The Tennessee Republicans Sending Mixed Messages On Gas Tax
Posted on June 4, 2008 at 12:43 pmThe Tennessee GOP thinks it is bad to endorse a candidate that believes that a gas tax holiday is unnecessary:
“Gov. Bredesen and Chairman Sasser have endorsed a candidate who believes Americans don’t need a tax break at the gas pump and who believes the best way to deal with a troubled economy is a massive tax hike,” Hobbs said. “They have endorsed a candidate who knows the price of arugula at Whole Foods Market but criticizes rural Americans for ‘clinging’ to God and their Second Amendment rights. They have endorsed for president a candidate who is willing to meet unconditionally with the terrorist leader of Iran but refuses to meet with Gen. David Petreaus, the leader of America’s troops in Iraq, and who believes the best way to defeat our enemy is to run from them.
What party members and the public to imply about the TNGOP’s feelings for Senator Bob Corker after reading this?
Senator Corker, you will remember, vehemently opposes the idea of a gas tax holiday just as Obama does.
McCain, for his part, fired back at Corker for his declaration that the plan was pandering during an appearance at the Ryman on Monday.
Is it not odd that the state party would implicitly back the nominee’s play on a position so publicly in conflict with a member of the Tennessee Republican Congressional delegation? What is the TNGOP position on the gas tax, pro or con?
Could this be a bit of veiled payback, a covert GOP civil war of words, for calling out the TNGOP on the Michelle Obama video?
Or was the line perhaps designed to get back in the good graces of a nominee who no longer wishes to play referee as he did earlier this year over certain press releases the state party was putting out?
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4 Responses to “The Tennessee Republicans Sending Mixed Messages On Gas Tax”
Option C) Bill Hobbs and the TNGOP operate in a negative context; they are much more comfortable being against someone or something, than for them. So whatever position Obama takes, they will be against.
There’s also the Occam’s Razor Option (the simplest explanation is the most likely explanation):
Perhaps we included that line in the press release to point out that Gov. Bredesen and Chairman Sasser have endorsed a candidate who believes Americans don’t need a tax break at the gas pump and who believes the best way to deal with a troubled economy is a massive tax hike.
Way to not answer the question Hobbsie. What about Corker?
Face it, Tennessee Republicans are in all out civil war. From party leaders spanking the party chair to legislators battling each other in primaries, this party is as unified as the Hatfields and McCoys.