Isn’t it funny how the echoes have gotten softer and softer when it comes to the sheriff’s race?
Back when the general primary was drawing to a close, Augusta was tormented with a play by play of every slight suffered by every supporter. Our heads rang like some cartoon character who had stuck his head into a ringing church bell.
Then came the shock and wonder following the runoff, in which, for many, the unthinkable happened — Richard Roundtree beat Scott Peebles. Instead of remaining consistent with the fear expressed earlier in the campaign, much of the community just shrugged, scratched its head and wondered whether or not they should shoulder any of the blame.
By the time the real bombshell dropped — the very political and very unnecessary endorsement of Roundtree by Peebles — people had simply moved on. Rather than consider the implications of the act, everyone just cruised on to the Labor Day cookout. Everybody, that is, except those who believed that Peebles was the innocent idealist whose purity was incorruptible. For them, the endorsement — smacking of self-preservation and reeking of calculation — tainted the whole political process.
The real losers, however, were those Richmond County Republicans who gave their votes to Peebles, thinking they meant something. For them, the endorsement was an unforgivable snub.
Next time, no matter how dire people say the stakes are, you can bet these guys will keep to themselves.You Might Also Like:
