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Haslam’s Choice

By Kleinheider Posted on November 9, 2009 at 3:50 pm

David Oatney thinks that gubernatorial candidate made a mistake attending a fundraiser in Sumner County hosted by a Democrat instead of a Reagan Day dinner out in Knoxville

Since Thursday, it has emerged that Haslam’s other commitment was a fundraising reception hosted by Democratic fundraiser David “Ace” Harrington. Harrington has a history of pumping money and support into Democratic campaigns, and The Examiner has heard from multiple sources that Haslam was indeed at the event hosted by Harrington, rather than at the TCU straw poll. While Haslam bought tables and sent campaign ground workers, his absence at an opportunity to “stump for the base” in his own hometown could be viewed as the ultimate snub of that conservative base.

The problem was not, as some bloggers and commentators have hinted, that Haslam is taking money from a Democrat. No one is going to refuse campaign money from people willing to give it to them unless those people are part of some criminal enterprise. Bill Haslam could also use the fact that he has had a fundraiser with Democrats as evidence that he has cross-partisan or bipartisan appeal. The difficulty is that given a choice between fundraising with Democrats or trying to smooth relations with a party base that is already somewhat leery of him, Mayor Haslam chose the former rather than the latter. He saw the Democratic event as more important than strengthening relations with his potential base.

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Comments

17 Responses to “Haslam’s Choice”

  1. Blue Raider writes
    November 9th, 2009 3:57 pm

    OH Shut up David!

  2. JR writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:04 pm

    At least he didn’t use “Democrat” as an adjective.

  3. Openly moderate writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:13 pm

    Haslam also skipped the Tn right to life dinner to attend the UT-Memphis game. Florida I understand, but Memphis?! That’s just looking for an excuse to avoid a room full of conservative GOP primary voters.

  4. alex writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:15 pm

    Raider, remind us of how brilliant you were about Ty Cobb and his chances of winning. You have no cred anymore. Go back to class and try to learn a few things before you start chiming in again.

  5. Blue Raider writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:31 pm

    (Alex) What did you want me to say? That he was going to lose? Go sell some plasma and help the economy.

  6. alex writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:44 pm

    Ah, yes, the democrat plan to save the economy-selling plasma. Good one Raider, now go smoke some weed or do a keg stand and leave the politics to the grown ups.

  7. dontcallmemikey writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:50 pm

    Money trumps base - or it used to, until the lockstep GOP came into being.

    My guess is he figures if he has enough money to be the candidate, he can go a lot of monthly bow-downs to Conservative has-beens next year.

  8. Number9 writes
    November 9th, 2009 4:57 pm

    The only thing in the middle of the road in Tennessee is dead possums and gutless politicians.

    Stand and deliver doesn’t mean throwing a saddle over a fence and riding the fence.

  9. The Second Chance Sheepdog writes
    November 9th, 2009 5:52 pm

    I’m undecided on gov but this ends Rich Boy Haslam’s chances of getting my vote.

  10. Blue Raider writes
    November 9th, 2009 5:54 pm

    Haven’t smoked weed since yesterday, thank you very much.

  11. Davy writes
    November 9th, 2009 8:21 pm

    “The only thing in the middle of the road in Tennessee is dead possums and gutless politicians.”

    Just don’t mention the double “lines” in the middle of the road, or Wamp will come a runnin’!

  12. Joe Kirkpatrick writes
    November 10th, 2009 9:05 am

    Oatney right. Haslam liberal.

  13. Number9 writes
    November 10th, 2009 9:47 am

    What to know what Haslam will do as Governor? Would you believe that Haslam has a ten year plan to end homelessness in Knoxville? Any idea what the cost of that plan is? At least $47 million dollars before it is bonded. And that is just the first phase.

    So far the plan has housed 57 chronically homeless people at a cost of $7 million dollars. Yes, you read that correctly, $7 million dollars.

    Can you imagine this guy as Governor? This man is not a conservative.

    http://knoxtenyearplan.org/2007/11/09/test-featured-post/

  14. JB writes
    November 10th, 2009 10:15 am

    Zach Wamp has been clean and sober for 25 years. 25 years…its a fact….I have known Zach well ALL HIS LIFE. that was 10 years before Obama smoked a joint and its probably way longer than most of the people reading this can truly say about themselves.

    25 years clean and sober. I dare anyone to come forward and say otherwise. If they got the goods bring em out in the open. Otherwise your just talking garbage out your south end.

  15. Davy writes
    November 10th, 2009 10:59 am

    “Zach Wamp has been clean and sober for 25 years. 25 years…its a fact….I have known Zach well ALL HIS LIFE. that was 10 years before Obama smoked a joint and its probably way longer than most of the people reading this can truly say about themselves.

    25 years clean and sober. I dare anyone to come forward and say otherwise. If they got the goods bring em out in the open. Otherwise your just talking garbage out your south end.”

    It’s going to be interesting to see the same “righties” who slammed Obama for his drug use see their candidate Wamp get it right back.

    The holy rollers should have thought about that.

    A lot of people have drunk, fewer have tried pot (but still probably a good size number), BUT probably a whole lot fewer tried or used cocaine.

    That’s a hard drug, and that’s the problem.

    One of his “good friends” needs to tell him to come clean on this issue, or it will keep hurting him.

    But, ultimately, that’s Wamp’s choice.

    But remember, that will be an issue itself.

    We know he’s made dumb decisions:

    Drinking,

    Hard drugs,

    Not finishing college.

    Now we need to know he can make smart ones like coming clean.

    You know, before mom and dad have some embarrassing moments with their kids explaining how it’s OK for their candidate to do hard drugs and drop out of college, but not their kids.

  16. dontcallmemikey writes
    November 10th, 2009 11:23 am

    Wamp exhibits Campfield Syndrome - rules don’t apply to him or his friends. Rules are for other people - especially Democrats - to follow. Sure, he’s clean from coke., we assume. But with all that hanky panky in that house in Washington, it is not plausible he did not know about Ensign’s behavior.
    For Wamp, his candidacy is about him first, the GOP second and the state’s citizens last. He has his ‘dogma’, but he wears it; it isn’t inside him. If it was, his voice would have been first to condemn Big E and his sleaze.

  17. Davy writes
    November 10th, 2009 12:52 pm

    “Wamp exhibits Campfield Syndrome - rules don’t apply to him or his friends. Rules are for other people - especially Democrats - to follow. Sure, he’s clean from coke., we assume. But with all that hanky panky in that house in Washington, it is not plausible he did not know about Ensign’s behavior.
    For Wamp, his candidacy is about him first, the GOP second and the state’s citizens last. He has his ‘dogma’, but he wears it; it isn’t inside him. If it was, his voice would have been first to condemn Big E and his sleaze.”

    Amen.

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