Tinker, Cohen invoke Obama in fight for congressional seat

Zack McMillin, Memphis Commercial Appeal

- The office building at 4230 Elvis Presley Blvd., right next to the Krispy Kreme, is the official Nikki Tinker for Congress headquarters, but a passerby might easily mistake it for a Memphis outpost of Barack Obama’s campaign for president.

Obama campaign signs are as prominent at the entrance as Tinker placards. Although her opponent in the Democratic primary for the Ninth Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen, does not feature as many prominent Obama signs at his headquarters in Midtown (near Union and McLean), the first-term congressman is not shy about invoking the Democrats’ new standard bearer.

In the July 13 debate with Tinker and state legislator Joe Towns Jr., it was Cohen, the 59-year-old, white, Jewish candidate, who won the competition for most comparisons to Obama.

“Barack Obama, A C Wharton and Steve Cohen are in the same boat, and it’s a boat that’s moving forward,” Cohen said, also invoking Shelby County’s popular African-American mayor.

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