Hooker Goes (Inter)national
by Liz Murray Garrigan
A team from Atlanta-based CNN is in Nashville this week to shadow Democratic gubernatorial nominee John Jay Hooker for an upcoming piece on the colorful politico.
CNN reporter David Lewis, producer Jacki Peck, and two other staffers are expected to spend three days in Nashville. In addition to interviewing the candidate, they are talking to others familiar with the political reformist who is hell-bent on ridding the Tennessee political system of the influences of special interests.
Hooker has displayed an enormous capacity to generate and sustain media interest in his message and its particularities.
It seems he wakes up each day with new ideas to freshen up the compelling but simple notion that campaigns should not be financed with—and state government should not be influenced by—money from special interests.
Since winning the Democratic nomination Aug. 6, Hooker’s campaign utterances have resulted in a series of statewide newspaper stories based on his various themes of cleaning up the Tennessee political system.
One day Hooker called for the creation of a Tennessee Department of Justice to investigate campaign and other government-related irregularities by lawmakers and bureaucrats. Another day, he dredged up an obscure 1972 Tennessee statute that suggests he’s entitled to use the Executive Residence for campaigning if the governor himself has used the mansion for similar campaign fund-raising activities. That issue in particular, which Hooker raised last week, got the Democratic gubernatorial candidate plenty of newspaper ink and air time.
Meanwhile, Sundquist passed up a golden opportunity to give pleasant, light-hearted responses to the Hooker story of the day. For instance, he could have welcomed Hooker into the residence and stolen all his opponent’s—and the story’s—thunder. Instead, the governor, looking sheepish and defensive, said he wasn’t sure if he had raised any money for himself at the residence and pledged that he wasn’t going to respond to his opponent. Hooker capitalized on that, telling television news reporters that if Sundquist hasn’t raised money in the governor’s residence, President Bill Clinton “hasn’t met Monica.”
Hooker notes wryly that “Sundquist won’t get a single additional vote because of his $5 million [in campaign money]. I’ll get lots of additional votes because of his $5 million.”
Hooker’s clever methods are also being noticed outside the country. While CNN was preparing to follow him around this week, an Australian television show was making inquiries about booking Hooker on its show when it broadcasts from TNN in Nashville later this month.
Jumping ship
Mayor Phil Bredesen’s chief of staff, Christine Bradley, is the latest in a series of senior mayoral aides to announce her departure from the office.
Bradley, who is leaving in two weeks to become the state director of Camelot Care, a Nashville-based behavioral health organization, is the mayor’s fourth chief of staff since Bredesen took office in 1991. Unlike the other three—U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Aleta Trauger, McNeely Pigott & Fox partner Dave Cooley, and Metro Development and Housing Agency Director Gerald Nicely—Bradley has been a relatively low-profile personality in Bredesen’s office. She has worked below the radar to keep the office running smoothly, delving into the sometimes mundane and complicated issues that don’t always get wide attention.
Bradley’s departure will, of course, generate further speculation about the mayor’s own future political plans—whether he wants to seek a third term or ride off into some corporate sunset. The situation no doubt suggests the latter, although some friends and supporters of the mayor continue to suggest Bredesen may be interested in another go-round.
The mayor says he doesn’t know yet who will replace Bradley.
Correction
An item in last week’s column incorrectly described Democratic state Rep. Gary Odom as a “lobbyist.” In fact, Odom is the executive director of the Tennessee Optometric Association. In that role, Odom essentially acts as the organization’s manager. The Tennessee Optometric Association has a separate lobbyist to handle legislative matters in the General Assembly. That lobbyist is also the Scene’s libel attorney.
To reach Liz, call her at 244-7989, ext. 406, or e-mail her at liz@nashscene.com.
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