Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Politics / Woods How Naifeh Pulled It Off
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 4:34 PM
The plot was hatched over coffee during the Thanksgiving weekend. House Democratic leader Gary Odom went to Elizabethton to meet Kent Williams at his restaurant, Dino's. Out of the blue, Odom asked Williams how he'd like to be the speaker of the House.
"I think his first reaction was he thought I was joking because he knew Speaker Naifeh was working diligently to find the 50th vote," Odom told reporters a few minutes ago. "We were looking for an alternative in case it became necessary, and it became necessary."
That didn't happen, though, until 5 o'clock last night when Naifeh finally gave up on his own hopes and went to Williams to seal their deal. When the session started today, many Democrats weren't even aware of what was about to happen, Naifeh said. That's why Democrats moved for a 30-minute recess, to give themselves time to brief the party's members. (The wily Odom told the House he wanted the recess to give everyone time to take pictures with families in attendance on opening day.) Freshman Republican Terri Lynn Weaver, a gospel singer and apparently not the sharpest knife, unwittingly played into Naifeh's hands when she pushed the wrong button and mistakenly voted with the Democrats to allow the recess.
"It was not widely known and it had to be explained to the members of the House Democratic Caucus," Naifeh told reporters. But if Weaver had voted as she intended, "We would have found another way," Naifeh said.
- Naifeh claimed Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and Jason Mumpower had been plotting mass firings of legislative employees, and that was one reason he made his deal with Williams.
- Democrats are decrying the rude treatment that Kent Williams suffered at the hands of Republicans. It was so chaotic that highway patrolmen went into the chamber to guard the new speaker. "You are a disgrace to the state!" a red-faced Rep. Gerald McCormick shouted at Williams at one point. Williams said at least three lawmakers hurled "the f-word" at him.
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Naifeh insisted Williams will act independently, not as his puppet as Republicans already are saying. "I'm appalled that people would say that. There's been no deals made.
I'm going to step back and let the speaker be the
speaker."
Comments (15)
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Gary Odom was probably in Elizabethton already - visiting his mom who still lives there. Interesting.
Interesting. WSMV's Kumari reports that Williams approached the Democrats about becoming speaker, simply because he wanted to be speaker.
Yes Mary, we're reporting that Williams said that too. Not sure who's telling the truth.
Ohhh, don't be sore losers! Mump was a little cocky about all of this. He went so far as to order 65 flags flown over the Capitol today to pass out to people on the day he was elected speaker. Well, that is counting your chickens before they are hatched. The wise never do that. You also don't demand the speaker's office evacuate THE MOMENT you are elected. Yea, I've got some inside scoop... Just imagine what the power of speaker would've made this man do...lots of things that would be self-serving and NOT good for TN. I never wish demise on anyone, but this one had it coming. And, not to mention, this was the most brilliant coup of the decade! Too bad, so sad, get over it and quit talking about "lies" when you have NO IDEAR what went on whilst this plan was being laid. Let's get on with it and make some good laws (as if the Republicans will allow that).
I love that Odom is trying to steal credit from Naifeh. First, he leads Democrats to a historic loss. Then he tries to steal from the Speaker what is clearly a Naifeh coup. Odom is, as usual, a class(less) act. Williams: Watch your back. Most Democrats are respectable. But Odom is gunning for your job. Beginning now.
Regarding Mumpower, how good of a Speaker would he have been in a 50-49 legislature if he couldn't even count the votes right for his own election among his caucus?
"Freshman Republican Terri Lynn Weaver, a gospel singer and apparently not the sharpest knife, unwittingly played into Naifeh's hands when she pushed the wrong button and mistakenly voted with the Democrats to allow the recess."
Don't know her and she may be a blooming idiot for all I know but it was also her first day on the job. There are veterans up there who still don't know how to vote on nitty-gritty procedural motions. They rely on their party floor leaders to tell them what they're supposed to do. I'd suggest that someone in leadership dropped the ball on that one, though I'll grant that they too were probably caught off-guard by the whole thing.
And Sundquist thought he was hated.
Williams doesn't realize this isn't about the next 2 years it's about the rest of his life.
Ask Don it won't be fun.
The 'counting chickens' political metaphor reminds of a recent Missouri state senatorial candidate who threw a well-attended and publicized roast for himself a few days before he lost to his opponent by about one hundred votes on election day.
Hubris hurts.
That cute li'l nightly-comic-book readin' Jason Mumpower had it all planned out.
Bless his heart, BEFORE the session yesterday, Jason and his Republican buddies had already changed the State website to show him as Speaker:
http://www.nashvilleistalking.com/node/93611
This kinda reminds me of last summer when Jason Mumpower and other Republicans had a big plan to help defeat Kent Williams by running another Republican against ol' Kent in the Republican primary.
That plan didn't work out so well for Jason and the other Republicans, either.
And, I am sure Jason and the other Republicans planned for Kent Williams to just forgive and forget that they helped Kent's opponent last summer with campaignin', money, and radio attack ads blastin' Kent.
Yep, plans are a lot like comic book characters -- they look good on paper.
