Bill Campbell's coming-out party

• Whomas Teatley
• Bill and the boys

Monday night saw the unofficial coming-out of disgraced former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell and, much as it pains me to say it, it was something of a letdown.

The occasion was a first-of-its-kind Mayors Roundtable hosted by ''Atlanta magazine and held at the Atlanta History Center's McElreath Hall featuring the surviving occupants of the city's top job — with the unfortunate exception of Shirley Franklin, who bailed on the event over the weekend with scant explanation.
The event began with a wine-fueled reception and some high-powered people-watching. Look, there's Clayton County Commission Chairman and former Atlanta Police Chief Eldrin Bell! Over there, it's Turner Broadcasting CEO Phil Kent! Don't turn around or you'll bump into Congressman John Lewis, mayoral widow Valerie Jackson or environmental activist and Ted's daughter, Laura Turner Seydel!

It was the perfect setting for Campbell to launch his formal reintroduction to Atlanta society. Granted, Bill has been seen around town in recent months — hell, he was in line in front of me buying movie tickets at Landmark a few weeks back — but it's always been at small gatherings or private functions. This time, however, he was literally onstage in front of some of the city's biggest movers and shakers. Simply by appearing alongside mayors Sam Massell, Andrew Young and Kasim Reed, Campbell was afforded the illusion of respectability.

As much as the audience was interested in hearing pearls of wisdom and war stories from the City Hall vets, I imagine that people were also curious to see how Campbell would comport himself. And it's in that latter regard that I confess a measure of disappointment.''