The Bundgaard Kurita Interview: The Raw Cut

By Kleinheider Posted on September 16, 2008 at 5:07 pm

The folks at WKRN have been kind enough to put up the uncut version of Chris Bundgaard’s interview with Rosalind Kurita taped yesterday:

An extended interview with Tim Barnes is also available at the link.

permalink | 3 Comments

Tags: coup de Kurita, otherthrow, Rosalind Kurita, stolen election, Tim Barnes  

Kurita: Tomorrow Is Our Constitution Day So Give Me Back My Election

By Kleinheider Posted on at 4:59 pm

A few words from Rosalind Kurita on the tri-county Democratic Executive Committee meeting tomorrow:

I hope that tomorrow’s meeting of the county Democratic Executive Committees will honor the certified results of last month’s election and not disenfranchise the voters of Senate District 22.

While I am prepared to go forward regardless of the decision made by the executive committees, I want to encourage them to uphold the outcome of an election certified by every county election commission in the district and the Tennessee Secretary of State.

It is somewhat symbolic that the committee meeting falls on Constitution Day, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787. That document enshrined our rights as voters and I would ask that each committee member consider the spirit of that historic convention as they make their decision.

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: coup de Kurita, otherthrow, Rosalind Kurita, stealing election, Tim Barnes  

Yeah, Except This Ain’t A Primary

By Kleinheider Posted on at 4:05 pm

Phil Bredesen says he doesn’t get involved in primaries and will take a “hand off” approach toward the goings on in State Senate District 22.

“I’ve always stayed out of primaries,” he said during an interview at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, where he had just delivered a speech during a luncheon for the annual Governor’s Conference on economic development. “I would leave that issue to the party apparatus.”

Bredesen said that although he is the “titular head” of the state Democratic Party, he would not attempt to interfere in the party’s decision to void Kurita’s 19-vote primary victory.

That sure is nice and respectful of the Governor to remain uninvolved in primaries. Thing here is that this is not a primary. Not no more.

Bredesen’s party, the party of which he is titular head, voided the primary.

The primary was incurably uncertain. This convention can pretty much pick whomever they want to be their nominee. They can pick Tim Barnes. They can pick Rosalind Kurita. Or, they can pick someone else entirely.

This situation is far beyond “a primary” and for a Governor who was not afraid to implicitly suggest that there shouldn’t even be a Democratic primary for U.S. Senate this year, it is rather interesting that the opinionated head of our state would choose this particular moment in Tennessee political history to get shy.

permalink | 1 Comment

Tags: coup de Kurita, otherthrow, Phil Bredesen, Rosalind Kurita, stealing election, Tim Barnes  

Write-In Ros: Reactions

By Kleinheider Posted on September 15, 2008 at 1:06 pm

Sean Braisted would not be writing-in her name were he living in the district:

I have no doubt she’d have the support of the TNGOP, in which case she’d be beholden to them should she win the election (something that wasn’t necessarily going to happen if her primary victory was upheld).

In which case, I support Tim Barnes for State Senate. Because, while I disagreed with the decision by the committee, “don’t hate the playa, hate the game”.

SEE ALSO:
Nigh Seen Creeder
R. Neal

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: coup de Kurita, overthrow, Rosalind Kurita, stealing election, Tim Barnes  

Kurita’s Got Her Girls Behind Her

By Kleinheider Posted on September 12, 2008 at 11:03 am

While speculation over whether the Democratic Executive committee will “steal” Senator Rosalind Kurita’s Senate seat away from her ramps up, some Democratic activists are taking action.

Alma Sanford, a well known Davidson County activist, is encouraging folks to attend a meeting of the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive committee, where the body will hear a petition by Tim Barnes to overturn or throw out the results of the August 7th primary, to show their support for keeping Kurita:

Be reminded that there are people in the Party who are trying to ‘punish’ Senator Kurita for voting against John Wilder for Speaker of the Senate and that John Wilder regularly won the seat during the many years he held it by getting many votes from Republicans.

Since control of the State Senate was lost in 2006, there was no logical reason that a Democratic Senator would expect to be the Speaker. Senator Kurita was casting a vote that brought an election that would have occurred without her vote because the Republicans held the majority, with the inclusion of one Independent.

If anyone should be punished perhaps it is the leadership team that was responsible for winning senate seats in 2006. That was not Senator Kurita’s job.

Saturday’s hearing is not about who should be punished. It is about Democracy and one person/one vote. It is about not setting aside an election unless there is clear and convincing evidence that serious irregularities have taken place. Mr. Barnes’ petition is sorely lacking in such proof.

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: coup de Kurita, otherthrow, Rosalind Kurita, stealing election, Tim Barnes