City Hall’s no place to find love

• Joeff Davis/CL File
• Former Mayor Shirley Franklin

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who since leaving City Hall now enjoys a life of teaching, corporate and nonprofit boards, and blogging, penned perhaps the most personally revealing missive we’ve read by a former city honcho since... well, Sam Massell recalled yelling at motorists from a helicopter over I-75? C’mon, former mayors! Step it up!

Franklin, commenting on the recent resignation of a Wall Street Journal reporter who had an affair with an American official she was covering in Iraq, briefly revisited her personal life during eight years at City Hall:

As a divorced woman serving as the city’s CEO, I was not faced with Gina Chon’s ethical dilemma. Maybe I was too old. In fact, fostering any personal relationship was nearly impossible. The scrutiny and eagle eye attention from the public can be a deterrent for any prospective suitor. This is just one more disadvantage of being a baby boomer or more accurately an aging woman. This may sound strangely personal to some readers but running for office can be a personal relationship bust. Truth be told, From My Experience personal/romantic relationships are difficult to establish and are virtually nonexistent.

Often times it wasn’t clear to me if any social inquiry was professional, personal or political. So, “No thank you” became the safe answer to any flirtatious inquiries. But I loved the job and for eight years there was little room for anything other than the WORK. Good thing because I definitely didn’t find love in the workplace.

Her advice for women political hopefuls: Get your love life in order before running for office. She ends with a link to a Janet Jackson music video. YOU’RE WELCOME, ATLANTA.