TNGOP Chair Robin Smith On Speaker Williams

34 Responses to “TNGOP Chair Robin Smith On Speaker Williams”

1. Laura Creekmore writes
   January 13th, 2009 1:56 pm

   Someone REALLY needs to explain Robin Smith’s PR strategy to me. I get that she’s mad that the GOP got outmaneuvered, but there’s now a GOP speaker. Wouldn’t she want to make an effort???

2. gemini writes
   January 13th, 2009 1:59 pm

   Oh boo hoo. Mumpower got out manuevered on his very first day. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be Speaker.

3. Sharon Friar writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:02 pm

   I believe the point is that this “outmaneuvering” involved lying and deceit. I, for one, am sick of politicians who DO NOT represent the will of their constituents. It totally takes the power out of the people’s vote. Shame on Kent Williams!!

4. GoldnI writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:02 pm

   All Rep. Williams pledged to do was to vote for a Republican speaker. He did exactly that.

5. Julius Valerius writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:08 pm

   So Rosalind Kurita was a fair minded Senator, and Kent Williams is a traitor.

6. JB writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:10 pm

   “All Rep. Williams pledged to do was to vote for a Republican speaker. He did exactly that.”

   Yeah, that’s sort of like the excuse, “I didn’t lie, I just tell the truth.” What Williams did was not within the spirit of the pledge he signed. Dems can revel in their victory, but this type of deceit is the reason Tennesseans are sick and tired of Democrat leadership in this state. Democrats are only delaying the inevitable. Williams will lose in two years. He’s nothing but a puppet.

7. Mr. Tennessee writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:10 pm

   God Bless Speaker Williams and God Bless Tennessee

8. Sharon Friar writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:10 pm

   It would appear that Rep.Williams is nothing more than a Democrat in Republican’s clothing. My grandma always said, “If they’ll do it with you, they’ll do it to you.” Hope the Dems enjoy their new alliance.

9. JB writes
   January 13th, 2009 2:12 pm

   Yep, and Kurita lost — well the Democrats overturned the will of the people in her district and inserted their own nominee. Do you really think Kent Williams will be reelected after this debacle?

10. Southern Beale writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:13 pm

    “Republicans in disarray!!!!!!!!!!”

11. Aunt B. writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:15 pm

    As much as this whole thing astounds and tickles me, I am a little bummed that Hobbs isn’t blogging at the moment. If Smith is this mad, Hobbs must be scribbling pictures of Williams with a bomb.

    (Yeah, I rock the old school references like that.)

12. Sammy writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:16 pm

    A great day for the state of Tennessee.

13. Sean Braisted writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:17 pm

    Not as a Republican, but you never know what could happen if he switched parties…its beneficial to a district to have the Speaker of the House.

14. Kent Williams Didn’t Violate The Pledge : Post Politics: Political News and Views in Tennessee writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:19 pm

    [...] Not as a Republican, but you never know what could… [...]

15. Sean Braisted writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:19 pm

    Aunt B,

    That probably was Bill Hobbs writing as Robin Smith.

16. A TN Conservative writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:21 pm

    The 21st Century version of the infamous “Corrupt Bargain.”

17. Julius Valerius writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:22 pm

    Bill Hobbs in drag. There is an image I am going to have trouble getting out of my head.

18. brittney writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:24 pm

    This is like a movie. An awesome five star movie with explosions and fight scenes. Only thing missing are some titties.

19. SF writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:24 pm

    Kent Williams only skill set was being the first to come to mind when the Dems thought, “Who can we get to betray their caucus and vote for themselves even though it will surely make them an outcast in their own party and encourage reelection opposition.”

    What a tribute!

20. JB writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:26 pm

    “Not as a Republican, but you never know what could happen if he switched parties…its beneficial to a district to have the Speaker of the House.”

    Exactly — don’t kick Williams out of the party, make him leave on his own or run for reelection in a REPUBLICAN primary. Then he can be “Kuritaed”

21. Fred writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:27 pm

    HA HA HA….Don’t count your eggs before they hatch…Good Luck Kent…life is a game and you played it well.

    See ya at the Top

22. Trent writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:34 pm

    If Speaker Williams really wants to get everyone buzzing, he should appoint Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver to a sweet committee chairmanship.

    I’m in the Brittney camp and sorry I’m not there to watch it all unfold.

23. Roger Abramson writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:43 pm

    “Good Luck Kent…life is a game and you played it well.”

    Come on. Williams didn’t “play” any game anymore than a pawn plays chess. A puppet regime is a puppet regime.

24. Southern Liberal Living » Blog Archive » Ha! LOL! Williams is the Speaker of the House, Mumpower Outfoxed writes
    January 13th, 2009 2:48 pm

    [...] the Mumpower/ TNGOP deal. Ha. Here is TN GOP chair, Robin Smith’s comment on all of this, via Kleinheider: “Kent Williams has betrayed his constituents and the people of Carter County in breaking his [...]

25. Alan Rader writes
    January 13th, 2009 3:04 pm

    In this bid for popularity he has made enemies of his fellow republicans and is secretly the laughing stock of the democrats. He is the worst kind of enemy…the kind that smiles to your face and stabs you in the back.

    Kent Williams has made a fatal mistake. For personal power and gain did he take. He needs to enjoy this moment in time because in two years it’s the end of the line.

26. Jim Voorhies writes
    January 13th, 2009 3:05 pm

    The Republicans will probably be too upset about this to press for much. By not making their people agree to vote for the party caucus nominee, there’s nobody to blame but Republican leadership short-sightedness.

    The Democrats get crafty points for, well, being sneakier than Karl ROve. That’s not necessarily a good thing in the long run. And we, the people, get devisiveness. Remind me again what “winning” means.

27. Tom Paine writes
    January 13th, 2009 4:46 pm

    Let’s be clear. Mumpower and Ramsey brought this on themselves by pouring money into Kent William’s opponent’s campaign. But in the end, it came back to bite them in the butt.

    In his first remarks since taking office, the new speaker talked about bipartisanship, about giving all members a voice and about lowering the rhetoric level around the Capitol. And what do the Republicans do? They react like he’s suggested they embrace Communism.

    Kent Williams sin in their eyes is not that he’s a Republican who didn’t vote like they wanted. Its that he’s not the “right kind of Republican” (that is, one who takes orders and doesn’t think for himself).

    So much for being a “big tent” party!

28. ashford hughes writes
    January 13th, 2009 5:05 pm

    Yeah he’s not the right kind of Republican. He’s not the power hungry, fear mongering, race baiting, exclusion theorist like the rest of the TNGOP, and the National GOP for that matter.Suck it up TNGOP. You still had a hell of an election year here in TN. The republicans at the Capitol today acted as if the Confederacy lost for the second time.

29. Wam writes
    January 13th, 2009 7:38 pm

    Rep. McCormick (R-Chatt.) showed his arse on the floor. Very becoming. I don’t know why we don’t just go redneck on yall.

30. autoegocrat writes
    January 13th, 2009 7:59 pm

    Given the opening scenario, this is absolutely the most delicious outcome of them all.

    To whomever came up with this idea: I salute you, sir or madam. You win at life.

31. Alan Rader writes
    January 13th, 2009 10:19 pm

    JB, Please read the affidavit that Kent Williams signed…You are mistaken.

    I have a copy of the signed pledge and Kent Williams did lie on this written document. The document states that he would also vote for a republican speaker pro tempore, which he did not. The title of the document is: Republicans Committed to Voting for Republican House Officers.

32. It was a sad day writes
    January 13th, 2009 11:37 pm

    I sat on the house floor today to see all of this play out. I am a very open minded conservative and am apalled that ANYONE- Republican or Democrat could salute this man, our new Speaker of the House, Representative Kent Williams. He confirmed verbally many times to many people that he was voting for Representative Mumpower. He also signed a pledge that he would vote for the Republican Party’s nominee and that he would vote for a Republican Speaker Pro Tempore. Even after taking the floor and stating how “bi-partisan” he is…he still voted one of the most liberal democrats for pro tempore??? What goes around comes around. If this man was willing to lie to 49 of his closest colleagues what makes anyone think he is will not betray the Democrats as well? I am close friends with many of the Democrats who voted for him, and I am saddened by the decisions that they have made. This is a man who has been in office for one term and is deemed as qualified to represent the General Assembly? I may vote Republican but there are MANY other Democratic candidates who are far more qualified than Representative Williams. The whole setup is a selfish attempt by democrats- they are not looking out for their constituents but in the best interest of their own personal power. I cannot describe that feeling of that room today and I hope that I never have to feel that way again- it was a dirty day in Tennessee.

33. Mikail Bogan writes
    January 13th, 2009 11:57 pm

    I’m impressed that the Tenessee Democratic caucas pulled this off. Harry Reid could never accomplish something of this magnitude.

    Maybe now Tenessee can work on getting all of that coal ash cleaned up.

34. Designer writes
    January 15th, 2009 9:10 am

    The GOP can oust Kent Williams if they so desire, but Upper East Tennessee will re-elect him no matter what banner he runs under. Kent understands business and the real-world experience he brings to the table is far superior to Mumpower’s.