Monday, February 23, 2009
Politics / Woods Our Question of the Day: Is Chip Forrester the Puppet of Gary Odom?
Posted by Jeff Woods on Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 5:24 AM
OK, maybe it's a little paranoid to say Gary Odom is taking over the party, at least at this point. But Chip Forrester's naming Bill Freeman as treasurer is a very strange decision for someone who's trying to make nice with the state's senior elected leadership. Not only has Freeman given thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Republicans. But he's also a big developer buddy of Odom's. And Freeman has publicly criticized the governor for trying to close the tax loophole for wealthy developers who are clever enough to organize themselves as Family Owned Corporate Entities. By the way, Freeman is one of those lucky developers getting a nice tax break. In a big surprise, Odom helped killed Bredesen's attempt to close the loophole last session. Here's the sordid history on that.
So the party has itself a fat-cat treasurer who has helped Republicans beat Democrats, who thinks the state shouldn't try to make commercial real-estate tycoons like himself pay their fair share of taxes in a time of fiscal meltdown. Pith predicts Forrester can now officially forget about fund-raising help from the governor. Already, as Schelzig reports, Bredesen aide Will Pinkston has told Forrester to stop trying to raise money using Bredesen's name for the Governor's Roundtable.
Yes, Forrester has definitely stepped in it this time. How do you think his young liberal supporters feel about this new party alignment? On the other hand, what does the governor's office expect Forrester to do? Rebuffed by Bredesen, he runs into Odom's arms. He has no where else to turn. Update: Mary Mancini says Freeman can't be all bad. He gave $250 to the Democratic election opponent of that crazy Minnesota Republican congresswoman, Michelle Bachman.
Comments (8)
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A couple things on this: First, Odom has been supportive of Forrester's leadership. But so have a lot of other people - including 42 Executive Committee members and Rep. Steve Cohen. Second, there are plenty of other Democrats for whom Freeman has worked and raised money - including Barack Obama, Bob Tuke, Richard Fulton, and Rosalind Kurita. Will Pinkston made a big mistake trying to power play Tennessee's democrats and getting Bredesen involved in the middle of the Bone-Forrester chairs race. The case that Bredesen and others made for Bone was not compelling and smacked of cronyism. Bredesen also failed to campaign actively for any local Democratic candidates - failed to spend any political capital even though he's term-limited and won all 95 counties in 2006. What does Bredesen have to lose and what is he waiting for?
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Gary Odom and Chip Forrester deserve each other. They're both selfish, silly men who could no more organize winning House races than a trip to the corner market. Democrats apparently are doomed.
Oh Benintn, or as my wingman Heatseeker calls you: Benintotaldenial: Your revisionist history that Bredesen didn't participate in the 2008 campaigns belies reality. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I seem to recall a City Paper article outlining how Bredesen raised money, cut ad spots or campaigned in two or three dozen legislative races. Sounds like he did just about everything people asked him to do. Blame your buddy Odom if they weren't making proper use of the tools they were given. As for Bone-Forrester, it looks like the governor and congressmen's fears are being realized: Chip can't raise money. Which may be why he went out and tried to secretly raise it under Bredesen's name without permission. Then got busted. It's not looking good for ye 'ol Democratic Party. But Ben wouldn't see that through his rose-colored glasses.
How do we start a Progressive Party that does not have Democrat or Republican in its name? They are all looney toons.
I saw Bredesen's television spot for Tim Barnes ad nauseum. In 2006, it seemed like Bredesen was in town for Joe Pitts every other day. Chip Forrester is totally revising history to say that Bredesen has done nothing for Tennessee Democrats.
benintotaldenial,
Odom was the knucklehead in charge of the train wreck that was the House Democrats election efforts in 2008. Now he's pulling Chipper's strings. What's the old saying: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
yawn- can you get us some heavy organ audio tracks? Or violin?
You forgot about Odom saying he might run for governor.
Between me and my husband we've owned more dining chairs over the years than I can count, including Union Jack Chair, Candice Dining Chair, the Tequila etc. But, the last few years I've settled down to one Gerontius recliner. Why? Because I was happy to discover how well-designed and comfortable to use the underappreciated (and widely mocked) Gerontious Recliners are.
