25 Candidates for Memphis Mayor; Watch One Fist Bump the Dalai Lama

Early voting starts today in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee-- and there's never a dull moment in Memphis politics.  Going as far back to the heyday of the big political machines, Memphis political races draw opinions and passions from high and low.  Boss Crump, as he was known, in the early 19th century showed Memphians how to win an election.  Control, bribe, and frighten people into supporting the inevitable.  OK, so maybe that's extreme, but it looks like most of the candidates for mayor are going all in to take over the top job in the Bluff City.

One of them, Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery staged a publicity stunt went as far as to do a fist bump with the Dalai Lama.After many people questioned the appropriateness of that a gesture with a religious figure of such stature, he sent a letter to CNN defending his action.  He blamed the swine flu (H1N1) for his decision.  He explained in his commentary that he basically wanted to lead by example and NOT shake hands. Seriously.  I almost thought he was just doing something cool, and unscripted... but the swine flu excuse just made him seem weak IMHO. 

You can watch it here:


Here are the 25 Candidates. You can only choose one!
LEO AWGOWHAT
RANDY L. CAGLE
CHARLES CARPENTER
CAROL CHUMNEY
DEWEY CLARK
JAMES “MALCOLM” CLINGAN
A WILLIS MENELIK FOMBI
WANDA HALBERT
JOHNNY HATCHER, JR.
ROBERT (PRINCE MONGO) HODGES
CONSTANCE RENEE HOUSTON
DE WAYNE JONES
E. C. JONES
JERRY LAWLER
MYRON LOWERY
ERNEST ANTHONY LUNATI
DETRIC W. STIGALL
SILKY SULLIVAN
DAVID W. VINCIARELLI
VUONG VAUGHN VO
MARY TAYLOR-SHELBY WRIGHT
SHARON A. WEBB
KENNETH TWIGG WHALUM, JR.
VOTE FOR ONE (1)
A C WHARTON, JR.
JOHN WILLINGHAM