Thursday, September 23, 2010
Politics Hacks and Whores Dominate Democrats for Haslam
Posted by Jeff Woods on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 11:40 AM
- One of the new 'Democrats for Haslam' encourages a voter on Dickerson Road.
Haslam touts his new supporters as prominent, but the list is a little lacking in big names. Notable is Reagan Farr, who just quit as state revenue commissioner. (Is it a good thing when the state tax collector endorses you?) But mostly, we're talking about unknown whores and glad-handers hoping to do business with state government or curry favor with the new governor for some other reason. Buck Dozier, Will Pinkston, Jane Alvis and James Pratt are on the list. Please. Mike Kelly of Jimmy Kelly's restaurant is on it. We guess Tom Ingram finally paid his bar tab.
Update: We just noticed the assistant principal for Brentwood High is on Haslam's list. We heard he tried to snag the social studies teacher at Donelson Middle, but she's still undecided.
Here are all the names:
EAST TENNESSEE
* Former Knox County School Board Chairman Sam Anderson
* Knoxville attorney Robyn Askew
* Knoxville attorney Gordon Ball
* Knoxville physician Charlie Barnett
* Knoxville businessman James Clifton Beeler
* Knoxville attorney Tasha Blakney
* Former Knoxville City Councilman Robert Booker
* Knoxville attorney Don Bosch
* Knoxville attorney Chuck Burks
* Former Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Betsy Child
* Market Square District Association President John Craig
* Former TVA Chairman and former Chief of Staff to U.S. Sen. Jim Sasser Craven Crowell
* Chattanooga attorney and former Assistant D.A. Lee Davis
* Regal Entertainment Group President and COO Greg Dunn
* C&C Millwright President and CEO Jerry Fortner
* Knoxville businessman Charles Frazier
* Chattanooga businesswoman Vicky Gregg
* Knoxville City Councilman Duane Grieve
* Knoxville attorney Greg Isaacs
* Knoxville businessman Jim Jennings
* Former Chattanooga Mayor Jon Kinsey
* United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America Southern District Vice President Danny Maples
* Former State Sen. Carl R. Moore
* Bristol consultant Elliott G. Moore
* Former Tennessee Bar Association President Pamela Reeves
* Former State Representative Wayne Ritchie
* Robledo Translations owner Patricia Robledo
* Museum Director/Knoxville Community Leader Avon W. Rollins, Sr.
* Former Knox County Mayor Tommy Schumpert
* Former Carson-Newman College President Joe Bill Sloan
* Former State Trial Administrator Larry Stephenson
* Former Knox County Commission Chairman Thomas "Tank" Strickland
* Lawler-Wood and Wood Properties founder H. Pat Wood
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
* Nashville Career Advancement Services Director Jacky Akbari
* Nashville educator Manuch Akbari
* Alvis Company President A. Jane Alvis
* Mid-South Carpenters Regional Council Political Director Michael Boner
* Former Department of Revenue Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Loren Chumley
* Nashville real estate broker Richard Courtney
* Nashville businessman Dick Darr
* Former Metro Councilman Buck Dozier
* Hudson Group Owner Wayne Edwards
* Former Department of Revenue Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Reagan Farr
* Former Shelby County Commissioner J.W. Gipson
* Tomkats Catering Group President Jesse Goldstein
* Former Senior Adviser of Legislation and Policy for Bredesen Administration Robert Gowan
* Nashville attorney Celeste Herbert
* Nashville physician Bill Holland
* Hudson Group Owner Bill Hudson
* Former Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Marion Berry Thad Huguley
* Ashland City Councilman Rick Johnson
* Jimmy Kelly's Restaurant owner Mike Kelly
* Pinnacle Financial Services Senior Vice President Brock Kidd
* Former Policy Chief for Bredesen Administration Drew Kim
* Cushion Employer Services CEO Pam Martin
* Molette Investment Services President Lee Molette
* State education leader Gary Nixon
* Former Department of Childrens' Services Legislative Liason for Bredesen Administration Emily Ogden
* Former Senior Adviser to Bredesen Administration Will Pinkston
* Former Communications Director for U.S. Sen. Jim Sasser James Pratt
* Nashville restauranteur Randy Rayburn
* Former BMI Music Group Executive Joyce Rider
* Former Chief of Staff to Gov. Buford Ellington Bo Roberts
* Former Department of Education Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Lana Seivers
* State education leader David Sevier
* Former Education Advisor to Bredesen Administration Patrick Smith
* Nashville Pastor Frank Stevenson
* Nashville activist Lekita Stevenson
* The Spiritual Herald Editor Robert Stevenson
* CIGNA Healthcare Vice President of Sales Mary Tate-Smith
* Former Metro Councilman Leo Waters
* First Tennessee Bank Senior Vice President Davis Watts
* Former Department of Commerce and Insurance Deputy Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Scott White
* Former Brentwood High School Assistant Principal Barbara Winfrey
WEST TENNESSEE
* Former Brownsville Mayor Webb Banks
* Former Department of Economic and Community Development Assistant Commissioner for Bredesen Administration Joe Barker
* McKenzie Director of Finance Charlie Beal
* Carroll County healthcare professional Kay Beal
* The Blue Group President Stanley Blue
* Brittenum Bruce Managing Partner Dedrick Brittenum
* Former West Tennessee Jobs Development Director for Bredesen Administration Charlie Dyer
* Ewing Moving Service President Charles Ewing
* Memphis attorney and Tennessee Board of Regents member John Farris
* Memphis Small Business Chamber Executive Director and Chairman Andre Fowlkes
* Gipson Mechanical Contractors President Winston Gipson
* Shelby County Commissioner James Harvey
* Cushion Employer Services COO Anthony Holt
* Memphis hospital executive Cato Johnson
* Mid-South Carpenters Regional Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer James Kerley
* Former Tipton County Sherriff Buddy Lewis
* Genesis Marketing CEO Bruce L. Mills
* Martin Chief of Police David Moore
* Former Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth Board Member Barbara Holden Nixon
* The Redwing Group CEO Ron Redwing
* Memphis Hospital Executive Gary Shorb
* System Technology President Jeremy Simpson
* Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith
* Former Tennessee Bar Association President Charles Swanson
* Fayette County Mayor Skip Taylor
* Felix Way Advertising CEO Felix Walker
* Porter-Leath Executive Vice President of Development and New Business Mike Warr
* Best Nurses President Regina Williams
* Former Tennessee Chiefs of Police Association President Bobby Williamson
* State Farm Insurance Agency President Ron Willis
* Former Heritage Conservation Trust Executive Director Marie Yeagle
Comments (24)
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How many of them are looking for a job or hoping to keep one. Seems to be a lot of "formers" in the group.
Hey, Chipinista! How you like me now?
I warned you that Chairgimp Chipper would be the death of your precious state party, but did you listen? Nnnnnooooooooo!!!!
The mighty Chairgimp cleared the field for a candidate that might . . . just might . . . rival him for gimpiness. Seriously, McWherter is awful. Only the Chairgimp could envision this hulking imbecile being governor. I'll bet Chipper thought he'd be McWherter's economic commissioner.
Oh, well, maybe the two of them can smoke cigars and drink white wine spritzers while taking tai chi lessons.
I'm surprised this post hasn't generated more comments. Maybe the people on this list are too embarrassed to debate the characterization of "unknown whores and glad-handlers"
Oh, and heatseeker, if you're for the person who cleared the field for McWherter, turn your gaze toward the Governor's mansion. Bredesen and company wrestled the power to select candidates from Chip the day he was selected.
Yes Squawk, we'd love to hear from anyone on the list. Here's my question: Why'd you endorse Haslam over McWherter? Since neither one has offered a single policy proposal of any real significance, how did you choose one over the other? Or did you abandon your party to choose the one who's going to win because you thought your endorsement might benefit you somehow in the future?
And, Jeff answers his own question. Good piece, and props to Gawksquawk for calling Heatseeker out properly.
Gee, Jeff, next time you conduct an interview get the driver to pull off the street. It's way safer.
"Since neither one has offered a single policy proposal of any real significance, how did you choose one over the other? Or did you abandon your party to choose the one who's going to win because you thought your endorsement might benefit you somehow in the future?"
BINGO!
Anyone that supported Chip Forester for Democratic Party chairman should be ashamed. and I'm looking right at you and all of the other apologists Steve Steffens. He has been a total disaster. Look how many prominent Democrats he has run out of the party. Bart Gordon. John Tanner. Now everyone on this list. Its no secret in Shelby County that Forester worked to get Jim Kyle out of the race to clear the field for McWherter. Lot of good that did us.
Jess, lookin' right back atcha, pal. Chip hasn't done well by a longshot, but his hands were tied early on by the good ole boys who wanted no part of organization or anything else that didn't require large expenditures to certain groups.
Chip inherited a full-blown mess, and, while he has not handled it well, our chances were slim and none because our message is stuck in 1992. People are not buying it any more, but the good ole boys refuse to change.
Next?
Way to be a man steffens. Its all somebody elses fault. You and Forester were going to run things a whole new way. In the ground. Thats where you ran it. Thats you. Not anybody else. Accept responsibility for your own screwups. You and all of these other online loudmouths are to blame.
I like how when Democrats endorse Republicans they're "hacks" and "whores," but the not-so-prominent Republicans who supported Phil Bredesen for governor in '02 and Bill Purcell for Nashville mayor in '99, some of whom were "looking for a job," were paragons of political virtue.
Listening to the the left-wing prattling here puts me in mind of a quote from the "Andy Griffith Show": "[You folks] are worth more comical-wise than a barrel full o' monkeys."
"Forester worked to get Jim Kyle out of the race to clear the field for McWherter. Lot of good that did us."
Yeah, replacing Mike McWherter (in case you haven't heard, he's been endorsed by Phil Bredesen) with Jim Kyle, who's perhaps the biggest jackass to ever walk the halls of Legislative Plaza ... yeah, that woulda been a GREAT idea.
Yeah, surrrre it is, Jess. It was me and Chip who depressed the base by having a corporatist Democrat for 8 years who took more money from Republicans than he did from Democrats. It was me & Chip who had no agenda in the State Legislature for the last decade after getting rebuffed on the Income Tax legislation and did nothing but hunker in the bunker.
Yep, all that was the fault of me & Chip. And I'm anorexic, too.
What next, are you going to blame us for sunspots, too?
In the interests of curiosity and debate, Steve, which Democrat do you think could win the governor's election this year? (Don't limit yourself to the Democrats who actually ran and dropped out; just name any Tennessee Democrat that you think would be favored to win the governor's election THIS year if he or she were running.)
Do all those people on that list claim to be Democrats? That's quite a surprising group.
Your no man Steffens. Forester runs the party. Big name Democrats are quitting the party left and right. You try to blame somebody else. Cry me a river. How many seats do you think Forester will lose in the state legislature? 6? 8? 10?
Will Pinkston left Bredesen's administration to work for Bill Frist. Is he still a Democrat? Was he ever a Democrat?
Forrester's not in charge of that, but no one's giving Mike turner as much help as he needs.
go ahead, "jess", keep trying to deflect the blame from the REAL people who have destroyed the Democratic Party in Tennessee: Bredesen and his gang.
With those powerhouses Randy (Don't shoot) Rayburn, and Leo
(could you advance me a dime/job) Waters on the list, I don't
see any hope for another candidate.
Who could win this year? Good question, since Haslam has more money than Croesus. The money all ran away from Democrats in anticipation of Haslam's candidacy.
Of course, had Ramsey not been in the race, Wamp might have overcome that, and he would have been easier to beat in the general. However, it is what is and we have to deal with that.
So one of the "Hacks and Whores" that supports Haslam is Randy Rayburn. He was your darling 6 months ago. What happened? Speaking of Whores.
Mr. Haslam should be aware that the names from the regional Carpenter's Union are there because Mr. Bredesen allowed LOTS of education dollars to go to them for their always near-empty training facilities and they need that money flow to continue to pay for their high-end offices and executive salaries and to pay for their lame campaigns against non-union companies about an "area standard" that is nothing more than a fictional 'standard' made up by them! Just my informed opinion...........
