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Rep. Turner Says Marsh Never Approached Him About Being The Democratic Candidate

By Kleinheider Posted on October 14, 2009 at 2:15 pm

But he would confirm that the recruitment effort didn’t go much past the incumbent’s brother:

“There’s a rumor out there that Pat Marsh called me and asked to run as a Democrat. Absolutely a lie. The day Curt [Cobb] told me was he going to step down was the last day of session. … When he told me he was stepping down, I asked him who he was going to get to take his place, and he said, ‘I’ve got a man who’s more popular than I am.’ And I said, ‘Who?’ And he said, ‘My brother.’ I said, ‘Sounds good to me.’ And we kind of went from there. At no time did we have anybody else approach me about running. It just never happened. And anybody who says that is a liar.”

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Comments

37 Responses to “Rep. Turner Says Marsh Never Approached Him About Being The Democratic Candidate”

  1. Blue Raider writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:24 pm

    Hey Hey Ho Ho Mike Turner is got to go!

  2. Sean Braisted writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:32 pm

    Dude, if your gonna keep doing that, at least change the “is” to “has”.

  3. Blue Raider writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:33 pm

    Hey Hey Ho Ho Mike Turner has got to go!

  4. Gotta Wonder writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:34 pm

    or change “got” to “good”.

  5. gandolf writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:35 pm

    Just as I heard in an earlier post. Cobb and Coleman didn’t look for the best candidate they used the tried and true democratic method of cronyism. What was the final score 56% to 41%! The democrats got their ass kicked. Forrester and Turner no doubt will use the same tactics to loose additional seats in 2010.

  6. Steve Steffens (LWC) writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:38 pm

    Well, like I said, it was a RUMOR, thanks for clearing that up. Still, running to the right of the Republican just isn’t going to work.

    I refuse to call for Mike Turner’s head, because no one is going to out-work him. Rethink the strategy? Yes, probably.

  7. MYKE TURNOR writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:48 pm

    It’s a new day at TNDP!

    NOT!!!!!

    Turner and Chipper are liars and the Chipinista is a bunch of starry eyed babies that fell for the snake oil sale.

    Democrats will keep doing the same things they’ve always done as they march off the cliff.

  8. Really? writes
    October 14th, 2009 2:57 pm

    Here is my two cents.
    1. No one voted for Pat Marsh because they thought he was more progressive than Ty Cobb.

    2. Maybe some progressives are trying to argue that the “true” progressives in the district didn’t get out and vote because they were not inspired by Cobb. I don’t buy that either. I haven’t seen polling from the district, but I doubt there are enough “true” progressives in the district to make much of an impact.

    3. Rural Democrats who are successful neutralize the “social” issues by being pro-gun, pro-life, etc. But that in itself is not enough to win an election. It is only enough to get folks to listen to you. Really successful rural Democrats in TN follow up by talking economics, education, health care. They show the voters that those “Democratic values” are good for them and their families. (Cobb did not deliver that message effectively).

    4. All politics are truly local. I’m not sure that having all of the “outsiders” on both sides so involved in a local election did either candidate much good in this election. What does a voter in Shelbyville care about what Mike Turner says? or Chris Devaney?

    These are my thoughts for what it’s worth.

  9. Tori writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:06 pm

    True that. Running right of the Repubs just does not work for the TNDP.

  10. Ft. Campbell Dem writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:08 pm

    The problem at TNDP is they have a bunch of left wing Obama wingnuts who haven’t one an election ever and only been involved is the Obama win of Davidson County. These “grassroots activist” don’t know shit about how anything works outside of nashville. Clear the house of them. Keep Chip, Keep Talley and bring in Professionals to run the show.

  11. Earl writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:11 pm

    I could get used to having Mike and Chip run things. Yall keep em in.

  12. Sean Braisted writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:15 pm

    Yes, so “Obama Democrats” picked Ty Cobb. “Obama Democrats” convinced him to avoid debates, be a poor public speaker, half-ass his campaign, and run to the right of the Republican.

    The fact is, the party and others were having to beg, borrow, and steal to get Davidson County Democrats to trek an hour down to Shelbyville to canvass for their local candidate. If we had a good Democratic nominee in the first place, they should’ve been able to attract those volunteers and supporters from down in the district.

  13. Yeller Dog writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:20 pm

    Mike and Chip and all the other “good ole boys” need to either open up the TNDP or move on. Otherwise, they’re really working for the Republicans. I’m like Aunt B and, if the party collaspes, so be it.

  14. Tori writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:23 pm

    First of all *one* an election? No, “Obama Democrats” have not *one* an election. But we sure as heck won the presidency!

    Anyways, speaking from the TNDP office in Madison County, getting volunteers in just to make phone calls was like pulling teeth. A lot of democrats just were not interested in helping a Republican running in Democrat’s clothing get elected.

  15. MYKE TURNOR writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:32 pm

    The two progressives in that district have the swine flu and couldn’t vote yesterday.

    Perez Braisted and the other Chipinista wouldn’t be happy unless Chairman Mao was running in Bedford County.

  16. Ft. Campbell Dem writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:38 pm

    Sean, I agree about the candidate, If we had a good candidate it would have been much better, but i’m talking about the leadership at the tndp office, not davidison county dems as a whole.

  17. Number9 writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:49 pm

    Lots of blame to go around. Lots of excuses. Few have pointed out that the voters made a choice and had more information than the arm chair quarterbacks who are crying in their beer today on the Internet.

    Get over it already.

  18. Rep. Mason Jumpower writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:50 pm

    Please….PLEASE…let Mike Turner and Chip Forrester plan, recruit for and run the campaigns in 2010!

  19. frankj writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:58 pm

    Dems don’t have to run to the right of Republicans, they need to run to the right of the Kitchen Cabinet types and other lunatic progressives with delightful “gay” friends and wonderful ideas culled from their liberal arts and law school “experiences”. They can be more “nuanced” on the abortion issue, but on the homo issue they must be aligned with the Republicans (and the state of Tennessee).

  20. frankj writes
    October 14th, 2009 3:58 pm

    Dems don’t have to run to the right of Republicans, they need to run to the right of the Kitchen Cabinet types and other lunatic progressives with delightful “gay” friends and wonderful ideas culled from their liberal arts and law school “experiences”. They can be more “nuanced” on the abortion issue, but on the homo issue they must be aligned with the Republicans (and the state of Tennessee).

  21. Sean Braisted writes
    October 14th, 2009 4:05 pm

    Frank,

    We get it, you hate gay people.

  22. Steve Steffens (LWC) writes
    October 14th, 2009 4:05 pm

    “the homo issue”. Heh, frankj, you are always a source of sad bemusement of how people can be bitter and hateful.

    #9, for once I agree, there is LOTS of blame to go around, and the fact is that more people in the district probably knew Pat Marsh than they did Ty the 2nd, and that had more to do with it than anything else.

    So it’s neither the climactic GOP win nor the destructive Democratic defeat that everyone is reading into this. However, for Democrats, it does require some rethinking and reformatting.

    It’s up to them to do it, or face destruction in 2010.

  23. Odom's Hair Dye writes
    October 14th, 2009 4:28 pm

    If Turner is serious about the Democrat’s polling data…then, the Dems had better fire their pollster.

    Repubs always had Marsh up….and, the pre-election poll showed Marsh winning…almost to the exact tenth-of-a-percent…of his margin of victory.

  24. frankj writes
    October 14th, 2009 5:17 pm

    Frank,
    We get it, you hate gay people

    Yeah, me and 81% of Tennesseans “hate” “gay people”. Keep telling black voters that your delightful gay friends are “just like them”. Keep telling the rural voters if only you were as special as we in our Kitchen and met these delightful gay friends, then you would come around be “educated” and embrace how wonderful and delightful these great folks are. The TNGOP will appreciate your efforts.

  25. Sean Braisted writes
    October 14th, 2009 5:28 pm

    Frank,

    No, 81% of Tennesseans may support a man-woman definition of marriage, but that doesn’t mean they all hate them as you apparently do.

  26. no excuses writes
    October 14th, 2009 5:35 pm

    Yes We democrats lost last night. Not due to anyone at the TNDP. I was down in 62 volunteering my time for 1 day during the week and the two weekends. The staff worked extremely hard, but the candidate did jack shit and could not be convinced otherwise. He told a few of us volunteers that, “we do things different down here in Shelbyville.”

    We lost period point blank. And who did our candidate blame, Obama! The only bad thing I saw, was that his brother didnt do jack shit either but talk. Neither one of them seemed too smart or knowledgable about anything.

  27. Sean Braisted writes
    October 14th, 2009 5:37 pm

    Yep, Ty Cobb got to feel special and important for a few brief months, while the party/caucus lost a seat they ain’t getting back, and tens of thousands of dollars.

  28. TNVolunteer73 writes
    October 14th, 2009 5:38 pm

    There can be no Homosexual Marriage.

    The Definition of marriage is a union of a MAN and a WOMAN.

    The union of same gender people is a CIVIL UNION..

    mar⋅riage  /ˈmærɪdʒ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [mar-ij] –noun 1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.

    Dictionary.com Unabridged
    Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

    mar·riage (mār’ĭj)
    n.

    The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife, and in some jurisdictions, between two persons of the same sex, usually entailing legal obligations of each person to the other.

    The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
    Copyright © 2009

    civil union
    n. A legal union of a same-sex couple, sanctioned by a civil authority.

    The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
    Copyright © 2009

    So according to the English Language Homosexuals cannot marry people of the Same Gender..

  29. Eleanor A writes
    October 14th, 2009 6:32 pm

    Big surprise, that a bunch of people voted for that travesty of a Constitutional amendment - when both Republicans AND Democrats were out on the stump grandstanding for it. I’ll see if I can find time a bit later to dig up direct quotes from Bredesen and Ford on the issue, but both of them were quite vocal in their support of “Vote Yes” back in ‘06.

    Gee, you wonder if that in itself has anything to do with why people are supposedly so conservative hereabouts? Nobody making a case for not hating everybody and taking their rights away? You gotta wonder.

    Although:

    Rural Democrats who are successful neutralize the “social” issues by being pro-gun, pro-life, etc. But that in itself is not enough to win an election. It is only enough to get folks to listen to you. Really successful rural Democrats in TN follow up by talking economics, education, health care. They show the voters that those “Democratic values” are good for them and their families. (Cobb did not deliver that message effectively)

    I completely agree with most of this statement. See, there’s a difference between having to promote conservative social issues to win over people who are given so-called “family values” in church every Sunday while you’re mostly talking about other things, like health care and education. It’s entirely another to be out in front pandering to people’s worst impulses and trying to out-hate bigots - in other words, that old saw about mudwrestling pigs: You just get dirty, but the pigs enjoy it.

    It’s a tough line to toe, and that has a lot to do with why things are so moribund now: the pig-wrestling hasn’t worked, and people in Nashville & Memphis who are excited by Democratic ideas more in line with the national Party are told to get lost, sit down, and shut up.

    It’s why all this gloating and mischaracterization by the right-wingers is so far off the mark. I don’t think anybody’s talking about running Barney Frank in Grundy County. But you don’t have to be SO hateful when you’re spending 95% of your time talking about health care, economic reform, jobs, etc. A side benefit of this, besides people noticing you’re actually talking about doing something and not taking them for fools who won’t notice you’re not a Republican, is that you don’t alienate said people in cities who are more to your left, socially.

    The fact is, the party and others were having to beg, borrow, and steal to get Davidson County Democrats to trek an hour down to Shelbyville to canvass for their local candidate. If we had a good Democratic nominee in the first place, they should’ve been able to attract those volunteers and supporters from down in the district.

    Or if they weren’t busily running people away in Davidson County and telling them they’re wrong to hold values that many larger-city people maintain, even in the South. Last month, Nashville added ’sexual identity’ to its non-discrimination laws, for cryin’ out loud.

    I’m just sayin’ - agree that Cobb wasn’t a great candidate, but I think at this point it would take a fair amount to get Davidson Countians proper to get very excited about anything they see coming out of the state Party. Or even the county Party, for that matter - there seems to be a widespread belief, with much evidence, that things are run by a small cadre of insiders who aren’t very responsive. Which, for my money, is a bigger problem than the social-issue question, anyway, not that you’ll see people spending anywhere near the same amount of column inches on it.

    Where I personally take exception is when statewide standardbearers like the Governor and the Senate candidate are out in front making their elections about social issues and ONLY social issues, except when they’re busy saying absolutely zero about what they plan to do with the power they’d like the voters of the fair state of TN to entrust to them.

    Frankly, I spend a lot of time in rural America around pretty conservative folks. Among the ones who are un-persuadable on social issues, you’re not going to get them to vote Dem no matter what you do. The ones who’ll listen to you might allow you to finesse some of the finer points of so-called “homo” rights (Jesus, where do you bigots get this stuff?) if you can get ‘em to believe they’re not going to be bankrupted by health care bills, they’re going to make more money, their kids are going to be able to get jobs, etc.

    You just gotta give them something that’s more compelling than hatred. It’s do-able, Democrats - you just gotta believe.

  30. MYKE TURNOR writes
    October 14th, 2009 7:14 pm

    They teach freshmen composition students these days not to use dictionary definitions as if they are the final word on word meaning because they aren’t. Oh, wait, TnVolunteer73 didn’t make it to high school.

    Ty Cobb’s campaign was absolutely the most poorly run joke of an election effort in memory. That falls on Chip Forrester and Mike Turner.

    They recruited a bad candidate.

    They wasted money on the worst messaging I’ve ever seen. That TV spot was pathetic.

    They did a poor job of targeting voters and getting them to the polls.

    The starry eyed liberals calling for Obama style candidates in rural areas would be well advised to turn their attention to their leadership.

    Chip promised change. So far he has delivered more of the same.

  31. Black community writes
    October 14th, 2009 8:55 pm

    Its always somebody that just talks out the side of there mouths, just to make noise for the sake of making noise on the blogs. Not a worker in the field but a typer ONLY on the blogs.

  32. say what writes
    October 14th, 2009 8:55 pm

    i agree.

  33. WahWah writes
    October 14th, 2009 9:57 pm

    The little Obamites that never raised a finger for a Tennessee candidate thought they were going to set the world on fire. They got crushed and now they want to cry because they get criticized. Grow up little ones.

  34. say what writes
    October 14th, 2009 10:07 pm

    i was working campaigns years before Obama!

  35. TNVolunteer73 writes
    October 14th, 2009 10:08 pm

    The Dictionary isnt the final word.

    You just proved you are just another ignorant Richard Cranium.

  36. MightyMightyMitzu writes
    October 15th, 2009 1:06 am

    I wasn’t sure which one of these posts to comment on, but I’ll go with this one. I’m from Shelbyville, I graduated from SCHS, I know that town’s politics well enough to say that, in my estimation, ya’ll are all pretty much off the mark here. Turner and Deaveney had little to do with anything. Curt Cobb beat out Jim Tracy in ‘02 for an open seat by a much closer margin because Curt’s daddy was still kickin and he could still swing his weight around enough to get the votes. Curt eased through the next 3 elections by virture of incumbency, but I don’t think he ever had the reputation around town of having a whole lot political acumen. As best I can tell, Pat won because they’re more people in town that know him than remember Curt and Ty’s daddy, be all end all.

  37. Snuffy writes
    October 15th, 2009 1:46 pm

    Chip Forrester had nothing to do with recruiting the candidate. Neither did Mike Turner.

    That fell on Curt Cobb and the party bosses in Bart Gordon and Lincoln Davis’ office: Kent Syler, Mike Terry, and Beecher Frasier.

    Remember, the “grand bargain” that was made between the Blue Dog Mafia and Chip after he kicked their asses in the Chairman’s election was that Chip would run TNDP operations and that they would be in charge of recruiting candidates and fundraising.

    Anybody who was involved in 62 knows that the loss was because Ty Cobb was a horrible candidate (read: RECRUITING FAILURE), not the TNDP’s campaign operation, which was about as organized as it could be considering you had a candidate who wasn’t campaigning.

    Once again, the Blue Dog Mafia FAILS to deliver - just like they did in 2008. When will these losers go home? Sadly, they won’t until they all get redistricted into the unemployment line.

    That may be the only silver lining to all of this.

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