Sunday, January 18, 2009
Politics / Woods GOP True Believers Shoved Kent Williams into Jimmy Naifeh's Arms
Posted by Jeff Woods on Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 9:00 AM
A couple of interesting tidbits about the Mumpower Smackdown from Brad Schrade in Sunday's Tennessean. The article focuses on how GOP True Believers like Robin Smith and Brian Kelsey chased Kent Williams out of the party and into the lovin' arms of Jimmy Naifeh. According to Williams' buddy, Danny Smith, Williams was "like a rattlesnake" coiled to strike because he was so annoyed by threats to punish any Republican who voted against Mumpower:
"(Williams) said, 'I don't care who Robin Smith is; there is no person in the state of Tennessee or group of people who are going to tell me how to vote except the people in Carter County,' " Danny Smith said. "It's like a rattlesnake. If you back it into a corner and you push it so far, it's going to strike. I think that letter tipped the scale. If that letter had not come out, and he had not been threatened, this whole thing probably wouldn't have happened. That's my opinion."
We also learn that Kelsey phoned Williams on election night Nov. 4 and, according to Kelsey, "The first thing he said to me is, 'I'm going to be speaker.' "
After the jump, more coverage in the Sunday papers:
Williams on his life and times: "Pressure is when you have three children, no job, no income and you're trying to feed your family. This is nothing."
Robin Smith on Williams: "In Tennessee, he has surpassed Judas as a poster child of betrayal."
Tom Griscom: Worm turns for Republicans.
Johnson City Press: Like Honest Abe Lincoln, Williams comes from humble beginnings.
Andy Sher: New speaker hopes to change business as usual.
Commercial Appeal: Legislators must find a way to move on.
Otis Sanford: The stars of "Oceans Eleven" couldn't have pulled a better caper.
Tom Humphrey: Legislative staffers cheer Naifeh for saving their jobs.
"(Williams) said, 'I don't care who Robin Smith is; there is no person in the state of Tennessee or group of people who are going to tell me how to vote except the people in Carter County,' " Danny Smith said. "It's like a rattlesnake. If you back it into a corner and you push it so far, it's going to strike. I think that letter tipped the scale. If that letter had not come out, and he had not been threatened, this whole thing probably wouldn't have happened. That's my opinion."
We also learn that Kelsey phoned Williams on election night Nov. 4 and, according to Kelsey, "The first thing he said to me is, 'I'm going to be speaker.' "
After the jump, more coverage in the Sunday papers:
Williams on his life and times: "Pressure is when you have three children, no job, no income and you're trying to feed your family. This is nothing."
Robin Smith on Williams: "In Tennessee, he has surpassed Judas as a poster child of betrayal."
Tom Griscom: Worm turns for Republicans.
Johnson City Press: Like Honest Abe Lincoln, Williams comes from humble beginnings.
Andy Sher: New speaker hopes to change business as usual.
Commercial Appeal: Legislators must find a way to move on.
Otis Sanford: The stars of "Oceans Eleven" couldn't have pulled a better caper.
Tom Humphrey: Legislative staffers cheer Naifeh for saving their jobs.
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