9:04 PM Wed, Apr 29, 2009 | Permalink
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A guy named Brewster McCracken is running to be the next mayor of Austin, Texas - and he doesn't seem to like St. Louis. A friend of mine sent me an email from Austin alerting me to a political video McCracken created for his campaign. Here's the deal, McCracken talks about St. Louis as a city that's lost its luster over the last century, and if he's not elected mayor, Austin could suffer a similar fate. McCracken says St. Louis was a great city at the turn of the last century, but today entire neighborhoods are in decay. I called Brewster McCracken, he never called me back. I realize St. Louis has problems, just like every other major city. McCracken says St. Louis used to be the fourth largest city, today we aren't in the top 50. However McCracken fails to mention the St. Louis region is much bigger than greater Austin. According to Wikipedia St. Louis is the 16th largest metro in the nation. Here's my question for McCracken...What makes you an expert on St. Louis, and when was the last time you were here? Plenty of St. Louis residents have their own message for McCracken...we will air them tonight at ten. I also called McCracken's opponent...he had much kinder things to say about our city. Here's the statement from Lee Leffingwell who's also running for mayor of Austin...not that it matters by he has my endorsement.
Message from Leffingwell: "St. Louis is a terrific city and I don't believe it deserves to be
compared unfavorably to any other city. If folks in St. Louis took
exception to what has been said, I hope they understand that Brewster
McCracken's views do not represent the views of everyone in Austin.
There are lots of things about St. Louis that other cities, including
Austin, ought to be jealous of."
I've been to Austin and it's nice but not so nice they deserve to bash St. Louis.
Hey Chris, where can those of us who wish to send this McCracken flunkie our thoughts of HIM and his attitude!?
It's a nasty ad.
But downtown St. Louis is a joke. Look at other river towns around us like Louisville, Indianapolis, Kansas City. They've rebuilt downtown into a showplace!
Ours is a joke.
Why? Mayor Slay?
Brewster McCracken needs to take a trip to St. Louis to view "the decay" that he claims is present. Maybe he will get more then he bargained for when he sees the culture and history that Austin is striving to obtain. Personally I hope he loses the political race because the good people of Austin could use someone who will tackle their cities problems without bashing another city. I am proud to live in St. Louis and couldn't see myself living anywhere else.
hey "brewster" first, you have no right to talk about a terrific city like st.louis with a goofy name like that. st.louis may not be perfect, but you know whats awesome about it...you're not in it. the people in st.louis are one of the nicest bunch of people anyone would ever want to meet. and you know what, you're gonna find jerkoff people and slums in texas. oh, how bout that. so, next time you want to pick on a city you better make sure they dont
love their city like we do. BACK
OFF! LOVING MY ST.LOUIS MISSOURI. T.J.
Sure Metro St. Louis is larger than the Austin/Round Rock Metro, but have you seen the statistics for growth in St. Louis? If I remember correctly, not many people are moving here... It won't be that much longer until St. Louis gets overshadowed by Austin, which is considered one of the "hippest" cities in the nation to move to. Last stereotype I heard about St. Louis when I was in California? That it's "ghetto".. Seems like the stereotypes have a ring of truth to it..
You have some nerve talking about my city. You could not pay me to live in Texas, any part of Texas.
I would not vote for you, You clearly do not know what you are talking about.
You should be ashamed.
Didn't your mother teach you, that if you have nothing good to say then shut the hell up.
I just got done emailing this to my three brothers in San Antonio. They have a lot of friends in the Austin areathat they are sending this to. I nephew lives in Austin and he is upset about this. I beleive this guy owes St. Louis a big apology.
This is what I emailed Mr. McCracken
I am emailing about your bashing of St Louis. You have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to St Louis, Mo which is a bright, vivacious, ethnically diverse and historic city. I truly hope no one in Austin lets you in charge of anything important down there. Your name should be Brewster McCrackpot, and I don't think if it was up to me you would get an official job of any sort, not even emptying trash.
I am from Austin. I have been to St Louis. I have friends there. I love your city. We have much in common, my friends.
Let me apologize on behalf of all decent Austinites. This man is a shameless opportunist.
Calm down St Louis. All Brewster is saying is that, if you want to live there, great. We don't.
Brewster is going to attract the sort of creative awesome energy to Austin so we don't end up like you in a "St Louis Style Decline". Maybe you should recruit him to export the Austin model.
yeah, we heard what he said brewster fans. We're saying he doesn't know what he's talking about.
I don't know what "creative awesome energy" is but I think the billions pumped into our downtown revitalization the past few years is pretty good.
Maybe wait until metro Austin gets a little closer to our 3 million folks before trying to "export" your models.
He is telling the truth...this city is a joke! We are too blind to notice. Recently a famous comedian performed in StL and he opened his act with a comment about all the boarded up buildings he saw. The joke was just hang a sign on the Arch saying "St. Louis: GOING OUT OF BUSINESS"
Brewster's a good person who got some TERRIBLE advice. He's spent some time on the city council here in Austin and has some good ideas as to where this town needs to be in 20 years.
HOWEVER....word of this little fiasco as an ad is just beginning to spread down here. Please realize that we don't appreciate folks trying to make hay at someone else's expense. Yes, St. Louis has some issues...and so do we here in Texas.
I find it really difficult to believe that some as tech-savvy as Brewster would not realize that such an ad trashing another great American city would quickly spread...and backfire.
Just...keep your nasty Budweiser away from us down here, OK?