The Fabricator
Karl Dean’s victory in the mayoral election made his supporters happy and his opponents sad, but outside of Clement campaign brain Bill Fletcher, there is no person in Davidson County who is sadder about the Dean victory than Juvenile Court Clerk Vic Lineweaver.
Lineweaver—who was briefly jailed for contempt two weeks ago after his office repeatedly was unable to produce files needed for court proceedings—is widely regarded as an affable incompetent who is adept at winning elections and not so adept at actually carrying out the functions of the offices he wins.
But the defeat of perpetual-candidate-for-something Bob Clement in the race for Nashville mayor adds one high-profile opponent who may throw his hat in the ring for the juvenile court clerk job next year.
“Even Bob says he’s not happy unless he’s either in office or running for something,” a distraught Lineweaver said Tuesday night. “And I can read the writing on the wall: Bob Clement is coming after my job.”
For the record, Clement has run, with varying degrees of success, for Public Service Commission, governor, U.S. congressman in two separate districts and U. S. senator. Now that he has failed in his quest for the office of mayor, the general downward trajectory of Clement’s political ambition would seem to place juvenile court clerk clearly within the scope of his future.
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“I won’t comment on that right now,” a subdued Clement said after the votes were counted on Tuesday night. “But I will say that Bob Clement is for the children, Bob Clement supports the children, and Bob Clement would never lose files or get sent to jail like a common illegal.”
When told of Clement’s comments, an ashen Lineweaver would say only, “Oh no!”