Davis’ Big Payback Probably Not What He Was Expecting
Posted on June 18, 2008 at 11:16 amJeff Woods points out the one important point we have learned from the whole Democratic State Executive Committeeman’s “I heard on Fox News that Barack Obama may have terrorist connections” flap — Rep. Lincoln Davis and Harold Ford, Jr. aren’t as big a fans of each other as they used to be:
If we needed proof, this whole episode confirms that Davis and Harold Ford Jr. are really pissed at each other. The rub is that Junior is refusing to help anoint Davis as the 2010 gubernatorial nominee. As Davis said this week, “God bless Harold Ford Jr. Bless his little heart.”
Indeed. From a political perspective, one can almost say Junior is in the wrong here. Lincoln Davis, of the extremely rural conservative Fourth District, did a fair bit of vouching for Harold Ford, Jr. during the 2006 Senate race.
To be sure, Ford played the populist to a tee and went the places he needed to go to secure his good ole boy chops and assuage the fears of white Democrats and independents that he wasn’t like those “other Fords out of Memphis.”
But having a silver haired good ole Southern yellow dog Democrat standing next to him while he visited Confederate flag emblazoned diners and talked the Southern Populist palaver probably didn’t hurt ‘em any.
While in the days of old, the “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine” quid pro quo was more explicit, to say that Lincoln Davis didn’t think he was banking a bit of love with Ford for giving him credibility with yellow dog dems would be naive.
Davis expect a return on investment. What did Davis get for his troubles? Not much it seems. While Lincoln vouched for Ford with rural whites going so far as loaning out his Chief of Staff to serve as campaign manager, when the wormed turned and Davis and his staff found themselves in a racial beef, not only did Ford not help Davis out, he threw his man to the wolves.
Now, one can say that this was just business. Ford was implicitly, but not explicitly behind Hillary Clinton in the most recent primaries, and this episode probably seemed like a good way to get in good with the new king of the Democratic Party.
But Ford’s statement does strike one as a bit of overkill. After all, despite the chronology implications in some articles Lincoln Davis’s Chief of Staff’s disavowal of the views attributed to him in the City Paper occurred before the Ford statement throwing him under the bus.
So considering what Lincoln Davis did for the almost successful Senate campaign of Harold Ford, Jr. it is understandable that Davis is a bit perturbed that Ford has not taken steps to return the favor, instead taking action that one could reasonably interpret as outright sabotage.
SEE ALSO: Braisted points out that this subterranean Ford/Davis feud is not new and recounts the acrimony between the two camps when various Ford operatives were talking up a Ford Gubernatorial run last Fall.
The Committee Gets An Apology: Fred Hobbs Puts Pen To Paper
Posted on June 16, 2008 at 4:57 pmSean Braisted with the breaker. Fred Hobbs, the Tennessee Democratic Party state executive committee member who started a blogstorm over comments he made to the City Paper alleging Barack Obama may have terrorist connections, has apologized:
I was not as well prepared as I should have been when speaking with reporters, and I should have taken more time to research Senator Obama’s positions. My comments did reflect questions I had after what I had seen reported on Fox News, but I should have taken some time to check the accuracy of what I saw on television before speaking publicly. My statement that Senator Obama “may be terrorist-connected” was incorrect, and I apologize for making it.
Hobbs had been reported to have apologized both by the Huffington Post and by Gray Sasser since his remarks caused the firestorm on Friday. A Tennessean article seemed to cause confusion the point. This statement would seem now clarify the position of Mr. Hobbs.
Today, the Chattanoogan reported that Fred Hobbs is a close political associate to Congressman Lincoln Davis, the Democratic superdelegate whose refusal to endorse the Democratic nominee, started the line of inquiry into Obama’s perception amongst rural Democrats.
Davis’ Chief of Staff, Beecher Frasier, refused to distance himself initially from the Hobbs comments only to clear up the confusion some six hours later. Jackson Baker asserts that this whole episode has left Davis quite dirty in the lead up to his Gubernatorial run.
Has it? Or will it depend on whether Obama does in fact win the Presidency? For if he doesn’t, will not Davis’ lack of enthusiasm seem prescient and bank him love down the road?
SEE ALSO:
Bill Hobbs
Daily Kos
Lawrence County Commish Chris Jackson Rebukes Hobbs
Harold Ford, Jr. Throws Former Campaign Manager Under The Bus
Posted on June 14, 2008 at 9:59 amIt was a long curious day for the Tennessee Democratic party yesterday. Divisions in the party were exacerbated when John Rodgers of the Nashville City Paper reported the words of Tennessee Democratic Party state executive committee member Fred Hobbs on Barack Obama:
“I don’t exactly approve of a lot of the things he stands for and I’m not sure we know enough about him,” Hobbs said when asked why he thought Davis wasn’t endorsing Obama. “He’s got some bad connections, and he may be terrorist connected for all I can tell. It sounds kind of like he may be.”
Adding insult to injury, Beecher Frasier, Chief of Staff to Democratic Congressman Lincoln Davis of Tennessee’s rural and conservative 4th District, was portrayed in the same article as saying he didn’t know for sure if Obama was “terrorist connected” but assumes he’s not.
The Tennessee Democratic Party almost immediately sent out a release rebuking Hobbs. Beecher Frasier, later in the day, released a statement setting the record straight asserting that “no one in their right mind, including me, believes Senator Obama has ties to terrorism.”
The state executive committeeman Fred Hobbs then, as reported by the Huffington Post, apologized for the comments and confirmed that he would be voting for Senator Obama in the fall.
However, at least one prominent Tennessee Democrat with a history with Beecher Frasier wishes to make clear his associations with the man. Late last night, NashvillePost.com received the following statement from Harold Ford, Jr.
Let me be clear about 2 things
First, Beecher Frasier is dead wrong. Senator Obama is a Christian, American patriot with a vision to make America safer and stronger. I am going to join millions of Tennesseans and Americans by working this year this to bring life to that vision by electing Barack Obama President of the United States.
Second, Beecher’s past association with me is just that - past. I’ve had no relationship with him since 2006. I don’t want a relationship with him, or anyone else who says these things. His comments offend me as an American and embarrass me as a Tennessean.
In 2006, Beecher Frasier took a leave of absence from the staff of Rep. Lincoln Davis to work for Harold Ford, Jr. as his campaign manager in his bid for U.S. Senate.
Rep. Lincoln Davis was very supportive of Harold Ford, Jr.’s run for Senate so these comments have to come with their own special sting for those close to both men.
SEE ALSO:
Brainstem’s impressions
Sadcox
Bill Hobbs
Music City Oracle
Red State
Silence
TNDP State Executive Committeeman Makes Fox News
Posted on at 2:51 amThe Tennessee Democratic Party makes national news for one of its State Executive Committee members comments suggesting Barack Obama has connections to terrorists. Connections, ironically, he says he learned of from watching the very news outlet now giving his comments press:
PREVIOUSLY:
Beecher Frasier Speaks On Barack Obama’s Connection To Terror
Davis Chief Of Staff “Assumes” Obama Not Terrorist Connected
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Beecher Frasier Speaks On Barack Obama’s Connection To Terror, City Paper Reacts
Posted on June 13, 2008 at 3:06 pmFrom the man himself:
No one in their right mind, including me, believes Senator Obama has ties to terrorism. It is truly ridiculous for anyone to try to make hay out of these comments.”
The City Paper’s Brewer and Rodgers react:
City Paper reporter Rodgers and editor Brewer are adamant. Brewer said he and Rodgers “stand by this story,” certain that the tone of Frasier’s comments was portrayed accurately.
SEE ALSO: Ilissa Gold sorts through it all.
PREVIOUSLY:
Davis Chief Of Staff “Assumes” Obama Not Terrorist Connected
Did Beecher Frasier Throw The Liberal Wing Under The Bus?
Beecher’s Pass
Huffington Post
Beecher Frasier’s Tullahoma Terrorist Fistjab Makes Huffington Post
Posted on at 2:53 pmDawn Teo on the continuing controversy:
When I called Davis’s congressional office this morning, his staff said that he had not yet spoken with them regarding the matter. They were unable to make any statement or comment. According to the congressman’s McMinnville office in Warren County, Davis is presently on the road doing “county visits.”
Davis Chief of Staff Beecher Frasier attempted to clear up the matter but only added fuel to the fire. City Paper’s Rodgers asked point blank whether he, Beecher Frasier, believed Obama had ties to terrorists. Frasier responded saying that he “didn’t know for sure” whether Obama was “terrorist connected” but that he assumed not.
Tennessee Democratic Party Communications Director Wade Munday issued an official response, blaming the statements and the sentiments behind them on Republican efforts “to turn internet smears and highly offensive gossip into the [Republican] message against Senator Barack Obama.” Munday’s release assures readers that the Democratic Party of Tennessee is united behind the party nominee. The Democratic Party office told me that Fred Hobbs had apologized and would be voting for Obama.
Clint Brewer, the editor of City Paper, was nevertheless clearly vexed that Davis would not issue a formal response on the comments made by Chief of Staff Frasier. After all, three ranking figures in local Democratic politics had given voice to concerns widespread in the area.
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