The man who will never be Mayor

Is nonetheless building quite the contributor's list.

Georges won't have to reveal how deep he is reaching into his pocket this time until he files his first campaign report next month.

He said that among the notables whose names will appear on the invitation for his event are Coleman Adler, Arnold Baker, Morris Bart, Sydney Besthoff, Boysie Bollinger, Jane and Vincent Booth, Edgar Bright, Jimmy Farwell, Larry Gibbs, Ken Hollis, Joseph Jaeger, Blaine and Barry Kern, John Koerner, Bill Monteleone, Bo Reily, Jimmy Reiss, David Voelker, Robert Weinmann and Lenny Wormser. The list also contains several members of the Coleman family -- no surprise since Georges is married to the former Dathel Coleman

We aren't particularly sorry to see these individuals parted with their money for so futile a purpose. The Georges campaign will make an interesting case study in local politics though. For one thing, it looks like he's cynically aiming to become the money-establishment candidate with enough token crossover appeal to black voters to make things interesting. It's not a bad strategy. After all, it's exactly the same sort of coalition that put Georges' business partner Ray Nagin over the top in 2002. But the formula won't work as well for Georges due to one specific trait which he does not share with Nagin.

But with the field as weak as it is, and with this kind of support lining up behind him, Georges is a pretty decent bet to make the run-off. Which is where it will become interesting. Not because Georges can win but because of the probable high number of pseudo-liberal white votes he attracts due to this sort of strategic positioning.

Georges, a preservationist at heart, favors the “Big Charity” at the Avery Alexander Hospital Building. He admits that it is the one stand upon which he has changed his opinion since running for Governor. He always wanted to preserve the Art Deco building, but had been told by the Blanco Administration that sufficient Federal Dollars were committed for a new hospital.

It will be particularly interesting to see how many Yuppies line up behind Georges should his run-off opponent be Ed Murray. Murray has committed the additional sin in the eyes of "right-thinking" white professional types of opposing the Master Plan scheme. How many of these "right-thinking" white folk will rationalize voting for a putz like Georges? We're betting a lot. But still not enough to make him mayor.