject that fundamental premise; however, that is the message Chattanooga has sent to the outer world for 181 years. It is also the same message we send to the children of Chattanooga. Why would a little girl or brown or black child think they could be mayor of Chattanooga? No evidence exists that it is even possible in this lifetime or well into the future. Can you imagine putting up a picture of every mayor of Chattanooga in a public place like a library, a museum, or a school? What story would that display of pictures tell about our city? Would little girls or children of color see themselves in Chattanooga's history or future? Probably not.

In this runoff, the challenges that women and minorities face every day when competing against white male counterparts for jobs are clearly evident. African Americans have always known "you have to have twice the credentials and twice the experience of your white male counterparts just to be considered even with them" our parents have taught us this. The same rationale holds true for most women who also have the "double credentials and experience needed just to be even" conundrum.Women hold the additional burden of being victims of various biases that I will not experience as a man (most especially women of colo,r but that is an entirely different post).

Case in point. When I surveyed my friends and asked them why Kim White wasn't faring better among some in the black community I was told because she was in a picture with an elected official that some did not like. I thought to myself, Kim White's life, character, her abilities, her accomplishments, what she has to offer her community is defined by who she is in a picture with? That is the most ridiculous and absurd thing I have ever heard as a criterion to evaluate someone for public office. It is almost as ridiculous as what got the last female candidate for mayor defeated from years back, Ann Coulter. She, after having the lead, heading into the run-off was defeated because of a rumor about her lack of church affiliation. This rumor later morphed into her being an atheist. Sadly for her "whisper campaigns" are the high blood pressure of political campaigns "a silent killer".

I have studied a lot of politics in my lifetime and I have never heard of deciding how you want to vote based on who the candidate took a photograph with. That is too trivial and silly to even consider when the stakes are so high for a city coming out of a pandemic. If it is something to consider, then ask for all Mr. Kelly's pictures to see if he took pictures with people you don't like...that at least would be equity.

In this 2021 mayoral contest minority and female candidates had some of the best candidates Chattanooga has ever put forth to seek the office of mayor. Among them were the following: two African American "sitting councilmen'', a former city attorney that is African American (knows all the city's legal affairs/best mayor Nashville ever had was also a city attorney), a now historical black figure, the first African-American graduate of Baylor who was also a graduate of Harvard, along with being the first person of color to be endorsed by the paper for mayor, and finally Ms. White, an intelligent, well regarded civic leader, that knows all the details of anything that has to do with land use, zoning, affordable housing, an ideal resume for mayor. Ms. White is easily one of the sharpest civic leaders in Chattanooga.

All of those people mentioned, combined, could not beat Mr. Kelly " a car salesman by vocation"? Seriously? All of these most qualified candidates, via resume, and background could not beat a white male car salesman that has no traditionally relevant history or background to be mayor? On some level that is hard to process. Alas, all of those people had to have double the credentials and experience, and yet were still not "even" with Mr. Kelly.

Mr. Kelly didn't even bother with raising money, a traditional benchmark of community and political support for a candidate for any public office. He just wrote himself a check to his own campaign. Mike Bloomberg did that too and was a mere "flash in the pan" in the Democratic primary. However, with a white male's 181-year dominance of the mayoral contest, Mr. Kelly finished in "first place" without raising any money or very little. That is astonishing to political campaign nerds like myself. However, his feat was uneventful in Chattanooga mayoral politics where his "181-year advantage" supersedes all political norms.

I do not write this post to bash white males. I have many white male friends, a lot of them politically conservative, some as close as brothers that I have known for many years. This post is about being truthful about Chattanooga politics and the harm of only having one race/gender as mayor for close to "200 years". An absolutely astonishing number that does my beloved hometown a great disservice. Chattanooga, like every organized government, needs diversity in leadership (at least occasionally) to have a different perspective on the city's challenges and offer a more inclusive vision for the city's future. You need diversity in life experiences too; it helps you better understand the struggles of the people you are going to serve and lead. In short," diversity in leadership matters".

I close with this. On Jan.1, 2020, at the famous Dillard's New Year day sale, I had a chance to meet with an old political rival and now good friend. A well-known Chattanoogan and a white male. He was desperately seeking a black candidate to run for mayor. He understood as a civic leader that Chattanooga needed to keep up with the times and have someone other than a white male as mayor. In short, it is an embarrassment for a city that has produced "many" stellar African-American leaders, and female leaders, to not have, in 181 years, a person of color or woman to become mayor. It seems like everybody wants to talk about diversity until it is actually time to "be" about diversity.

It is time for Chattanooga to be brave and be bold. It is time to put points on the diversity scoreboard (after 181 years) and vote for Kim White as the next mayor of Chattanooga. Fortunately, she is an excellent choice for mayor. She has performed excellently in the debates, she knows the critical issues, she has well thought out plans to address the city's pandemic economic challenges. At age 60, she brings a certain level of poise and maturity. What I like the most about her is she has that "Chattanooga toughness and competitiveness". She is the type of person you want on your side in a fight. Lord knows we all can use that in our leaders. I also really doubt that at age "68" she would be all fired up for higher office after being a two-term mayor. A vote for Ms. White is actually the most progressive thing Chattanooga voters can do at this hour.

Vote for Ms. White for mayor and let's finally get on the diversity scoreboard.

Scott B. Lindsey

* * *

I believe Kim White is the best choice for mayor of Chattanooga.

We need a change of direction. Her opponent has been promoted as being another Andy Berke. Do we need another four years of what we have seen in the last eight years?

Chattanooga needs a mayor that has the best interest of all citizens at heart, regardless of race or gender. We need a mayor that cares about outlying communities, not just downtown. I think Kim understands that all lives matter, and is not willing to promise or compromise leadership jobs or positions in city government when she is elected.

Positions within city government have been promised by her opponent for votes and support. I think she feels as if the best qualified person should be placed in these positions after she is elected.

I certainly do not see her celebrating the death of someone that has died from cancer. Her opponent said he made a mistake in doing that. Im a firm believer that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. To me, that so-called mistake just showed his true character.

As a Kim White supporter, I urge you to take a good look at both candidates. Look at their character and intentions. Look at what is best for this city, yourself, and all citizens. Kim White by far is the most qualified candidate for mayor.

Jerry Walls

* * *

The only "scoreboard" that matters is if our city is truly moving forward and leveling-up for all who live here. Diversity does matter. Should you elect a candidate for the visuals or for outcomes?

I am responding to the scenario that the previous contributor posed "Can you imagine putting up a picture of every mayor of Chattanooga in a public place like a library, a museum or a school? What story would that display of pictures tell about our city?" Without context, stories are often left up to the viewer to interpret from their own perspective (or those who would like to spin a story of their own). The contributor admits that they no longer live in their "beloved hometown" so I believe their view is being filtered through their perspective and are making assumptions as to how others will view Chattanooga if we do not elect a woman. To describe Tim Kelly only as "a car salesman by vocation" is someone that doesn't have all the facts.

I encourage all who care about the future of the city of Chattanooga, first take a deeper dive into each of the candidates in this run-off; and vote. Both candidates have robust websites.

In my opinion (and the opinions of the majority of the diverse candidates that didn't make the runoff that have publicaly endorsed him), Tim Kelly will bring new thought leadership, genuine common purpose, draft and manage a strong team to ensure that Chattanooga (with all of its people and resources) moves forward. I'd highly recommend watching one or more of Tim Kelly's "Common Purpose" podcasts too as an example of his leadership style - brings together experts, asks questions, listens, then acts.

Keeli CreweSmall business owner, downtown Chattanooga

Read more:
Diversity Matters, Vote For Kim White - And Response (2) - The Chattanoogan