Hilleary Runs Scared
The GOP “frontrunner” attacks his primary opponent, a sure sign he feels threatened
by Liz Murray Garrigan
One solid rule of politics is to avoid picking on anyone smaller than yourself. Why validate someone’s candidacy, the reasoning goes, by actually acknowledging the candidate?
Republican gubernatorial aspirant Van Hilleary’s recent attacks on his primary opponent Jim Henry, then, are a sure sign that Henry’s catching up. And, worse, the assaults—which accuse Henry of lobbying for an income tax 10 years ago when Gov. Ned McWherter was in office—are backfiring.
“I never hired Jim Henry to lobby for an income tax,” McWherter told The Knoxville News-Sentinel the other day, directly refuting Congressman Hilleary’s charge. What’s more, Hilleary has failed to produce a single person to corroborate the claim. Meanwhile, Hilleary continues to dodge challenges from Henry, a former state House minority leader, for a series of debates, maintaining that his opponent isn’t a serious candidate.
“We haven’t attacked him, except to say he’s not a viable candidate,” Hilleary communications director Frank Cagle recently told the Scene.
Only, now, they have attacked Henry. They might as well do it face to face. As The Tennessean put it in one of its better moments of clarity, “If Henry is viable enough to warrant opposition research, he’s viable enough to debate.”
Get a dictionary
The Tennessee Republican Party last week released perhaps its most flawed political propaganda to date in this statewide election cycle, characterizing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Bredesen as untrustworthy and saying that, as Nashville mayor, he left the city with “a $900 million deficit.”
Asked where that figure came from, one party official says, “Basically, where we got that—that was in an article you had done.”
The GOP’s attempt at plagiarism leaves something to be desired. In a lengthy and well-sourced cover story a few years ago, the Scene detailed Bredesen’s expenditures and tax increases over his two terms as mayor. At the time—as today—rating houses gave the city solid marks for its debt load and fiscal practices. Meanwhile, the city’s total bonded debt at the time was $900 million—part of it incurred under the Bredesen administration, part of it under other mayors. There was no deficit.
A deficit is what GOP chairman and state Rep. Beth Harwell has on her hands up at the state legislature.
Next in line
It seems so early to be speculating about Vice Mayor Ronnie Steine’s replacement, given that his fax machine is still warm from transmitting his resignation statement. But there’s not much time for jockeying, since the election to fill out his term is scheduled for Aug. 1, coinciding with the county general election and the state primary.
This columnist didn’t have the heart to even ask the embattled Steine’s colleagues just who might put their name up for the promotion to preside as vice mayor and president of the Metro Council. But here are a few suggestions:
If for some reason at-large council member Leo Waters loses his bid for sheriff next week, he should run for vice mayor. Truth be told, the well-liked and independent Waters would make a great mayor, but that’s not going to be on the table for a while, as most agree that Purcell would be unbeatable when he runs for reelection in 2003. And Waters wouldn’t run against him in the first place. Moreover, term limits are such that Waters is prohibited from serving another term in his at-large seat. Metro would do well to keep him around.
At-large Metro Council member Chris Ferrell, who badly wanted to run for Congress but instead opted to be an involved dad to his three young children, would also be a successful council leader.
The truth is, it’s going to be totally wide open, a veritable free for all.
This old Senate
There’s no better illustration that party affiliation is meaningless in the General Assembly than how state Senate members have lined up on a bill dealing with historic preservation.
Sen. Tim Burchett, a conservative Knoxville Republican, introduced legislation that would have made it more difficult to tear down historic buildings. He says he was inspired by someone in his district who opted to pay the fines for tearing down historic homes rather than apply for and pay for permits allowing such demolition. It was less expensive, in other words, to accept punishment for improper demolition than it was to ask for permission.
“It was cheaper that way,” Burchett says, so the lawmaker set out to allow larger fines. Mind you, he’s a conservative Republican, a breed that typically preaches the sanctity of property rights.
Along comes Goodlettsville Democratic Sen. Joe Haynes, who amended the bill to make it easier to destroy historic homes. His preservationist-unfriendly provision would allow the demolition of historic homes even as they are up for official historic designation.
“It’s a property rights thing,” Burchett says, predicting, however, that the final bill will be a compromise born in a joint House and Senate conference committee. Here’s hoping it will look more like Burchett’s proposal than his colleague’s.
A note to Ronnie
For what it’s worth, it’s been difficult to watch your political unraveling over the last week. No one worth their salt would wish it for you. You’ll no doubt have some dark days ahead, as you’ve literally watched your dream vanish in one nighmarish week. Take care of yourself and lean on your friends. And remember than no one can expunge your service to the city.
You're welcome on my deck anytime.
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