Q&A with 2010 World Mayor runner-up, Mayor Mick Cornett

[CaseyCornett]

http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_20...0-cornett.html

[FritterGirl]

Pardon my French, but that is pretty damn cool! Great job, and he's in very worthy company.

[kevinpate]

Many references to inclusiveness, everyone is welcome and diversity is encouraged.
Far more than one generally sees from the responses of a politico in our oh so red state, even one whose office is non-partisan.

[soonerguru]

I was very impressed with Mayor Cornett's responses to these questions. Clearly, he's a visionary guy and an outstanding networker. He has served our city as well as any mayor I can remember. He's probably the first truly modern guy in my lifetime, with no disrespect to his predecessors. I particularly appreciate his progressive thinking. Thanks for the link.

[CaseyCornett]

(Oklahoma City-issued press release)
"Mayor Mick Cornett awarded second place in the 2010 World Mayor Project"

The City Mayor’s Foundation announced today that Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has been awarded second place in the 2010 World Mayor Project.

Tann vom Hove, senior editor at City Mayors, said Mayor Cornett helped turn a city in decline into an American showcase of urban renewal. "A number of economic, fiscal and social initiatives have turned Oklahoma City, which doubted itself after the bombing of 1995, into one of America's boomtowns."

Another factor leading to Cornett’s consideration was the success of Mayor Cornett’s 'This City is Going on a Diet' initiative, which culminated in his invitation to the 2010 State of the Union.

The 2010 World Mayor Prize was awarded to Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City since 2006. vom Hove observed that Mr. Ebrard was a liberal reformer and pragmatist who had shown courage in challenging Mexico's orthodoxy. "He has championed women's and minorities rights and has become an outspoken and internationally respected advocate on environmental issues."

Domenico Lucano, Mayor of Riace, in southern Italy, was awarded third place. Believing that a man is a man with or without legal documents, Domenico Lucano founded Città Futura (The City of the Future), an association dedicated to granting asylum in his small town - of which he has been mayor since 2004 - to immigrants and refugees from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Somalia, Palestine and Lebanon. One commentator described the mayor as the Mahatma Gandhi of our times.

The World Mayor Project was started in 2004 by The City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank on urban affairs, which recognizes the achievements of outstanding mayors from all regions of the world.

The top 10 mayors of World Mayor 2010 include:

1) Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City, Mexico

2) Mick Cornett, Mayor of Oklahoma City, USA

3) Domenico Lucano, Mayor of Riace, Italy

4) Dianne Watts, Mayor of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

5) Campbell Newman, Mayor of Brisbane, Australia

6) Antonio Ledezma, Mayor of Caracas, Venezuela

7) Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, USA

8) Ivo Gönner, Mayor of Ulm, Germany

9) Peter Tennent, former Mayor of New Plymouth, New Zealand

10) Stuart Drummond, Mayor of Hartlepool, UK

The World Mayor website includes details on all 25 finalists. http://www.worldmayor.com

# # #

Methodology

The 2010 World Mayor Project was conducted over an 18-month period, starting in spring 2009. During 2009 and the early part of 2010, the City Mayors Foundation, the organizers of the project, invited a worldwide audience to submit nominations of mayors deemed worthy of being among the most outstanding city leaders in the world. More than 118,000 individuals nominated a total of 840 mayors for the 2010 World Mayor Prize.

Based on the number of nominations and the persuasiveness of supporting statements, City Mayors drew up a short-list of 25 finalists. The shortlist included two mayors from Australasia, six from Asia, eight from The Americas and nine from Europe.

During the second round of World Mayor 2010, from June to the end of September 2010, people were invited to select from the short-list of 25 their choice of title candidate. In order to have their votes registered, participants had to provide a reasoned comment. More than 320,000 people from around the world participated in the second round of World Mayor 2010.

In October 2010, City Mayors' editors drew up a top-ten of mayors, who stood out in terms of number of votes and quality of comment from their supporters. The top three ranked mayors Marcel Ebrard (Mexico City), Mick Cornett (Oklahoma City) and Domenico Lucano (Riace) were the editors' unanimous choice.

[dcsooner]

Mayor Cornett has proven to be one of the most effective mayors in the cities history and an absolutely incredible ambassador for all things OKC. He along with our unique business community and citizenry are creating an environment where growth and development is occuring at a rapid pace. He deserves the accolades he is receiving

[OKCRT]

Just wanted to say that I am proud to have Mayor Mick as my Mayor. He's done great things for OKC and it looks like he's just getting started. BTW,he was my favorite sportscaster back when he was on tv too. He did a great job there also.

Hip Hip Hooray!!

[Kerry]

Umm - did I go through a time warp or something? Didn't all of you just rip him a new one 2 week ago over the LFL?

[MustangGT]

Congrats to Mayor Cornett. Fortunately he has the expansive thinking his 2 immediate predecessors lacked and he has the city headed in the correct direction.

[Celebrator]

I really appreciate his leadership and efforts to make this city better day-by-day. I am very proud to live here and KNOW that the best is yet to come for the 405!

[leprechaun]

I disagree with some of his decisions, including the recent LFL rejection, but overall Mayor Cornett has been an outstanding mayor. He has the city headed in the right direction, and hopefully whoever replaces him will pick up where he left off.

[Spartan]

Congrats to Mayor Cornett. Fortunately he has the expansive thinking his 2 immediate predecessors lacked and he has the city headed in the correct direction.

Please tell me you are kidding. Did you really just imply that Norick and Humphreys lacked "expansive thinking" ??

I like Mayor Mick, and I'd like him more if he'd just get off his %$#!$# family values pedestal and stop legislating morality from City Hall. I hate to be the Debbie Downer here, but some of these answers are just "too good" as we say. I'd need a public official bull**** translator just to make sense out of all of this.

Does anybody really care to bother to even read feel-good blabber like this?

From Myrthle B, South Carolina:
Question: Have you ever had any regrets about going into politics?

Mick Cornett replies: No. I enjoy talking to people and trying to help them. I enjoy tackling complex municipal issues and planning a best solution. I take pleasure in the non-partisan nature of city politics. We have a lot of unity in our community. Our citizens are very supportive. So in general I have no regrets. Mayors are in a position to get things done. It’s the best job in town.


From Theresa W C, Oklahoma City:
Question: Like most elected politicians you probably have said that your present job is the best one a man can wish for. Nevertheless, in 2006, shortly after being re-elected for a second term, you sought to run for Congress. Do you still harbor ‘higher’ political ambitions?

Mick Cornett replies: It’s not something I think about naturally, but it’s something I am asked about every day. I think it would be wrong to assume that I will someday run for a different office. I was just recently re-elected to a third term as mayor and I plan to be here awhile. I know that a person should leave their options open but, at present, I don’t have any plans to run for a different office.


BREAKING NEWS: Mayor Mick harbors no regrets in life and says he is happy being mayor of OKC. Stop the presses, hold the phone. Did they really factor in these kinds of answers to the tabulation and is this really a disguised contest for the public official who is most full of it? In other words, is the joke on us or is it on him? Hard to tell by reading through this juicy stuff.

____

That said, once you get down to Question 8 or so, and after that, there are some really good answers. We can all agree that the walk of the talk is not always what you'd like it to be, and even us OKC Talk critics could walk the talk a lot better, but he's clearly got the right ideas. I disagree with some of his answers, like on the Sanctuary City thing being a moral issue, but he is very talented at answering these. And in person he's a great public speaker.

[Kerry]

I liked the part where he said OKC was going through a rebranding. This is why he didn't want things like the LFL associated with the city - not because he is on a family values pedestal, but because he understands brand strategy. His sports background probably played a large role in that knowledge

[MustangGT]

Please tell me you are kidding. Did you really just imply that Norick and Humphreys lacked "expansive thinking" ??

I like Mayor Mick, and I'd like him more if he'd just get off his %$#!$# family values pedestal and stop legislating morality from City Hall. I hate to be the Debbie Downer here, but some of these answers are just "too good" as we say. I'd need a public official bull**** translator just to make sense out of all of this.

I said it and I meant it. His first past predessor was only interested in using the office to catapult his butt to higher office. Thank goodness that did not happen in a very big way. The predecessor to that was interested more in self agrandizment and personal andvancement. He learned well from his daddy.

As to a BS translator thanks for volunteering your vast past experience for the position. It appears you are coming out as a "single issue person" aka the LFL. Good to know.

[bombermwc]

I'd have to disagree with you on some level there Mustang. Mayor Mick, while I'm a fan, is able to do what he is BECAUSE of what his predacessors did. Maps would have never have happened (either one) without the mayor of the time....especially round 1. The rebranding of the city has been going on ever since then...it's just finally culminated into something the the rest of the country is able to accept (thanks to the Thunder). He was instrumental in getting the Hornets, which helped get us to the Thunder.

[MustangGT]

True bombermwc there was a foundation that came before. Cornett was just able to project it and the city to places those before him did not have the vision to do so. I never heard his predecessor talk about pro sports franchises here like he has brought. They got something started and he capitilized on it to his credit.

[earlywinegareth]

My 2 cents...I think Mayor Mick "gets it" on many levels and he is adept at getting the majority to buy-in to his ideas, which is critical to be successful. But what I really truly like about him is his enthusiasm and love for OKC. He's OKC's #1 cheerleader and I think it is infectious and a very good thing.

[Larry OKC]

Instead of "expansive thinking", maybe Mustang meant "inclusive"? If that is the case, I would have to agree as Mayor Humphreys had a rather anti-Gay position (remember the City utility pole banner issue?). He still holds today if his comments on Flashpoint are any indicator. A very similar view that Councilman Walters has expressed. Cornett seems to be more tolerant.

Would have to correct Mustang on the former mayors and pro sports. The whole purpose of the Ford Center .... err, Oklahoma City Arena (original MAPS with Norrick) was to get a pro sports team. Both the NBA and NHL were specifically mentioned on the MAPS ballot. Granted the push at the time was for the NHL, we did make it as a finalist on the list of expansion teams, but didn't make the final cut.

As far as higher offices go, at least Humphreys made the honorable decision and resigned as Mayor to do so. Cornett did not. He had just gotten re-elected in a landslide election and then decided to run for Congress. That was the turning point for me with Cornett. Before that I thought he did a great job as Councilman and a solid "B" as mayor the first time around. I voted for him both times but after his run for Congress felt betrayed (as I have with other office holders I voted for, that have pulled the same trick). Staying in office the full term is one of the most basic promises a candidate makes with the voters. When that is broken....

[hipsterdoofus]

For some reason hearing the term "2010 World Mayor" conjures up images of middle age mayors in a "miss universe" type setting where they are all walking around wearing sashes......I hope there was no swimsuit competition.