Clinton Nabs Another Tennessee Super
Posted on May 14, 2008 at 10:20 am“Automatic” delegate to the Democratic National Convention, Vicki Harwell, President of the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women,has thrown her lot in with Hillary Clinton:
“Hillary’s decisive victory in West Virginia is the latest evidence that she is the strongest candidate to take on John McCain and win back the White House,” Harwell said. “Hillary has the plans, leadership and experience to deliver real results as President.”
Harwell was an “add-on” delegate selected at a March 8th meeting of the Democratic State Executive Committee.
At the time of her selection, Harwell indicated she was “leaning towards” backing Senator Clinton but was recently quoted in the Tennessean confirming her uncommitted status while betraying a slight openness to Obama.
Harwell had received calls from the Clinton campaign soliciting her support but none from Obama. She expressed a hope that Obama was not making assumptions in his neglecting o reach out:
“I get really irritated with the media when they paint this as a choice between race and gender,” she said. “If he’s discouraged because of that, it’s a shame. A lot of our women are supporting Obama.”
Out of seventeen Democratic superdelegates from Tennessee four now support Obama, six are pledged to Clinton and the rest remain uncommitted.
SEE ALSO: Sean Braisted
Rep. John Tanner Jumps Off The Superdelegate Fence
Posted on April 23, 2008 at 12:10 pmMark Halperin reports the 8th District Congressman will commit his superdelegate vote to Hillary Clinton. (via SB)
From a presser:
…”I do not remember a time when our nation has faced the financial peril that confronts all Americans,” Congressman Tanner said. “To me, this election is not about politics as usual. I believe nothing less than our financial liberty and economic freedom are at stake.
“In my opinion, the best person to lead this critical effort is Hillary Clinton. Hillary is a smart, pragmatic leader who understands the grave situation our country faces, with a $9 trillion debt, much of which is borrowed from foreign countries. Now, more than ever, our nation needs a leader like Sen. Clinton who can work with others to return to fiscal sanity.”…
…”I am honored to have the support of Congressman John Tanner,” said Hillary Clinton. “As co-founder of the Blue Dog Coalition, John has spent his career in Congress fighting to eliminate our national debt and restore fiscal soundness to our nation’s government. John is known as a common sense, results-oriented leader, and I look forward to having him join me in spreading my message of change and experience across America.”
For more see your main man Ken Whitehouse.
The Go-To Guy Gets His Due
Posted on April 21, 2008 at 10:30 amNewscoma pens a very reflective post on a reception she attended held in honor of Congressman John Tanner’s Chief Of Staff, Joe Hill:
If yesterday was any testament about what he gave to folks, Hill was treated as a rock star. I stood over to the side watching a reception line that moved as slow as molasses where hundreds of individuals wanted just a few moments with him to share how he had helped them throughout the years.
You don’t see that in politics very often.
I’m pretty cynical about government as a whole, but seeing Hill stand there receiving guests honoring him because they had been impacted personally by his actions was kinda, dare I say, pretty inspiring.
I was once told by a boss I had that it is better to be a kingmaker than a king. And we all know that actions speak louder than any one word can. I thought of that yesterday as I watched that line move so slowly with people lined up outside into the parking lot and around the building in the warm spring sun. And they waited a long time. Even Naifeh waited patiently for his turn, which sort of shocked me. It was good seeing folks say thanks.
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Why You Gotta Bring Up Old Stuff?
Posted on April 18, 2008 at 11:25 amBy now this is old news, of course, but for the last few days I couldn’t help but think just which Tennessee superdelegate was it Governor Bredesen was talking about in the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week? For a refresher, let us look at the words spoken by the Honorable Phil Governor:
Another worrisome sign: Bredesen said some Democrats running for local and statewide office in Tennessee are now distancing themselves from both Obama and Clinton.
“One of the superdelegates said to me, ‘I’m in a swing district and both of them are poison to me,’ ” Bredesen said.
Making educated guesses and looking at the list of delegates many astute political watchers made assumptions as to whom the culprit was. John Rodgers of the City Paper seemed to cement the conventional wisdom by putting the word “think” in quotes when introducing this denial by Rep. Lincoln Davis’s spokesman, Tom Hayden:
“I don’t think the governor was speaking about Lincoln Davis because he did not say this to the governor.”
But is the key word “think” here or is it the rest of this sentence? I mean the denial is in there stated rather plainly after all, is it not? Why say “think” at all then? Well, the Governor is the Governor and one doesn’t put words in the governor’s mouth. Tom Hayden can’t say who the Governor was referring to because Tom Hayden is not the Governor.
Now, of course, the Governor is never going to say whom he was referring to and whomever said it to the Governor is not likely to cop to it. But if one takes at face value the Davis denial, if one accepts the explicit denial that Lincoln Davis did not say this to the Governor, I thought it only fair to get some responses from other possible suspects.
When asked for a confirmation or a denial that his boss, Congressman John Tanner, was the superdelegate being referred to, spokesman Randy Ford said the following:
I’m not in a position to confirm or deny. As you know, Congressman Tanner isn’t yet decided in the primary race but looks forward to a successful election year for the Democratic Party. He talks regularly with Gov. Bredesen and others in the delegation on a variety of topics, but we don’t comment on those private conversations.
The other member of the Congressional delegation who would seem to fit the description would be Congressman Bart Gordon of the Sixth Congressional District:
Congressman Gordon doesn’t recall having any conversations with the governor regarding the election. I would suggest you ask Governor Bredesen who he was speaking about since he has been all over the country talking about the issue.
Of course, none of this proves anything but if one is going to parse statements there is certainly plenty to go around, is there not?
Congressional Delegations Of The State Unite!
Posted on at 9:29 amDone.
The entire Tennessee Congressional delegation today called for action to ensure that Tennessee students and parents have access to loans to help pay for college in the coming year. Every single member of the TN Congressional District joined a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke asking them to take action to help restore stability in the federal student loan marketplace and ensure continued access to student loans.
Post Politics: 7 April 2008
Posted on April 8, 2008 at 9:54 amThe longest-serving congressional district director in Tennessee history, Joe Hill, is retiring after 35 years. Hill started his tenure under Congressman Ed Jones in 1973 and stayed on when Congressman John Tanner was elected to the Eighth District seat in 1989. Hill will now serve as a member of the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole.
CBN political reporter David Brody notes social conservative uneasiness with a possible John McCain/Mitt Romney ticket.
Fred Thompson travels to Arizona to catch up with his old friend, John McCain.
A recent Rassmussen Reports survey shows Hillary Clinton to be the best Democratic candidate to go up against John McCain in the General election — at least in Tennessee.
Former Republican Congressman Bob Barr announces the formation of a committee to explore a possible run for the Libertarian nomination in 2008.
Memphis mayor Willie Herenton will outline his vision for the Memphis City Schools in what he calls “the most important presentation in his entire public life” on May 6.
Gov. Phil Bredesen gave a guest lecture last week on the ins and outs of his superdelegate primary plan to a Vanderbilt Political Science class taught by Professor John Geer and Harold Ford, Jr.
Fourteen Tennessee businesses have signed a letter to Senators Alexander and Corker in opposition to new patent reform legislation before Congress.
David Oatney notes state Senator Mike Williams’ evolution on the subject of term limits since his days in the state House.
Roger Abramson pens the definitive polemic on the continued co-option of Martin Luther King, Jr. by the Tennessee GOP.
Randy Neal compiles last week’s state legislative and congressional filings of candidacy in a handy browsable database.
Absolut Vodka sparks a debate over immigration policy – and some creative Photoshopping – with its latest advertisement.
Joe Lance discusses the pros and cons of Phil Bredesen as Veep.
ABC News reports that Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice is actively seeking the Vice Presidential nomination.
According to a press release, People First of Tennessee received a letter from the TN Division of Mental Retardation that its self-advocacy contract will not be renewed. The organization suspects that their outspoken opposition to state spending cuts was the cause.
A conservative blogger gives the Clintons kudos on the release of their tax returns and their contributions to charity.
Lamar Alexander in the Washington Post on pulling the plug on his Presidential runs in 1996 and 2000: “”A lot of people invested time and money and effort into my campaign when I ran. One of my feelings was that I let them down. I haven’t done as well as I should have.”
At a fund-raising breakfast Friday for State House District challenger Tony Shipley, former Sen. Bill Frist said he will make a decision about running for Tennessee Governor “by the early part of next year.”
State Senator Doug Jackson: “I’ll tell you what, when you let the hillbillies into the White House, they’ll get the ashtrays and even the Sweet n’ Low.”
Republican Presidential candidate John McCain explains why he voted against the Martin Luther King Holiday during his first term in Congress.
Tom Humphrey breaks down which party seems to have the advantage in state legislative races now that the filing deadlines have passed and the fields are set.
Former governor and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee leads a Gallup Poll measuring who Republicans would like to see as John McCain’s running mate.
Tennessee’s Republican Party spokesman isn’t the only one opposing the continued openness of the state’s firearm carry permit database while benefiting from the current status of the records. Rep. Mike Bell concedes that the database helped him challenge those making hyperbolic claims of cost regarding a gun rights bill he had sponsored.
Both the younger and the elder Harold Ford issued harsh rebukes of statements by their family members reported in the Commercial Appeal last week. On Friday, Jake Ford, an independent candidate opposing Rep. Steve Cohen, and his campaign manager brother, Isaac, insinuated that Cohen was unfit to serve because he was white and a majority of the constituents in the district are not.
Harold Ford, Jr. distanced himself from his brother in the starkest possible terms: “It’s beyond concern. I want to make clear my brothers’ comments are not mine. I reject them. … I don’t believe any candidate’s fitness for office should be measured or determined by race or gender.”
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