His face is all over Nashville's air waves.  His political commercials abound, due to his out-spending the 6 remaining candidates combined.  But his big money and backing from the 4 Metro employee unions can't save him from himself.

After an eyebrow-raising statement Thursday night about possible factors that led to this week's mass shooting in Charleston, S.C., Nashville mayoral candidate Bill Freeman is changing his tone.

During Thursday's NashForward debate, candidates were asked to talk about how they would work to keep faith-based communities safe in Nashville. The questioner referenced recent crimes in Nashville — the painting of swastikas on a Jewish fraternity at Vanderbilt University and a gun fired at the West End Synagogue — in addition to noting the Charleston shooting.

Here is a candidate's time to shine, to show off their political chops.   Bill Freeman fumbled the ball lobbed directly at him.

Freeman's response ended with a call for addressing national gun laws, but his opening remarks continue to draw criticism. Here's his comment in its entirety:

“What a horrible, horrible tragedy. But what I think this question is about, it's not necessarily about racial profiling, and certainly there was probably some of that involved, but it was about mental illness. And how does a mentally ill person purchase a handgun and own a weapon like that. We need to take a look at the laws that are in place at the national level to keep a mentally ill person from owning a weapon.”

The only African-American candidate in the race, Howard Gentry, jumped in and scoffed at Freeman's inability to see the tragedy for what it truly was – racism in the worst form.

Fellow Nashville mayoral candidate Howard Gentry quickly rebutted the statement, arguing it's important for everyone to take “our heads out of the sand” and recognize there is a societal problem that played a role in the killings.

“Everybody that is out here right now shooting and raping and abusing is not mentally ill. And so I don't want to use a label of mental illness as an excuse for those who are not mentally ill but are just acting in a manner that they shouldn't,” Gentry said Thursday night after the debate.

Bill Freeman's camp quickly backpedaled after the debate, but his take on Charleston may cost him the election.  It was blatantly obvious this was racially motivated and not mental illness.  The shooter, Dylann Roof, could not have painted a more obvious picture if he tried.

“Because of the timing of last night's debate, I had not seen the comments of the murderer beforehand. I would like to clarify my remarks. It is clear to me that the shootings in Charleston were racially motivated and he should be punished with the full force and weight of the law. There are no other excuses or reasons that need to be considered.

“I stand by my statement that people with mental illnesses should not be able to walk up and buy a gun without regulation.”

He is right – mentally ill people should not be able to purchase firearms.  Just as racism should not exist in 2015.   In a perfect world, it would not.  Racism is not as evident as it was in the days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  However, it seems to have burrowed underground and festered until it explodes in unbelievable, horrific ways.

Politicians have the power to change the world.  They need to remember that instead of spouting off just to hear their own voices.

Go to The Tennessean to read more about Bill Freeman's comments and the reactions to them.

Photo: Samuel Simpkins / The Tennessean