A Tennessee Conservative

John Tanner Calls It a Congressional Career

2009-12-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised at the news this morning that John Tanner, representative of the TN Eighth Congressional District, has decided not to run for reelection after all. The so-called Blue Dog Democrat would have been burdened with the ObamaCare package that passed the House anyway (even though he managed not to vote for it himself) and with some competition for the first time in 20 years, Tanner decided to call it a congressional career. (He's the second Blue Dog in the past two weeks to chose the retirement path.)

I applaud Mr. Tanner for his wise decision not to seek reelection--although it was ten years too late. I believe strongly in term limits and his stranglehold on the seat is the reason why they are needed.

The Obama Card: Priceless

2009-05-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Obama AWOL for National Day of Prayer

2009-05-06T06:36:00.000-07:00

Friday is the National Day of Prayer, and the President once again shows that he is the President of the whole United States and not just the liberal wing of the Democrat party.

Yeah, right.

So it's no surprise that Barack Obama will not publicly observe the National Day of Prayer. Oh, he'll sign a proclamation but he won't have anything else to do with it. Instead he'll pray "privately," which is just the kind of example the President of the Unites States should set: Lead in private. (If that's how he chooses to lead, what's with the surprise appearance at the daily press briefing that brought the media to its feet?)

Why should Obama endure a National Day of Prayer when he doesn't even consider the United States to be "a Christian nation"? Isn't he the Liberal Messiah, the agent of Change? Why should we bother praying to God when Obama and the Government will take care of us? That's why he was elected, wasn't it?

When Obama does address a prayer breakfast (as he did on Feb. 9 below), he prefers to speak of faith in negative terms as being something "welded as a tool to divide us from one another."

Today is not the first time Obama has distanced himself from topics of faith and religion; it certainly won't be the last.

Oh, There's No Bias in the Media at All

2009-05-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

The mainstream media treats all Presidents just the same: Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama. Honest, unbiased journalism, not tainted by their own personal views or influenced by the media outlets they work for. Not a single bit.

Oops...scratch that.

Madame Speaker Exaggerates

2009-02-05T06:32:00.001-08:00

According to the esteemed Madame Speaker, 500 million Americans are losing their jobs every month. Incredibly, no reporter present even questions her about it!

Just one more example that Democrats can and will say anything to perpetuate the gloom and doom factor they have championed.

President Reagan's First Inaugural Address

2009-01-20T13:36:00.001-08:00

Twenty-eight years ago today, President Ronald Reagan delivered his first Inaugural Address. His was a true message of hope and change, ideals that he believed resided within the American people and not simply one man.

Surely There Will Be No Missing "O"'s

2009-01-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

Remember eight years ago today when the outgoing Clinton administration left $15,000 worth of "damage, theft, vandalism, and pranks" to government property on their way out the White House door? Oh, those rascally Democrats.

At the time, Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer played down the Clintonian shenanigans:

"Whether things were done that were perhaps less gracious than should have been, it is not going to be what President Bush focuses on, nor will it be what his staff focuses on. Whatever may have been done, we are going to just put our heads down and look ahead,'' he said.

The bad thing is, many of these jokers will be returning.

But I'm sure President Obama will find all the "O"'s on his keyboards.

Not Without a Hitch

2009-01-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

Not exactly off on the right foot, huh?

UPDATE: In fairness, Chief Justice John Roberts messed up first. The oath should read: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States..." Roberts said "execute faithfully" instead, which may have caused Obama to stumble on his words.

I wonder if this is the first time the Oath of Office has been flubbed by an incoming President?

The Obama Regime Has Begun

2009-01-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

It's a tough time to be a conservative Republican right now.

All weekend and for the past two days, you can't turn on the television without being inundated with everything Obama. My kids can't even watch Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel without being indoctrinated by the ridiculous worship of the man. The left-minded media can't get enough of him, and if this is any indication of the kind of softball press he will receive, it's going to be a long four years for the 58,343,671 people in this country who didn't vote for him.

It is commendable that our nation--one that critics continue to hammer as racist overall--has elected the first African-American to its highest office. Thus the inauguration of Barack Obama is a significant moment in American history, and he will be justly remembered for it.

But it's sad that so many people are placing all their hopes for a better America on the shoulders one man, one human being. He has changed people's lives. He has given people hope, at least those whose personal emotions depend on which political party occupies the White House. He's being compared to Lincoln and Kennedy without having done a single thing to deserve it. He has given those who voted for him the belief that the "whole nation" is coming together for his coronation...err, inauguration. They are literally worshiping him like the Liberal Messiah!

For the liberals who have lamented and anguished over the past eight years, congratulations. Your nightmare is now over. You can live your lives henceforth free from the man who tormented your liberal minds for so long. Now you know how conservatives felt after eight years of the scandal-ridden and sleazy administration of William Jefferson Clinton, who was one of the top five worst presidents in our nation's history.

But what will happen when the Great Obama fails to live up to your expectations? What if he can't fulfill all the lofty promises he made in the campaign? The bar has been set so high for him, it will be impossible for him to make everyone happy. Four years from now, will you still want to keep that Obama commemorative plate on your mantle?

Bipartisanship...As Long As Democrats are in Control

2009-01-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

"Hopefully we're entering a new bipartisan era. But it's up to the Republicans -- who ought to be happy because they have a Republican speaker -- to decide whether they're going to be petty or not." -- Rep. Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville)

One thing that should be crystal clear from this whole debacle with Rep. Kent Williams' back-stabbing ascendancy to Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives is that Democrats cannot be trusted. They will do anything--even vote for a Republican--to keep their power.

You would think after close to 140 years in control of the House, Democrats could be magnanimous and pass the gavel to a new majority, just as power is transferred from one party to the other in other state governments. That for once, Jimmy Naifeh would do something that doesn't benefit Jimmy Naifeh. Oh, but not Tennessee Democrats. Like the stubborn jackass that is their party symbol, they cannot unselfishly relinquish their power. They cannot step aside and allow the majority to run the show for two years. As much as we've heard them preach "Change," "Change," "Change," it doesn't apply when they are in control.

Now Democrats are suddenly advocates of bipartisanship after using so-called political "gamesmanship" to gain the upper hand again. With smiles still on their faces from their sabotaging endeavors, they want Republicans to work with them and their puppet Speaker and just forget about what happened. Let bygones be bygones. We got a Republican after all, didn't we? (Ha ha)

Bipartisanship cannot exist if both sides don't trust each other. As the Jackson Sun points out, Democrats have destroyed whatever chance there was for it by their schemes:

Clearly, Democrats pulled a fast one on the unsuspecting GOP majority. But while they may have gotten what they wanted in the short term - someone of their choice as speaker and favorable committee assignments - they likely have hurt themselves in the long run.
By sabotaging Republican plans, they have destroyed the already tenuous trust that existed between the parties. How does that help them when they have a legislative issue they care about and need Republican help to advance? It doesn't. How does it help manage the serious financial problems facing the state that need bipartisan cooperation? It doesn't.

Because of the arrogance of House Democrats, the chamber will be in gridlock and nothing significant will be accomplished for the next two years. Until Republicans can gain a significant majority in 2010, the people of Tennessee will continue to be susceptible to these back room deals because Democrats will do absolutely anything to stay in power. After 140 years, it is time for this kind of politics to end.

Seeds of Deception

2009-01-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

In his first press conference as House Speaker today, Kent Williams divulged one-sentence tidbits about how this whole corrupt bargain with House Democrats came about:

Q: When did the Democrats first approach you about this?

Williams: The Democrats didn't approach me. I approached them.

Q: And what did you say?

Williams: I told them I'd like to be speaker of the House. It was maybe a couple of days ago, I don't know.

Q: What did the Democrats say to you? OK?

Williams: Evidently.

A man of a great many words, to be sure.

So now we know that Kent was not led astray off the Republican reservation; he went of his own free will. He initiated the deal. The details seem to be a little fuzzy at the moment, but hopefully we'll learn more in the coming days.

Open Letter to Kent Williams

2009-01-13T14:11:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but let our new House Speaker know what I thought of his treacherous deal with House Democrats, so I emailed him this ditty:

Mr. Williams,
I am not a constituent in your district, but I am a state taxpayer, a voter, and a supporter of the Republican Party.

For the first time since the end of Reconstruction, there is a Republican majority in the House. At least there WAS one before today's session. As a member of the House Republican caucus, you signed a document committing yourself to vote for a Republican candidate for speaker and speaker pro tempore. You were quoted in the Chattanoogan on November 7, 2008 as saying: “I want to state today, unequivocally, that I pledge to vote for a Republican for Speaker of the House. I have every reason to expect that the Republican nominee will be Leader Jason Mumpower. We are grateful that the people of Tennessee have given us the opportunity to lead. We will make them proud.”

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_138597.asp

Instead of making your constituents proud, you have deceived them. You have done the same to your Republican colleagues. You have made some sort of back room deal with Democrat representatives to gain their trust and their votes to make yourself speaker. While "technically" you may have voted for a Republican for speaker (yourself), you unequivocally broke your signed pledge by voting for a Democrat for Speaker Pro Tempore.

Politics of deception, Mr. Williams, is NOT the kind of so-called "change" we need in the General Assembly. Your action today is no shining example of how a public servant and an elected official should conduct himself or serve those who elected him.

Polite but truthful, I think.

Kent Williams Strikes Corrupt Bargain with House Democrats

2009-01-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a corrupt political bargain to awaken this Tennessee Conservative from his winter slumber...

What should have been a historic day for Tennessee Republicans instead has become one of shock and frustration at the back room wheelings and dealings that Kent Williams made with Democrats in the state House of Representatives to make himself Speaker. The only truthful part of his acceptance was this jewel:

"I'm a Republican but not for much longer because you guys are going to kick me out, probably."

Can you blame them? It's interesting that he had to be protected by the Tennessee Highway Patrol while at the podium and when he was escorted out of the chamber. Looks like you're not a very popular guy right now, Kent.

The clincher was the first thing he did as Speaker: Allow Jimmy Naifeh to preside from his pedestal the rest of the day. Unbelieveable. (I'm sure this was part of the deal too.)

If Kent Williams believes everything will be hunky dory with his Republican colleagues from now on, he's sadly mistaken. Of course, the trouble now is the rogue member of their party is now in control of committee chairmanships and appointments, so they can't be too venomous in their reactions.

So much for that signed unity pledge to support a Republican for the office (which was supposed to be Jason Mumpower, not Williams) or what he told the Chattanoogan back on November 7, 2008:

“I want to state today, unequivocally, that I pledge to vote for a Republican for Speaker of the House. I have every reason to expect that the Republican nominee will be Leader Jason Mumpower. We are grateful that the people of Tennessee have given us the opportunity to lead. We will make them proud.”

Yep, you've sure made the folks back home proud. One more lying politician to add to the bunch.

UPDATE: The nerve of this guy! Here's his response to why he didn't vote for House Republican leader Jason Mumpower: "I think I'd make a better speaker and a better leader."

Taking a Break

2008-11-19T19:16:00.000-08:00

The Election of 2008 is over (at least in states excluding Georgia and Minnesota) and the Liberal Messiah will be inaugurated in only two months and one day. America will see how much "Change" there will be in Washington with the liberals and ex-Clinton cronies in charge. If Obama, Pelosi, and Reid tilt the country toward the left in the next two years, look for some right-sided changes in the next Congressional elections.

The one redeeming outcome of the election was the new Republican majorities in both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly. It will be glorious fun to see Democrat boss Jimmy Naifeh relegated to a common representative's seat on the House floor rather than the lofty pedestal he has occupied the past 17 years. I'm sure he won't find the view quite as nice as he enjoyed before.

With the holidays coming up, I'll be taking a respite from politics for a little while. I'll be working on other writing projects that I've put aside during the campaigns. But when I start getting angry at the politicians and talking back to the radio and television again, I'll be back to vent a little frustration at the left-wing wackos and Obamaniacs making news.

Take care, and remember not to take it all so seriously. :)

Chris Matthews Will "Do Everything" To Help Obama

2008-11-06T12:20:00.001-08:00

Not that there is any doubt which side he's on, but MSNBC's Chris Matthews tells Joe Scarborough he (Matthews) will do everything he can "to make this thing work, this new presidency work."

When Joe pressed him further, Matthews said: "Yes, that's my job. My job is to help this country."

I'm sure this sentiment is shared by all his colleagues in the Liberal Media (such as Keith Olbermann, Katie Couric, Andrea Mitchell, etc.). As it was during the campaign, their job will be to make Obama look good and be his unpaid PR department. They consider it their patriotic duty to build him up and do nothing than casts bad light upon their Messiah.

That's mainstream journalism in America today, folks.

Good Feelings Gone For Some Obama Campaign Workers

2008-11-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

In Indianapolis, all the rhetoric about Hope and Change have been replaced by: "I want my money today!"

Obama campaign workers are up in arms about not being paid for their loyalty to the Liberal Messiah. In a final Election Day push, the campaign hired 375 people to work three-hour shifts. Yesterday they showed up at campaign headquarters expecting to be rewarded not with an historic presidential victory but with pre-paid Visa cards.

"I want my money today!" one agitated worker exclaimed. "It's my money! I want it now!"

A long wait and slow-moving line tested their patience. Because of the size of the crowd, police were called to keep things orderly. Eventually they received their cards, but many complained they were not credited for enough hours worked and they didn't like the hassle of having to file claim forms.

Imagine what they'll do when they find out they won't have their gasoline or mortgage payments paid for either.

Tennessee "A Deeper Shade of Red"

2008-11-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

It looks like the ridiculous press releases and gimmicky cow costumes couldn't keep Tennessee Democrats in control of the General Assembly after all. While the Liberal Messiah's capture of the presidency was disheartening, the blow has been cushioned somewhat by new Republican majorities in the state house and senate this Election Night.

From the state GOP:

Tennessee turned a deeper shade of red Tuesday as Republican victories in state legislative races increased the party’s majority in the state Senate and gave Republicans a majority in the state House for the first time since 1968.
For the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans hold a majority in both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly.

“The election of a Republican majority in the General Assembly is historic in its own right, and even more so given the strong Democratic tide across much of the country,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. “Our victories send a national message that Republican values still resonate with mainstream America. The power of a consistent conservative Republican message - low taxes, small government and respect for life - once again demonstrated its power to attract a majority.”

Republicans held a majority in the state House for two years after the 1968 election, but had not held a majority in the state Senate since Reconstruction until the 2006 election.

“We are indebted to our great volunteers across Tennessee and to the people of Tennessee for this historic achievement,” Smith said.

So long, Jimmy Naifeh! So sorry, Jim Kyle! Your stolen election doesn't mean a thing, Tim Barnes!

Hallelujah!!!

The Charlatan Has Fooled Them All

2008-11-04T20:39:00.001-08:00

The Liberial Messiah has delivered his naive followers to the Promised Land.

The charlatan has convinced the majority of the American electorate that he is the Hope and the Change that they want. They've allowed themselves to be duped, just like they did with Bill Clinton in 1992. You know: the womanizing adulterer, the last Democrat you trusted? Oh, be careful what you wish for.

We'll get a full dose of liberalism with sprinkles of socialism over the next four years. There will be at least two years of Democrat domination in both houses of Congress, during which Pelosi and Reid will try and pass every liberal law and regulation their leftist souls desire. Our military will be crippled through inadequate funding and ashamed of its weak commander-in-chief.

One thing is for sure: Democrats can't use the Republicans as their punching bags anymore. They can't blame them for driving our nation into a recession--or worse--with their socialistic agenda, not when they're no longer in control of the government. President Bush can't be their fall guy anymore.

There will come a time, whether it's two or four years from now, when the same moderate and independent voters will realize they made a terrible mistake in trusting an inexperienced liberal like Obama. They'll be searching for change again--change back to the political right.

But the Republican Party must be ready when it happens. Its supporters will need to take a long, hard look at what direction the party needs to go. Trying to appease everyone obviously didn't work. We must stand for something or risk another defeat in four more years. It needs to reinvigortate its grassroots base, recruit young and enthusiastic candidates, and give American a clear choice over the liberalism of an Obama presidency.

Don't Allow the Stolen Election to Stand!

2008-11-04T06:02:00.001-08:00

Voters in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties will have an important decision to make today. It's true the presidential election itself is important, but I would argue the one between State Senator Rosalind Kurita and Tim Barnes is important for another reason.

It comes down to what's right and what's wrong.

Is it right for a political party, after deciding to allow the voters to select their nominee, to change the result simply because they don't like who was elected?
Is it right that taxpayers should fund an election that a political party has the power to overturn?

I argue that it is wrong what the Tennessee Democrat Party did to Senator Kurita and the voters of Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties should not tolerate it. If they do it once and get away with it, what is to stop them--or any political party--from doing it again?

The party will argue that they had the right to overturn the primary election citing hearsay voting irregularities that allegedly occurred at polling places. And according to state law, they do have the authority to do it. But it doesn't make it right what they did. The law should be amended that if parties take such action in future primaries, the party should refund the costs of the election to the affected counties. Otherwise why have a taxpayer-funded election in the first place? Nominate candidates in a smoke-filled room they way they used to if the party is unwilling to abide by the will of the voters.

Through moral and ethical eyes, the Tennessee Democrat Party did indeed steal the election that had been won by Senator Kurita, which makes Tim Barnes a very willing accomplice by accepting the nomination in this fashion. "I reject the word 'stolen,'" he recently remarked. But it is what it is, and voters should not stand for the injustice.

Democrats and Republicans should agree that it wasn't right in a democratic election. Please take the extra time to write in KURITA on your ballot.

It's Election Day

2008-11-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

It's Election Day at last!

For the bleeding heart liberals who have wrapped their lives around their Messiah's campaign, it will be a gut-twisting day and evening. Will Hope and Change and all those feel-good phrases they love to spout finally come true? Will their eight years in the wilderness under the oppression of President Bush finally be over?

For the sake of our country, let's all Hope not.

The Hope liberals cling to is total, unchallenged control over the government with Obama, Pelosi, and Reid at the helm to force through their liberal and socialist agendas under the guise of helping the lower and middle classes.

The Change they seek is to, pure and simple, socialism. Call it what it is. Obama wants to bring his radical socialist ideals and use our democratic government as his kiddie science lab. He wants to experiment with all kinds of policies to excessively tax and punish the big, bad corporations that employ thousands and thousands of workers and give the money to those individuals who don't even pay taxes. He even wants to bankrupt the coal industry in America!

Under the conditions that our economy is now experiencing, it's not the time to allow the liberal Democrats free rein in our government. It's not the time to dabble in socialism. It's not the time for inexperience.

American voters cannot allow Obama to be elected. Please vote for John McCain.

Something to Consider for Undecided Voters

2008-11-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

If you're an undecided voter and consider yourself independent in politics, I respectfully ask you to consider this thought:

Both houses of Congress are already under control of the Democrat Party....

With Nancy Pelosi as House speaker...

And Harry Reid as Majority Leader in the Senate.

If Obama is elected, there will be no one to check or restrain the socialist ideals that he holds, including wealth distribution that will take from those who work and give to those who don't. The Democrat-controlled Congress will be a rubber stamp for his liberal agenda.

There will be change in Washington, but it won't be the kind of change our nation needs. It will be a change from right-center to far left in political philosophy. It will mean increased taxes from our paychecks to build and sustain his socialist policies.

If we must have a Democrat-controlled Congress, we should have a Republican in the White House. Don't let the unchecked left-wing liberals control our government.

Please.

No TDP Press Release Sunday

2008-11-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

Day 5 has ended without a ridiculous press release from Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democrat Party.

Surely there will be something tomorrow; the streak can't last this long. Can it?

Nice Try, Senator Government

2008-11-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of neverfindout.org and Kevin at Hard Reset:

No TDP Press Release Friday

2008-10-31T21:31:00.001-07:00

Day 3 has ended without a ridiculous press release from Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democrat Party. Hallelujah!

I was very surprised we were not graced with something creative for Halloween.

But we did have the retraction of a political ad under threat of legal action that was sponsored by them.

Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

2008-10-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

The threshold of personal wealth in America continues to diminish the more Obama and Biden speak. When will it drop to $100,000?

Maybe after Election Day.

Don't give them the chance, America.

So Much for Free Speech

2008-10-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

Obviously the editor at Clarksville Online doesn't take kindly to critique.

It struck me after reading their interview with Tim Barnes, Democrat candidate for Senate District 22, that the interviewer showed partiality toward him. He asked what his position was on a variety of issues such as abortion, women's health, the environment, and education. (“I want to be clear that, I was ‘Green’ before it was cool to be ‘Green,’" he pointed out.)

Then the interviewer asked: "What ideas do you bring forward as you go into the Senate..."

This struck me as an unfair commentary by the interview that Barnes had already won the election four days before Election Day.

At the end of the article is a comment section, so I commented that the interviewer seemed biased toward the candidate and the election wasn't over. Admittedly, I'm very passionate that the Tennessee Democrat Party stole Rosalind Kurita's primary victory from her and handed it over to Barnes, so I added something to the effect that if the party wanted the right to change its mind, it should foot the bill for the primary election.

The comments are moderated, but there was nothing exceptionally controversial about what I had written. (I've seen much worse venom complete with swearing on other blogs.)

Well, editor Bill Larsen saw it differently:

I am not publishing your comment on Clarksville Online, here's why. We have a policy for stories and comments of "Attack the issue, never the person." Your comment violated that by accusing our reporter of writing a biased article. Second your comment was off topic, this interview has nothing to do with the Tennessee Democratic Party's actions. If you wanted to discuss the interview, or Mr Barnes issues on a specific topic or in general it would have been perfectly fine. Your pointing out that Mr Barnes has not yet won the election would be fine. If you wish to submit a new comment taking this into consideration, we will consider publishing it[.]

We tried to get a similar interview with Sen Kurita but it never came through.

I wish I had saved the comment as proof, but I never "attacked" the interviewer. Expressing an opinion that he was biased is not a personal attack; it's my opinion. Attack implies inflammatory remarks, threats, and foul language, none of which were contained in my comment. I felt it was a respectful response, but because it wasn't positive or complimenting like the others that made it past editorial scrutiny, it was rejected.

I can understand moderating comments that meet the criteria I listed. There's some pretty nasty remarks posted to all blogs that offer nothing to the conversation but hate. I've done my best on my blog not to get into that sort of writing. I may poke fun at my liberal friends and call them "goofballs" or even "idiots," but I don't condone vicious name-calling directed at anyone. It may be frustrating to read, but I do believe everyone is entitled to their opinion.

But obviously Clarksville Online doesn't hold itself to such lofty standards.

Wink, Wink

2008-10-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

We can trust Barack Obama....Sureeeee.

Jib-Jabbing at McCain and Obama

2008-10-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

The folks that brought us the animated satire "This Land" in 2004 have a new one for the 2008 presidential campaign. The take on Obama fluttering through the fairy tale forest, espousing "the change we must change for the change we hold dear" is dead-on.

Great stuff!

(Warning: contains some offensive language.)

Time for Some Campaignin' | Funny Jokes at JibJab

What Better Reason Is There?

2008-10-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Rob Huddleston over at VOLuntarilyConservative found this sticker on a vehicle in Blount County:

The Best Reason to Vote for John McCain...is Barack Obama.

For a conservative like me, it's the best reason to vote for McCain.

No TDP Press Release Wednesday

2008-10-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Day 1 without a ridiculous press release by Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democrat Party.

Let's try for two, gentlemen.

(If I were a betting man, I can almost assure you we'll see one on Halloween. One warning us about those scary Republicans! Ooooooooooo!)

Obama's Not the First African-American Presidential Candidate

2008-10-29T19:37:00.001-07:00

I had to shake my head when Aunt B over at Tiny Cat Pants wrote that she "cried like a baby" after voting for the Liberal Messiah. I'm sure for her it was a significant event to cast her ballot for an African-American candidate for president of the United States. She adds:

Listen, I don’t think Obama is the greatest thing since sliced cheese. I’m not even sure he’ll be a very good president. But I’m proud to be able to vote for him, and I’m proud to vote for him.

That's well and good, but it's actually not the first time that an African-American has run for the presidency. If she was registered to vote in 2000, it wasn't even the first time she had the opportunity to do so.

There are many people who have the misguided or uninformed notion that Obama is the first. Not so. I voted for an African-American candidate eight years before the Almighty Barry ever disgraced the national scene.

Amid a crowded field of candidates that included George W. Bush and John McCain in the 2000 Republican primary, I voted for Alan Keyes. It made no difference to me the color of his skin; what mattered was his position against the murder of unborn children, his Christian beliefs, and the conservative principles for which he stood.

It is significant that Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major political party for our nation's highest office. But it doesn't make him the right choice for our country.

So when Obama supporters make such a big deal about casting their vote for him because of his race, I have to say with pride I was eight years ahead of ya'll.

Too Bad Tim Barnes Wasn't Punished for Stealing an Election

2008-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Timmy Barnes, loser of the Democrat primary for Senate District 22 but their candidate nonetheless, was slapped on the wrist by the Tennessee Ethics Commission to the tune of $50 for failing to file his campaign's financial information on time.

The candidate lamented:

"We thought that it had been filed online, but it did not go through," Barnes said. "By the time we got it filed, it was two days late. They specified it was technical violation, not an ethical violation."

Not like that whole stolen election thing, right?

This is an excellent opportunity to remind voters of Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties that they should write in the name of Rosalind Kurita for state senate. It's true she's not a Republican, but thanks to the Tennessee Democrat Party, she's not one of them either.

Keep Bringing Up the Tennessee Income Tax!

2008-10-28T13:29:00.001-07:00

Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democrat Party are at it again. Once again they are rearing the ugly specter of a state income tax to try and whip up votes for their legislative candidates and working in a little revisionist history at the same time.

TDP snoops discovered that former Gov. Don Sundquist recently donated funds from his political action committee Majority Tennessee PAC to several Republican house and senate candidates. The funds were old campaign contributions and Sundquist hasn't been a candidate since his second term as governor ended in 2003.

Sasser awkwardly attempts to use Sundquist's contributions to accuse the recipients of hypocrisy in their opposition to a state income tax:

"'This is yet another example of candidates like Dolores Gresham, Ken Yager and Vance Dennis saying one thing on the campaign trail and then doing another in real life,'" said Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser. “They run around their districts claiming they’re against the income tax. Then they turn around and pad their pockets with Don Sundquist’s leftover campaign cash.'

Sasser added: 'We can draw either one of two conclusions: Either they support the income tax, or they’re hypocrites. Either way, Tennessee voters deserve to know the truth.'

Sasser and the TDP are practicing revisionist history, trying to place themselves above the fray that was the income tax revolt of 2001 and 2002. I can't argue with their contention that Gov. Sundquist was the leading proponent of the tax. But to label him as the "father of the income tax plan"--as Sasser does--is preposterous.

There were plenty of surrogates for the income tax. I hate to break it to you Gray, but most were Democrats. At the time, Democrats controlled both houses and thus controlled the agenda. Remember the leadership roles Bob Rochelle (in the senate) and Jimmy Naifeh (in the house) played in trying to ram it through the General Assemby?

Oh, that's right. I forget that Democrats have selective memory loss.

When you keep bringing up the income tax debacle, Gray, you're only reminding voters of the role your party played in the whole mess and only hurting your own party.

In that case, keep bringing it up! Let's have another press release! Real soon!

Not So Fast, Obama Manics!

2008-10-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Is it November 5th already?

Funny, but nobody told me and the rest of the country the Liberal Messiah won the election. Oh, the Liberal Mainstream Media can't wait to make the announcement, but they're doing their best to hold back six more days, trying not to let their excitement show. Democrats and Obama fanatics are beside themselves like little kids waiting for Christmas Day. Some can't handle the stress of it all.

It was bad enough that the "unbiased" moderator of the vice-presidential debate, Gwen Ifill, already had a book in the works that presumed the Liberal Messiah would win. It was "a known factor for months" that she was working on it, a spokesman for her PBS television show remarked.

Now six days before the election, we have a book slated for April 2009 publication entitled Letters to President Obama: Americans Share Our Hopes and Dreams with the First African-American President.

Who cares what the American people think: liberals, the media, and now opportunitist publishers will made the choice for you.

Obviously Skyhorse Publishing is trying to draw attention by announcing the book during the election. But what if McCain wins? "We’ll deal with that if it happens," said Bill Wolfsthal with Skyhorse Publishing. "The book might still be a poignant piece of history if Obama should lose." I'm sure readers will consider a book of letters to a non-existent president a "poignant piece of history" as it lays discarded in the bargain bin of the local bookstore.

An opportunist book such as this one is in bad taste when the votes haven't been counted. Even the New York Times agrees. Imagine if Republicans went around saying such a thing about the Liberal Messiah's fortunes? Presuming the outcome of an election is a slippery slope; just ask the Chicago Tribune and 1948 Republican candidate Thomas Dewey.

It's not the polls, not the press, not the mainstream media that choose. Oh, all three will do their very best to influence the outcome, but it's still the voter that makes the final verdict.

Tennessee Democrats: Look at the Cow, Not Randy Camp

2008-10-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

In a burst of creativity, the Tennessee Democrat Party and their venerable leader, Gray Sasser, have recruited a cow to stalk Delores Gresham, Republican candidate for Senate District 26.

As if voters in southwest Tennessee haven't already been inundated with campaign signs and television ads, now they must contend with a Democrat operative dressed as Bessie the cow littering the countryside with "No-Grant Pledge" leaflets.

This is their innovative ploy to draw attention to the fact that Mrs. Gresham's husband received $26,850 in taxpayer-funded farm grants as part of the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program while she was a state representative. The program was initiated by Democrat Gov. Phil Bredesen to help state farmers and yes, Mrs. Gresham's husband is a farmer. As long as Mr. Gresham applied for the grants just like any other farmer would with no preferential treatment, there's nothing at all wrong with it. Can Gray Sasser prove he didn't?

So now we have Bessie flaunting a Democrat-produced "No-Grant Pledge" that the Democrat candidate, Randy Camp, has signed but Mrs. Gresham has not. It states that if elected, the undersigned candidates would not accept funds from the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program or any other state-funded grants.

Want to know why Camp was so eager to sign this propoganda? Because he's not a farmer! It's easy for a lawyer and a politician to disavow farm grants when it has nothing to do with what he does for a living.

The Gresham family are farmers, and we all know that family farms across the country are struggling to keep the family tradition going. We need them and frankly they could use the extra bit of government help. It's disingenuous for the Tennessee Democrat Party to flaunt Camp's signature on a document that would be detremential to Mrs. Gresham's family's livelihood.

Of course this is just a sideshow by Gray Sasser to divert voter attention away from his own candidate Camp, an admitted adulterer for twenty years. Anyone who cannot be faithful to his spouse cannot be trusted as a public servant. Period.

The Tennessee Democrat Party is a joke. From ridiculous press releases to stolen primaries to volunteers parading in cow costumes, how can voters take this collection of goofballs seriously?

UPDATE: Here's the Democrat operative parading as Bessie the cow. Utterly ridiculous.

Anyone But John Tanner for Congress

2008-10-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Listeners of West Tennessee talk radio host Mike Slater have made their decision.

After his call to arms against the re-election of John Tanner, U.S. representative of Tennessee's Eighth Congressional District who has had a stranglehold on the seat since I was a senior in high school (20 years), the self-styled SlaterRaiders have selected Craig R. Steinfels to be their write-in candidate. He bested seven other listeners in a series of on-air debates to determine who would represent SlaterRaiders in the election.

It's a creative way to present an alternative candidate to Tanner, who is unopposed for his eleventh term in Congress, and utilize the reach of talk radio to promote the candidacy of an average Joe. It's a shame that while votes for Steinfels will be counted, they won't count against Tanner because Steinfels wasn't registered as a write-in candidate until the deadline had past. Still, it's better to write in Craig R. Steinfels than not vote for Tanner (as I did). I only wish I knew about it before I voted early.

If nothing else, a few thousand write-in votes for Mr. Steinfels is better than giving them to Tanner just because he's the only candidate for Congress.

Citizen's Arraist! Citizen's Arraist!

2008-10-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

Gomer Pyle is in San Francisco, and he's a crazy woman.

Some kook from the anti-war group Code Pink injected herself into a mortgage bankers meeting in San Francisco yesterday and tried to arrest former Bush advisor Karl Rove for "treason." Rove, seated, ignored her as she stood on stage for several seconds, asking why a woman wasn't part of the discussion, reaching for Rove's hand, and pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

He pulled his arm back from her as security finally escorted her off stage as she ranted about "Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!"

Now where have I heard that before? Oh yeah...

Liberals Are Cracking Under the Pressure

2008-10-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

This election is really getting to the liberals. The pressure is just too much for their pitiful brains to handle. They can't eat, they can't sleep, they can't function. It's hilarious!

The Liberal Messiah may be up in the polls but it's not enough to calm their fears. They've been through this before, you know. Eight long, painful years in the wilderness, separated from the Promised Land of presidential power and influence with only the memories of past failures to keep them going.

They are consumed by what will happen. What if McCain wins? What will I do? Should I get my passport and skip the country? What would Alec Baldwin say?

On a normal day, Sharon Cobb is entertaining to read. Not because she has anything intelligent to add to the political conversation. Bless her heart, she posts some ridiculous rants filled with venom but nothing to back it up. Now she's cracking under the pressure. It's really getting to her. She writes:

I'm friggin crumbling. My nighttime enjoyment reading has been replaced with Newsweek, Time and late night phone calls to friends equally obsessed with this election.

Upon rising, when I look at the clock and it says "6:30," I have to figure out if that's AM or PM. Once I figure out if I'm watching Good Morning America or the evening news, I turn on the television before pouring a cup of herbal tea, which has now been replaced with high octane coffee.

I think it's a real tossup to see which one of my friends and/or I crack before November 4.

So, anyone else a little stressed out over this election?

Fellow liberal blogger Larry David is also coming undone:

I just don't like what I've turned into -- and frankly I wasn't that crazy about me even before the turn. This election is having the same effect on me as marijuana. All of my worst qualities have been exacerbated. I'm paranoid, obsessive, nervous, and totally mental. It's one long, intense, bad trip. I need to come down. Soon.

It's funny but sad at the same time. Sad that political junkie liberals have nothing else in their lives to focus on than this election. Their moods are dictated by what's happening on the campaign trail: Is Obama having a good day? Did Biden say something stupid? What's Sarah Palin said today that will cause me to loathe her even more than I already do? I believe these people actually believe Obama is their Messiah.

Do these people have families? Do these people have actual lives?

One of the side effects of liberalism must be obsession. These people really need psychiatric help. The election is consuming them beyond reason. When you go to a doctor and the first answer that comes to mind when asked if you feel threatened or if anyone is harming you is "Bush/Cheney"--as Sarah Cobb admits to doing--something's wrong. If you honestly believe the president and vice-president of the United States are out to get you, it's time for a one-way trip to a padded cell.

God forbid if Senator Government actually wins this election, I won't throw in the towel and say, "I'm outta this country." Because I have a life, I have a family, I have interests outside of who is president of the United States. I won't like it, but (hopefully) it won't be the end of the world.

The eight years that Bill Clinton was in office were trying times for our country. His behavior was humiliating for our nation and he tarnished the presidency. But I lived through it, went on with my life, and wasn't consumed by it. And after eight years, he was gone never to return.

The scary part is these mindless Obama zombies fueled on nothing but caffeine, cigarettes, and pure hatred for anyone or anything Republican are out there in our towns and cities, maybe even our neighborhoods. Obviously they're unstable. Maybe we need the police out in force before Election Day rather than on it.

Tim Barnes' Puppet Dance

2008-10-23T06:25:00.001-07:00

Here's an interesting homemade video for Tennessee state senator Rosalind Kurita's write-in campaign for Senate District 22 that was posted on the Tennessean's comments section.

Gray Sasser Can't Let Go of Rosalind Kurita

2008-10-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

It's interesting that Gray Sasser can't seem to let go of Rosalind Kurita.

Despite the fact that the Tennessee Democrat Party pulled the rug out from under her nomination for Senate District 22 and hand-picked the nominee of its choosing, its venerable leader uses every opportunity to fire out press releases and belittle her with snide--and frankly ridiculous--quotes.

Ricky Wallace, a Montgomery County Democrat who nominated Tim Barnes at the kangaroo court called a nominating convention, claims that Sen. Kurita pulled almost $26,000.00 from her political action committee to help finance her campaign, exceeding the limit of $7,500 for a primary or general election. Wallace filed a complaint with the state Registry of Election Finance and wants her to reimburse the PAC and be punished for what she allegedly did.

The Tennessee Democrat Party is only too happy to share this juicy tidbit, adding:

“Unfortunately, Sen. Kurita is so power-hungry that she’s flagrantly violating Tennessee’s campaign finance law,” said Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser. “She broke the law by crossing the one hundred foot boundary during the primary, and now, she’s cheating by illegally using PAC funds to cover her campaign expenses.”

“We’re also calling on Sen. Kurita to abandon her frivolous lawsuits, obey the law, and stop funneling illegal contributions through her PAC.”

I've posted on the whole stolen election debacle numerous times, so I won't rehash it all here. But it's ironic that Gray Sasser would invoke such strong language as "power hungry" and "cheating" and attribute them to Sen. Kurita. It was the power hungry Democrat Party that couldn't stand the fact that she voted to retire a tired old man who had no business being senate speaker and lieutenant governor, a vote that ceded control of the state senate to the GOP for the first time since Reconstruction. The first time! And who's power hungry again, Gray?

The definition of "cheat" is "to practice fraud or trickery." While it may not have been fraudulent what Tennessee Democrats did in taking the nomination fom Sen. Kurita--rightfully won at the ballot box--and handing it over to Tim Barnes, it was trickery; it was a cruel trick that deprived the voters in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties of their choice for the Democrat nomination. A choice that the Democrat Party allowed voters to make in a taxpayer funded primary, yet one that they could change at their discretion.

Changing the rules once the contest is over: now that's cheating.

I hope Sen. Kurita overcomes the odds, wins re-election, and voters send the Tennessee Democrat Party a clear message that it can't change the result of a taxpayer funded primary election because it doesn't like the outcome.

Obama Supporters Crash a Sarah Palin Rally

2008-10-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Under the title of "Palindrones Gone Wild," Enclave showcases video of two Obama supporters who were roughed up at a recent Sarah Palin rally. "Just another day at a typical Sarah Palin rally," the blog claims.

The question that should be asked is: What were they doing at a Palin rally in the first place? The answer is fairly obvious: to cause trouble. The guys admitted they were chanting "Obama" and booing and they're actually surprised supporters of Sarah Palin reacted? These guys had no business being there in the first place. They were looking for a reaction and--surprise!--they got it.

Liberals will claim they have the right to be at a Republican rally, but really, why be somewhere your opinions wouldn't be welcome? To start something and get your faces on video. Mission accomplished, bozos.

Why Have An Election at All?

2008-10-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

Gail Kerr with the Tennessean offers her take on Sen. Rosalind Kurita's stolen election for Tennessee Senate District 22. She makes the same point I do: why have taxpayers fund a political party's primary if the party can change the result at its discretion? Mindboggling.

It's no surprise that all the recent endorsements but two made by the editorial staff of the Tennessean are Democratic incumbents or candidates. (The first exception being incumbent Republican Susan Lynn for House District 57, though it was buffered with the comment that "this newspaper disagrees with Lynn on several issues.") The next exception was Rosalind Kurita, meaning that experience trumped partisanship for a change.

With early voting beginning yesterday, I would encourage voters in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties to write in Sen. Kurita's name on the ballot. If you're not sure how, ask a polling person for assistance.

Send the Tennessee Democratic Party a clear message that it cannot change the outcome of an election and dismiss the will of the people.

It may be legal in Tennessee, but it isn't right.

If Fox Cost Obama Three Points, How Many Has McCain Lost to the Liberal Media?

2008-10-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

Obama claims that Fox News' coverage of his campaign has cost him up to three points in his poll numbers. Here's what he told the New York Times:

“I am convinced that if there were no Fox News, I might be two or three points higher in the poll...If I were watching Fox News, I wouldn’t vote for me, right? Because the way I’m portrayed 24/7 is as a freak! I am the latte-sipping, New York Times-reading, Volvo-driving, no-gun-owning, effete, politically correct, arrogant liberal. Who wants somebody like that?"

Exactly.

Because the rest of the mainstream media is rooting for him to win, tosses him softballs and allows him to skirt his answers, and treats him like a political superstar, it means Fox News is too hard on him when it scrutinizes him and his campaign more than he's used to.

In the same article, Obama admits (wow, he actually admits to something!) that his statement about blue-collar Americans being “bitter" about losing their jobs and "cling[ing] to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them" as being "my biggest boneheaded move." No kidding.

If Fox News cost Obama two or three points, how many has John McCain lost to the one-sided mainstream media that portrays him 24/7 as a racist, out-of-touch, Washington Times reading, gun-toting, Vietnam War veteran, angry moderate?

"Senator Government": The Third McCain-Obama Debate

2008-10-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here's my take on the third and final debate of the 2008 presidential election.

First, Bob Schieffer did a much better job as moderator than his two predecessors. There were questions asked that hadn't been addressed in the previous debates such as the candidates' stances on partial birth abortion. The format with the candidates sitting at a table close to one another made for a more interactive exchange between them.

John McCain did a much better job in this debate that in the previous two. He made eye contact with Obama and addressed him on several occasions instead of looking only toward the moderator, as he did in the first debate. He more capably challenged Obama on his policy proposals and his connections to Bill Ayers and ACORN. He made Joe Wurzelbacher (or "Joe the Plumber" has McCain called him) a household name and a symbol of what Obama's tax plan would do to small businesses. And he finally called Obama out for the incessant comparisions with President Bush in a very pointed and effective manner:

"Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."

Granted, McCain is not an eloquent speaker. He probably talks like a lot of us would if we were on national television: his voice breaks and sometimes he looks stiff or uncomfortable. He's actually more like us than one so polished and refined as his high exaltedness, the great Liberal Messiah.

Obama was Obama: eloquent in speech but devoid of substance to back it up. Truly a man of too many words. He's cool, slick, and acts like it's all no big deal for him; in other words, he looks and acts like a politician. (Where's the change in that?) There were the extended "uh's" and a few sentences that started with "Look..." that are standard fare with Obama. If he was a college professor, he would put me to sleep. (That's right: for a time he was a college professor!) The man talks on and on and on. It takes a moderator or a well-placed "uh..." to interrupt him. He reminds me so much of Bill Clinton in this respect. Obama is in love with the sound of his own voice. Trouble is, it's the same tired rhetoric that never changes and the repetitive talking points over and over again: tax cuts for 95% of Americans, the failed economic policies of the last eight years, McCain is Bush, blah, blah, blah.

Did McCain win the debate? I would honestly have to say he held his own (as he did in the previous debates), but there was no decisive moment on either side that gave the other a resounding claim to victory. Of course most will say Obama won simply because McCain failed to deliver a knockout blow against him. On the other hand, Obama was on the defensive for most of the night and made none of his own either, but the pressure was more on McCain rather than Obama to land that punch. Because he didn't, I suppose Obama won the debate by default.

The one phrase that stands out from all three debates was when McCain inadvertedly gave us the newest yet most perfect title for the Liberal Messiah: "Senator Government." Nothing more fitting has been said to summarize the political philosophy of Barack Obama. Like any good liberal, he believe not only in government but a larger and more powerful government to solve all our country's woes.

Need socialized health care? Big government!
Need your personal wealth spread around? Big government!
Need something's hand in your wallet? Big government!
Need their other hand to hold the rest of your life? Big government!

McCain has a daunting task in the next 19 days making up ground in the polls among undecided voters. Many Democrats forget where Obama was just a little over a month ago; their overconfidence could very well backfire.

Who Will Steal the Election? TIM BARNES!

2008-10-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Who will steal the election? Tim Barnes!

Tennessee Democratic Party Believes Stolen Election Fight is Over

2008-10-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

The Tennessee Democrat Party and their venerable leader, Gray Sasser, consider the ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Echols to be the final verdict for Sen. Rosalind Kurita's lawsuit against them. (She will undoubtedly appeal to the 6th Circuit Court.) It didn't take long for Sasser to come out with a press release claiming victory:

"We are obviously pleased with the ruling. She has now had her day in court twice, and the judge ruled that the Democratic Party was well within its legal bounds to nominate Tim Barnes as our Democratic nominee. Furthermore, the Tennessee Democratic Party acted in a fair and judicious manner, making every effort to keep this matter open to the public. We are now looking forward to Election Day."

If the ruling is upheld and Sen. Kurita's write-in campaign is unsuccessful, the Tennessee Democratic Party will have proven that it can overturn the will of the voters at their own discretion. Who needs an election anyway?

Rosalind Kurita's Stolen Election Lawsuit Thrown Out

2008-10-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

Sen. Rosalind Kurita suffered a setback this afternoon in her bid to regain the Democratic nomination for Tennessee Senate District 22. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Echols rejected her assertions that her name should be placed back on the ballot and that the state law governing primary elections be ruled unconstitutional.

"The state statute allows the State Primary Board the final decision of selecting its party nominee if a primary election is contested,” Echols wrote.

It's expected that she will appeal the decision.

I'm John Tanner and I've Been Here Too Long: The Career Politician

2008-10-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

I really have a problem with entrenched incumbents in public office, whether it's a small town city councilman or a United States senator. That's why term limits are necessary to restrain politicians who can't keep themselves from running for re-election. I simply don't agree with the argument that voters create term limits by voting someone out of office. An incumbent--especially one that's been there 10 years or more--carries name recognition, a barrel full of pork and other goodies, and a hefty war chest to finance his/her campaigns. It's difficult for a fresh face to compete with them.

If we really want change in Washington and at the state level, we need to get rid of the same old tired people that keep going back there time and again. And the best way to do it is term limits.

One example is John Tanner, U.S. representative of Tennessee's 8th Congressional District. I can't say he's my representative because I've never voted for him, even though he represents the district where I live. He's one of those moderate-to-conservative (or "Blue Dog") Democrats, which is another way of saying he's a Southerner who won't join the political party that shares many of his positions and values but stays with the one that's far left of them. Yet because he's a Democrat, he still votes along with them when the time comes. This is why I refuse to give him my vote (not that he really needs it because he's running unopposed yet again).

(I've always wondered why moderate-to-conservative Democrats are called "Blue Dogs." According to Tanner's Congressional biography, the name came about "because its members felt they had been 'squeezed from the left and the right until they turned blue in the face.'" Learn something new every day.)

In my lifetime, there have been but two men who have represented the 8th Congressional District: Ed Jones and John Tanner. Jones was elected in 1969 and served until his retirement twenty years later. His protege is following the same path and will have served just as long after he's re-elected to his eleventh term this year.

I've always loved history and like many kids, I grew up wanting to become president of the United States. That notion was later minimized when I just wanted to run for either a house or senate seat in the Tennessee General Assembly. I wanted to serve the interests of the people where I lived and considered public office a position where any citizen could--and should--serve.

I don't believe in the career politician, at least not one that dominates the same office for a generation or longer. That's not the way it was intended by the founding fathers. It has resulted in political dynasties of family or party that prevent others just as capable from serving. The Ford family of Memphis is a perfect example: father Harold Ford Sr. served as U.S. representative for 22 years (1975-97) and was succeeded by his son, Harold Ford Jr., who held it until his failed bid for U.S. Senate in 2006. Harold Sr.'s older brother John Ford represented Senate District 29 for 31 years before he resigned after his involvement in the Tennessee Waltz investigation in 2005. And who should run for his vacant seat but his sister Ophelia to keep it in the family.

Unfortunately, as long as there's nothing preventing them from running in each election, the entrenched incumbent will continue to mire the political landscape in Nashville and Washington.

Did You Know It's All Over? By a Landslide, No Less!

2008-10-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

If one believes the liberal mainstream media and Democrats themselves, the election is all but over. His high exaltedness, the great Liberal Messiah Barack Obama, can very well begin "measuring the drapes," as John McCain related. Now comes an outlandish prophecy by John Harris, editor-in-chief at Politico:

"We are on the brink of an Electoral College blowout, and there is a possibility for huge Democratic gains in the Senate, which means Barack Obama could be the most powerful president we've seen since George W. Bush in the years immediately following 9-11, or Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964," Mr. Harris said. "That shows how starkly the premises of national politics have changed."

This has to be the most absurd statement I've read thus far in this presidential campaign. Foreseeing "an Electoral College blowout" in favor of Obama is way beyond optimistic for the Democratic Party. The Liberal Messiah might have the edge right now, but I believe it's still a very fluid election. A major event or crisis could tip the balance either way in the next three weeks. If Wall Street were to right itself somewhat and the economy stabilizes a bit, it would be bad news for Obama. He needs a gloomy forecast to capitalize on the fears of the American people; it's what his campaign is built on.

And to prophecize that should he win, Obama would be "the most powerful president we've seen" since Lyndon Johnson or George W. Bush makes me want to roll in the floor with side-splitting laughter. Are you kidding?? If he were to win (God help us), he would lead a fractured nation not unlike after the 2000 election. The result may not be as close, but there will be plenty of animosity against him and his policies. A landslide would be a mandate; Obama won't have such a luxary, I promise.

I for one am not ready to concede the election to Obama, much less give him a landslide victory.

Music Row for McCain Pre-Election Get-Togethers

2008-10-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Tennessee Victory '08 posted the following announcement for gatherings in Nashville, TN before Election Day:

Music Row for McCain has scheduled two more events before election day. The following events, which are free and open to the public, are scheduled:

Monday, October 20, 5:30PM - 7:30PM, Douglas Corner Cafe
Tuesday, October 28, 5:30PM - 7:30PM, Wildhorse Saloon.

Barack Obama and ACORN

2008-10-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest ad by the McCain/Palin campaign spotlighting Barrack Obama's association with the controversial political organization ACORN.

Sexism and Sarah Palin's Legs

2008-10-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

Tennessee Guerrilla Women complains that photographers covering the McCain/Palin campaign--particularly those from Reuters--keep taking pictures of Gov. Sarah Palin's legs, which the blogger asserts is sexist and demeaning toward her. She writes:

Reuters sure has a thing for Governor Sarah Palin's legs. Will Reuters photographers soon be bringing us some close-ups of Governor Sarah Palin's breasts?

Who exactly are these photos for? Are they for Sarah Palin's voters? Or are there some serious sexist cretins over at Reuters? How do they say it? Oh, yeah. Reuters is a leg man.

The Sarah Palin Sexism Watch (yes, there's actually a blog devoted to it) has the same complaint. "The photographer was apparently unable to take pictures of Palin's supporters without including her legs in the shot," it noted.

I thought it was funny at first, but now I have to admit both ladies have a point. Searching through the Reuters archives and on the Web, I found several photos that utilize Gov. Palin's legs' to focus on one or more spectators in the audience and a few that seem to have no other purpose than to focus totally on her legs or feet.

Is it demeaning--even disrespectful--for cameras to focus there rather than on her face? Sure. This photo seems especially inappropriate, making it look like the kid's at a strip club:

Are news photographers blatantly sexist? I really don't think so. Maybe they're trying to convey a "woman in power" aspect by focusing on the governor's high-heeled feet and calves. I don't know. Being a male, I personally don't have a problem with it. But would I want photographers to start focusing their lenses on John McCain, Barack Obama, or Joe Biden's legs and feet? Or on worse places?

...Like Obama's big ears and ugly wart? Yuck. :)

Tim Barnes' Arrogance

2008-10-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a video that shows the contempt Tim Barnes holds for Sen. Rosalind Kurita. Even John McCain and Barack Obama can shake hands after their debates! She made the effort and extended her hand to his shoulder, which was turning away and off stage. Tempers may rise and feelings may get hurt during the course of a campaign, but there was no excuse for such disrepect that Barnes exhibited. This, dear voters, is the Tennessee Democratic Party's hand-picked candidate for Senate District 22.

Rosalind Kurita Ads

2008-10-09T11:32:00.001-07:00

Sen. Rosalind Kurita has two new ads that are running on cable television in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties. They help explain how voters can write her name in on November 4. I encourage voters in these counties to support Sen. Kurita and send the Tennessee Democratic Party a clear message that they can't constrain your voice and make the loser their hand-picked candidate.

Bob Tuke, Bless His Heart

2008-10-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Bob Tuke, bless his heart. He's trying his best to make himself significant in the campaign against U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. Everyone knows he's the sacrificial lamb for the Tennessee Democrat Party. But like the little kid in the back of the crowd, he's jumping up and down, waving his arms frantically, doing his best to remind folks he's still in the race.

He received a token nod from the Liberal Messiah, Barack Obama, at Al and Tipper Gore's post-debate get-together at their upscale Belle Meade estate. Obama told the Democratic choir that "we want to make sure that we elect Bob Tuke." Someone with the Boston Globe even bothered to ask him about the Liberal Messiah's campaign (but not his own). "I'm delighted to see his much more aggressive response," he responded. "I'm a Marine. If these people want to fight, they ought to buckle their chinstraps."

Trouble is, Tuke has been shooting blanks in his own campaign. He has tried to convince the media through his own polling that he has cut Sen. Alexander's lead to what they described as "a slim 50%-38% margin." A Mason-Dixon poll commissioned by the Knoxville News-Sentinel, however, placed the margin at 57% to 33% on Sept. 29. As Pith in the Wind pointed out, Alexander's campaign doesn't even refer to Tuke by name and certainly isn't worried about the competition.

It was going to be a tough road for any Democrat to take on the popular incumbent senator. Knowing the challenge, no big names wanted the nomination. But party bosses couldn't let Alexander run unopposed, so Tuke was plucked from a mediocre pool of candidates in the primary to take one for the party.

UPDATE: Jeff Woods at the Nashville Scene has written a favorable article on Bob Tuke's campaign that's worth reading.

Major League Baseball during the Bush Presidency

2008-10-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are the final regular season standings for the American and National Leagues during the presidency of George W. Bush (2001-09).  The top 5 teams during his tenure were the New York Yankees (775-518); Boston Red Sox (740-555); St. Louis Cardinals (727-568); Oakland Athletics (724-571); and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (721-575). The top National League club was my favorite team, the Cards! (This list is courtesy of Society for American Baseball Research member Brad Sullivan.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE
East
New York Yankees       775-518 .599  --
Boston Red Sox         740-555 .571  36
Toronto Blue Jays      647-648 .4996 129
Baltimore Orioles      560-734 .433  215.5
Tampa Bay(D)Rays       541-753 .418  234.5

Central
Minnesota Twins        707-589 .546  --
Chicago White Sox      683-614 .527  24.5
Cleveland Indians      661-635 .510  46
Detroit Tigers         564-731 .436  142.5
Kansas City Royals     530-766 .409  177

West
Oakland Athletics      724-571 .559  --
Anaheim/LA Angels      721-575 .556  3.5
Seattle Mariners       661-635 .510  63.5
Texas Rangers          618-678 .477  106.5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
East
Atlanta Braves         711-583 .549  --
Philadelphia Phillies  692-603 .534  19.5
New York Mets          651-643 .503  60
Florida Marlins        645-650 .498  66.5
Montreal/Washington    585-710 .452  126.5

Central
St. Louis Cardinals    727-568 .561  --
Houston Astros         686-609 .530  41
Chicago Cubs           659-636 .509  68
Milwaukee Brewers      588-707 .4540 139
Cincinnati Reds        588-708 .4537 139.5
Pittsburgh Pirates     550-744 .425  176.5

West
Los Angeles Dodgers    681-615 .525  --
San Francisco Giants   670-623 .518  9.5
Arizona Diamondbacks   650-646 .502  31
San Diego Padres       618-679 .477  63.5
Colorado Rockies       595-702 .459  86.5

Ooo, Saracuda!

2008-10-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

Over on the Hard Reset blog, there was posted a video clip with Gov. Sarah Palin responding to a heckler with poise and class. I thought it was a great response.

Tennessee Democratic Party Can't Help But Attack Rosalind Kurita

2008-10-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

As A.C. Kleinheider at Nashville Post Politics points out, Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democratic Party cannot stop attacking Sen. Rosalind Kurita and her write-in campaign. It seems he cannot help but justify why the party did what it did to her. (As I pointed out last Thursday, state Democrats must be worried about voter backlash; otherwise why bother?) And the more Sasser talks, the more truth about why they did it seeps out. As quoted by Clarksville Online:

“In fact, the only backroom deal in this long, sordid saga was cut long before the Aug. 7 primary, when Sen. Kurita went back on her word to her Democratic colleagues and supported Republican Ron Ramsey for Senate speaker and lieutenant governor,” Sasser said.

One Kurita supporter offers a passionate defense of her candidacy; another defends the voter's right to cast their ballot in the primary of their choosing.

Meanwhile Sen. Kurita picked up the endorsement of the National Rifle Association. "I am pleased at the continued support of the National Rifle Association and their membership,” she responded. “I fully support the constitutional right to bear arms. It is important that elected officials fight for all constitutional rights, whether they be speech, voting rights or any other of the precious freedoms written into our founding documents.”

On the lawsuit front, state officials assert that it's too late to place Sen. Kurita's name on the ballots in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties because absentee ballots have already been mailed and they would like the suit dismissed. Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper also claimed a primary election was beyond the jurisdiction of the federal courts.

"I don't think there will be anything really resolved in federal court on Friday, and I anticipate that it will probably be appealed to the next level, which is the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals," Sen. Kurita responded.

A Voice in the Democratic Wilderness

2008-10-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

A supporter of Senator Rosalind Kurita shares his perspective on the hearing by the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee that ousted her from the party's nomination. Mind you, he is not one of those conspiratorial Republicans who voted in the Democratic primary, but a self-professed "lifelong Democrat" who sees what his party did as an injustice to Sen. Kurita and to the electorate. At one point during the hearing, he felt led to leave the room when he voiced his opposition to what the committee was doing.

...I was challenged by party officials and told I had no right to voice my opinion of the proceedings. That is when I started to get angry and responded 'but, I am a voter!' It was clear that the party officials were very concerned that an insurgency might erupt and began hurrying toward me telling me to leave. That is when I went on to shout as I was voluntarily leaving 'the Executive Committee should do its job and vote on the basis of the facts and the evidence, not vengeance.' I did not need to be escorted out, but I am certain that I would have been escorted out had I stayed any longer.

This is not a Republican vs. Democrat issue as the state Democratic Party wants to make it. As I've stated throughout this blog, it's a matter of ethical conduct and honoring the wishes of the voters of Senate District 22. It's up to the voters not to validate what the state Democratic Party did to Sen. Kurita with a vote for the presumptive Democratic candidate, Tim Barnes. Take a few extra minutes to write in her name on November 4. If the Democratic bosses are allowed to do it once, it will happen again at their own discretion.

Clarksville Online provides the following steps voters in Montgomery County should take to write in Sen. Kurita's name:

You will cast your vote for President, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative and then State Senator. You will see Tim Barnes name as the Democratic nominee. Directly under his name you will see WRITE IN. Push the button beside WRITE IN.

The screen will change and the letters of the alphabet (A-Z) will appear. Place an X beside each letter: K – U – R – I – T – A . You will see KURITA spelled out in the middle of the screen.
Once you have typed KURITA just press the done button at the bottom to accept and return to the former screen.
You should now see Kurita with an X beside it underneath Tim Barnes name on the ballot. You can now continue on with the remainder of the ballot.

Remember – you can always ask an election worker to help you with this process.

Democrats Still Trying to Rationalize Stolen Election

2008-10-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Democrats continue to defend and rationalize the stolen election in Tennessee Senate District 22 in the pages of the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. One reader opines:

Under law passed in 1972, Democrats and Republicans have absolute authority on who their party's nominee should be. The Democratic Party voided the Barnes-Kurita election due to numerous irregularities, including voters being misled by poll workers and a concerted effort by the Republican Party to influence the election.

I've argued this point for the past month on this blog. It's true the state Democratic Party had the right to do what it did, but it was a politically expedient decision that invalidated the choice of the voters in District 22. The party that admonishes Republicans that "every vote counts" is the same party that pulled off this act of political thievery. Democrats can try to convince voters and themselves it's not the case, but no amount of political correctness can mask the fact.

They don't like that Republicans voted in their primary, but they fail to mention there were only two candidates for the senate seat and both were Democrats. They must be reminded (obviously) that Republicans are still voters and in the state of Tennessee, voters are allowed to participate in whichever primary they choose. If a voter in Montgomery, Cheatham, or Houston counties wanted to vote for their representative in the state senate, they had to vote in the Democratic primary. I understand this must be a difficult concept for some Democrats to comprehend. As Dr. Seuss would've put it, "A voter is a voter no matter who he is."

Some Democrats by nature are conspiracy theorists. If anything goes wrong for them, it's the fault of Republicans. Back in the day, Hillary Clinton lamented "the vast right wing conspiracy" out to get her faithful and beloved husband. This particular Leaf-Chronicle reader rattles off the standard Democratic talking point that there was a "concerted effort by the Republican Party to influence the election." Yes, we admit it: every single Republican voter in the three counties got together at a clandestine hideaway and concocted an ingenious plot to steal the election away from the rightful candidate, Tim Barnes. O, the guilt is unbearable that we had the nerve, the audacity, the unmitigated gall to pull off such a dastardly usurpation of the democratic process.

That's funny: sounds just like what the Democratic state executive committee did to Senator Rosalind Kurita.

Fall in the Air and Cotton in the Fields

2008-10-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

One of the things I miss about living in West Tennessee is the cotton fields. I had the chance to drive down several country roads last week and see the fields of white scattered beside them. The air was cool, the sky sunny, and the leaves were beginning to change colors. It won't be long before they're picked clean and left barren till next fall. Living in Middle Tennessee deprives me of the daily opportunity to see the snow white fields that I remember when I was young. Now I have the chance to drive past tobacco fields and smoking barns, which is another reminder that the seasons are changing. But I still love to drive past those cotton fields back home and marvel at their white beauty.

Sarah Palin Bounces Back

2008-10-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of brutal negative media coverage and a lack of confidence among some conservatives, Gov. Sarah Palin did an outstanding job tonight in the vice-presidential debate with Sen. Joe Biden. Admittedly, I was apprehensive leading up to the debate, worried that she might stumble or stutter her words, show indecisiveness, or simply be in over her head.

But Gov. Palin held her own tonight, displaying the self-confident and determined personality that won over conservative support for her at the Republican National Convention. By comparison, Sen. Joe Biden was rather stoic and unexciting in his style. He kept up a barrage of statistics and percentages that I think confuses and bores people more than it educates them. There were no serious gaffes made by either candidate.

Gov. Palin's performance renewed my confidence in her ability to be a capable running mate and potential vice-president of the United States. It was certainly more memorable and impressionable than Joe Biden's. She talked directly to the American people and yes, she even looked at her opponent when she addressed him. I think the "maverick" line she attributes to Sen. John McCain wears thin over time and Biden eventually used it to his advantage. That would be my only criticism of her overall performance during the debate.

I believe people will be talking tomorrow more about how Sarah Palin did than how Biden did.

Democratic Women Toe the Party Line

2008-10-02T07:11:00.001-07:00

The National Federation of Democratic Women have followed the party line and endorsed Tim Barnes for state senate District 22 rather than the incumbent, Senator Rosalind Kurita.

Is there any sense of right and wrong in the Democratic Party, regardless of partisan politics? The Tennessee Democratic Party executive committee decrees that the loser of an election is the winner and everyone in the party drinks the Kool-Aid, nods in agreement, and turns against their one of their own. Are there any Democrats in Montgomery, Cheatham, or Houston counties--or anywhere else in Tennessee--who can see this issue what what it really is: stealing an election away from the rightful winner because of a party vendetta? I shake my head in disbelief.

Phil Bredesen and Tennessee Democrats Show Off Their Morals

2008-10-02T06:17:00.001-07:00

No surprise that Gov. Phil Bredesen and the state Democratic leadership are getting behind Tim Barnes's stolen candidacy for state senate in District 22. Yesterday they all gathered in Nashville to flaunt their support for him, including Sen. Thelma Harper and House speaker Jimmy Naifeh. Isn't it wonderful these elected leaders display their morals and principles by advocating the overturn of an election in favor of the loser? I'm so proud to be a Tennessean.

Jimmy Naifeh and Tim Barnes

Rosalind Kurita's Chances Must Worry Tennessee Democrats

2008-10-02T05:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday A.C. Kleinheider posted a very interesting essay on Senator Rosalind Kurita's expulsion from the state Democratic Party. It's in response to a ridiculous press release by the party in response to her Republican-hosted fundraiser last night in Nashville. It reads:

Rosalind Kurita has shown her true political stripes by putting her career ahead of her principles. Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser released the following statement in response to a fundraiser for Kurita tonight at the Cherokee Equity Corporation. Cherokee Equity Corporation board member Justin Wilson, in his capacity as Deputy Governor to Republican Governor Don Sundquist, was one of the architects behind Sundquist's disastrous state income tax plans.

"Rosalind will say or do anything to help her floundering campaign. Kurita now sides with the income tax proponents of the Tennessee Republican Party for her personal career advancement and for no other reason. Today, we find that she has cast her lot with Don Sundquist and the income tax wing of the Tennessee GOP. She is so desperate to fund her campaign that she will cozy up to any special interest."

Obviously state Democrats will jab at Senator Kurita with any angle they can create in their imaginations. And it's been a long time since we've heard Don Sundquist's name brought up in political conversation. The income tax may have been Sundquist's idea, but it was Democrats who fervently pushed it for him. Once again, Democrats have self-inflicted memory loss and try to revise history. I always thought the "income tax wing" in state politics was the Democratic Party. Wasn't it Democratic senator Bob Rochelle who was the chief proponent of the measure? Do Tennessee Democrats really want to resurrect memories of the contentious income tax debate a month before the election?

If Senator Kurita's write-in campaign is "floundering" as Gray Sasser claims, why is he so worried about her that he has to issue press releases about her, and with such far-fetched claims? If she's such a non-factor, why bother bringing her name up? Because Gray Sasser and the Tennessee Democratic Party are worried about her. The odds are historically stacked against a write-in candidate, yet there must be uneasiness about backlash from her stolen election for Democrats to continue attacking her.

Photo of the Day: Woman Scorned

2008-09-29T15:11:00.001-07:00

Sean over at Nashville 21 has his photo of the day; here's mine. :)

(Can't you hear "The Imperial March" from Star Wars in the background?)

Pelosi Doesn't Help Bailout Situation

2008-09-29T14:30:00.001-07:00

Congressional Republicans attribute Speaker Nancy Pelosi's speech as helping bring about the defeat of the bailout bill. I wonder why...

Where is the bipartisanship? Where's the cooperation? Where's the change? Sounds like the same pattern of Democratic short-sightedness and refusal to accept responsibility for their part in this mess. Rather than being a leader in the effort to pass what had been promoted as bipartisan legislation, Nancy Pelosi decides to go on a blame-Bush rant against the Republicans for the financial crisis. What better way to seek cooperation from the other side of the aisle than to attack them, especially when you could not bring 95 votes from her own party. Wonderful piece of leadership, Madame Speaker.

Running on Autopilot: Joe Biden's Re-election Campaign

2008-09-29T12:53:00.001-07:00

Joe Biden is having a good time campaigning for change in Washington, misstating facts, and committing gaffes. But did you know is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate, too?

So what's he doing all over the rest of the country--and not campaigning in the state he represents? Oh, yes: he's running as the experienced half of the Obama ticket.

Obviously Biden is not worried about losing his Senate seat. All he has to do is make sure his name is on all the ballots in Delaware come November 4. He can be on the Left Coast shaking hands and kissing babies while running for vice-president without losing any sleep over it. It's safe and secure, thanks to the hypnotized electorate.

(Biden does have a challenger, Republican Christine O'Donnell, a former journalist and political commentator.)

Delaware Democrats don't seem to worry much about Republican challengers in their elections. It's sad that a state is so one-sided that its voters--without question--pick the candidate who has a (D) beside his name. (There are counties like that in Tennessee, particularly the one where I live.) Biden has held the seat since 1972--thirty-six years! It's equavilent to a mini monarchy. A very good argument for term limits, I think.

It always amazes me when someone in power takes for granted his political office and that it will be there when--and if--he ever needs it. Wouldn't we all like that kind of job security? If this whole Obama/Biden thing doesn't work out, Biden can go back to his day job in the Senate and not miss a beat. So can Obama, and yes, even John McCain.

(Side note: All four candidates already hold elected office, so one wonders who's minding the store while they're gone? The rallies, speeches, press conferences, and interviews on the campaign trail must zap one's energy; does it leave any time to actually legistlate or govern in their off-time?)

But McCain, Palin, and Obama aren't running for re-election at the same time; Biden is. Has he even bothered to campaign in his home state since he accepted the Democratic vice-presidential nomination? I can't say for sure, but after searching state newspapers, I've not seen anything to suggest he has.

People of Delaware, is this really the kind of person you want representing your interests? Is he really committed to the job, or just taking for granted that you will re-elect him for the sixth time? It would be wonderful if voters there would show Joe Biden whose office it really is. But I won't hold my breath--or leave the country.

Democrats in Denial: Financial Crisis Began with Clinton

2008-09-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Democrats have a short attention span, especially when it comes to confessing their political sins and owning up to their blunders.

Conveniently, it never goes beyond George W. Bush's presidency. Everything bad has happened in the past seven-and-a-half years; anything good came about during the Clinton administration. It's pointless for them to look past 1993 because their party has such a terrible record at picking their presidential candidates the past 40 years: John Kerry, Al Gore, Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale, George McGovern, Hubert Humphrey. Their one "success" was Jimmy Carter, a one-term disaster who is considered below average among the presidents by scholars and historians and continues to be a national embarrassment as an "elder statesman." I suppose you can't blame Democrats for trying to be forward thinkers rather than look back at their track record of failures.

The current financial crisis is a good example, particularly the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac institutions. When it comes to the blame game, Democrats love to play as long as they don't have to look beyond the Bush administration. When Tennessee Conservative Watch looked back at where it all began, they found a New York Times article dated September 30, 1999 BB (Before Bush) in which the Clinton administration advocated the ease of credit requirements for home mortgages to people with "generally not good enough" credit. Granted, this was not one lone smoking gun in this mess, but it was certainly a contributing factor.

"Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits."

Fast forward nine years later and Bill Clinton rejects the insinuation by President Bush in his televised address on Wednesday that the economic problems developed "[f]or more than a decade." Yet he does concede in Clintonesque style that he could be partially to blame:

[Clinton] also acknowledged that there was possible danger in his administration’s policy of pressing Fannie Mae, the mortgage company, to lower its credit standards for lower- and middle-income families seeking homes.

“I think, through the lens of this, it looks like that was true,” Clinton said. “But let's go back to where we were at the time. At the time, they had lots of money, were making lots of money, and I thought too much of the money was being given out in value to the shareholders and compensation to the executives. And, at the time, we had a balanced budget and a surplus and a rapidly growing economy in other areas.”

Regardless whether there was a balanced budget and a surplus at the time or not, pushing banks and financial institutions to accept risky mortgages is just bad business.

Do the Democrats acknowledge any blame at all--even a smidge? Of course not. And the Liberal Media accepts it as gospel and goes on blaming President Bush. At least Fox News has the gumption to show Congressional Democrats for what they really are and show that John McCain has been an advocate for regulatory reform.

Republican Influence in Stolen Election is a Joke

2008-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

A.C. Kleinheider at Post Politics has a great post about an email distributed to the seven Republican senators who will host a fundraiser for Senator Rosalind Kurita on October 1. It was written by Elizabeth Klein, treasurer for Tim Barnes' senate campaign who happens to be a Republican. The post also dissects the Democrat's argument that Republicans in higher than usual numbers voted in the Democratic primary for Senate District 22 and makes the point that some may have actually supported Barnes rather than Senator Kurita.

“It’s not that we didn’t want Republicans voting in the primary,” Klein told Kleinheider. “We just didn’t want, and state law is against, the Republican Party interfering actively in the primary, telling people who to vote for. We wanted people to vote their conscience.”

Tim Barnes admits that Republican friends voted for him in the Democratic primary, yet he describes Republican support for Senator Kurita as a "concerted effort by [Republican] party leaders" to lobby votes for her. Mr. Barnes certainly wouldn't deny anyone that can legally do so the right to vote, would he? Mr. Barnes, there was no Republican candidate for state senate on the ballot. Who else could a Republican in Montgomery, Cheatham, and Houston counties vote for except yourself or Kurita?

The whole argument that Republican influence led to an "incurably uncertain" election and justified handing over the Democratic nomination to Mr. Barnes is ridiculous. Pete Kotz over at the Nashville Scene suggests Tennessee Democrats try something a little more original. I hope Senator Kurita's lawsuit is successful and Mr. Barnes and the Democratic party find themselves trying to organzie their own write-in campaign in a major hurry.

Rosalind Kurita Takes Democrats to Court

2008-09-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

Senator Rosalind Kurita has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Nashville to reinstate her name on the November 4 ballot as the rightful Democratic candidate for Senate District 22. The suit lists as defendants the Tennessee Democratic Party; every member of the Tennessee Democratic Party's executive committee that overturned the primary election; the candidate who benefited from it, Tim Barnes; Robert E. Cooper Jr., Tennessee attorney general; Secretary of State Riley Darnell; Brook K. Thompson, state coordinator of elections; and the election commission administrators for Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties. Click here for the complete document.

The lawsuit claims that state law TCA 2-17-104 is unconstitutional and "violates the due process requirements of the Fourteenth Amendment." It also asserts there are no provisions specified in the Tennessee Code to settle a disputed election. Because due process was not given to Senator Kurita, the decision of the committee should be overturned and either her name be placed on the November ballot as the Democratic candidate or a special election be held to determine the nominee.

The Tennessee Democratic Party's official response to the lawsuit is laughable:

“We’re disappointed that Sen. Kurita is trying to throw a legal wrench into a political primary process that was conducted under a state law approved by former Republican Gov. Winfield Dunn,” said Gray Sasser, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party.

“On the other hand,” Sasser added, “we’re glad that Sen. Kurita appears to be acknowledging that she is, in fact, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s hand-picked candidate in the Tennessee Democratic primary."

"Hand-picked" is a description Democrats would be wise to avoid in this particular election, especially since that is in fact how their anointed candidate, Barnes, was chosen.

The press release continues:

“It’s now abundantly clear that Sen. Kurita has been receiving considerable aid and comfort, both financial and legal in nature, from national Republicans who are bent on interfering in the Tennessee Democratic primary,” Sasser said. “We’re calling on Lt. Gov. Ramsey to get out of the Democratic primary process and put a stop to this legal monkeying by the national Republican Party.”

Memo to Gray Sasser: the Democratic primary is over. There's no primary "to get out of" anymore. The general election is on November 4; contrary to what you think, Republicans can--and will--vote in this election and they can--and should--vote for Senator Kurita.

It's true that Republican leaders support Senator Kurita and she has accepted their assistance in political and fundraising support. One of her lawyers is even a Republican, as blogger Sean Braisted points out. Can you blame her after the way her own party treated her? Who in their right mind would want to be part of a political party that takes away your rightful nomination and gives it to the man you beat?

Meanwhile voters continue to give their opinions both for and against the stolen election in the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.

The Tennessee Democratic Party disputes Senator Kurita's claim that she did not know about the rules of the executive committee hearing on September 13 until the morning of the hearing. In his "Pith in the Wind" blog at the Nashville Scene, Jeff Wood writes:

[Tennessee Democratic P]arty spokesman Wade Munday tells Pith that's not the way it went down. “There were all the rules that she agreed to through counsel prior to the meeting that Saturday. The terms were agreed upon prior to the meeting.” Munday adds:

“The executive committee acted in its rightful capacity as the state primary board. All the actions taken were conducted in the open and in accordance with state law established in 1972."

I wrote Mr. Munday myself and asked which state law he was referring to and he kindly sent me the details:
___

2-13-102. Creation of state primary boards.

(a) Each political party shall have a state executive committee which shall be the state primary board for the party.

(b) The state primary board shall perform the duties and exercise the powers required by this title for its party.

(c) The state primary board of each statewide political party created by this section is the immediate successor to the state board of primary election commissioners of each party. Wherever in the Tennessee Code the state board of primary election commissioners of a political party is referred to, “state primary board” shall be substituted.

[Acts 1972, ch. 740, §§ 1, 8; T.C.A., § 2-1303.]
___

It seems to me the Tennessee Democratic Party considers the state executive committee (which is also the state primary board) to be the final authority for choosing their candidate. If this is the case, why should tax dollars and voters' time be wasted on a primary whose result can be overturned on the whim of a political party? Obviously there's no need for one if Democrats have a preference between one or more candidates and will give it to the one they want anyway. (In this case, there was no hiding the fact that Democratic bosses did not want Rosalind Kurita back in the state senate.)

Meanwhile, Senator Kurita will continue her write-in campaign and announced that she will open campaign offices in Clarksville and Ashland City tomorrow and one in Erin soon.

Obama Has Forgotten His Day Job

2008-09-24T19:04:00.001-07:00

While he's all wrapped up in trying to become president of the United States, Barack Obama has forgotten that he has a day job. You know, that pesky office he won two years ago and used as a stepping stone to presidential consideration: U.S. Senator from Illinois. Yeah, that job.

John McCain has the same job as a U.S. senator representing Arizona. The nation is in a severe financial crisis and something has to be done to avert potential economic disaster. It's a time like no other in the midst of a presidential election. The Republican nominee has chosen to set aside his aspirations and report back to work in Washington. That's where he should be, representing the interests of Arizona and its citizens. He has suspended his campaign and asked that the first presidential debate on Friday be postponed. It would allow both candidates to concentrate on the more important debate in Washington rather than prepping for the one in Oxford, Mississippi.

“I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself,” McCain said today. “It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.”

Serving the public good above self-interest is genuine change. It's the responsible choice. But Obama, the self-labeled "agent of change," would rather keep running for president instead of serving his constituents and taking part in what's going on in Washington. That would mean getting off the campaign trail. Being one of 100 senators instead of the lone Democrat in the political spotlight. No speeches, no rallies, no attack ads. Pulling up his sleeves and getting down to business instead of just talking a good game as he's done the past two years. Actually doing what he was elected to do by the people of Illinois in 2006.

Both McCain and Obama should be part of the discussion instead of talking about it to win points on the campaign trail. It's what they were elected to do, contrary to what the Democrats in Congress might think. Chuck Schumer says what McCain is proposing is just "a political stunt." Their presence would be a distratction, they claim. But they weren't elected by voters in Arizona and Illinois to run for president: it's their job to be in the middle of the discussion and debate. They're supposed to be there.

Senator McCain, contrary to what Obama and his surrogates believe, does get it. Obama obviously doesn't. McCain knows where he belongs and who he serves. The Liberal Messiah would like nothing better than to be standing alone in Oxford, basking in his political glory but neglecting his constituents.

Fellow Senators Support Rosalind Kurita

2008-09-24T14:32:00.001-07:00

Seven Republican colleagues of Tennessee state senator Rosalind Kurita will host a fundraiser for her write-in campaign for Senate District 22 in Nashville on October 1. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge; Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro; Steve Southerland of Morristown; Tim Burchett of Knoxville; Mae Beavers of Mt. Juliet; Jamie Woodson of Knoxville; and Rusty Crowe of Johnson City offered to host the $500-per-person event and Kurita accepted.

"You can just genuinely say that I got a raw deal, and they just want to reach out and help me," she told the Tennessean. "It's not about one party, it's about the process."

I'm glad Republicans are helping Senator Kurita fight back against the state Democratic bosses. We may not completely agree with everything she believes (her pro-abortion stance is one I have a problem with), but it was wrong what the Tennessee Democratic Party did to her and the primary election. It sets a dangerous precedent when a political party can disregard the votes of the American people simply because they don't like the outcome. Even the Memphis Commercial Appeal agrees. (One Clarksville voter believes what the Democrats did will backfire on them in November.)

Mark Brown, spokesman for the senate Democratic caucus, smugly retorted: "We're not surprised that Republican senators are holding a fundraiser for Ron Ramsey's hand-picked candidate." We're surprised a Democrat has the audacity to call Rosalind Kurita a "hand-picked candidate" when Tim Barnes is nothing but a hand-picked candidate!

Left Coast Media Better Behave in Oxford

2008-09-24T07:45:00.001-07:00

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has provided the Left Coast Media with a handy guide to proper behavior and what to expect when they arrive in Oxford, Mississippi for the first presidential debate on Friday. Liberals and uppity media types can be very rude and condescending as we saw from yesterday's post on the Left Coast columnist who visited Wasilla, Alaska. That kind of behavior won't be tolerated in the South, fellas.

Where in Memphis is Larry Miller?

2008-09-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

David Vinciarelli, an independent candidate for Tennessee House District 88 (which includes North Memphis, Frayser, and parts of Bartlett), has filed a lawsuit against his Democratic opponent and incumbent Larry Miller. He claims that Miller no longer lives in the district he represents and should be disqualified from the race.

The 16-year state representative gives his residence as 784 Ayers on his voter registration card, yet his driver's license, motor vehicle registration, and campaign finance report shows his home to be 1778 Overton Park, which is in District 89. The Ayers residence, a brick duplex with windows boarded up and valued at $38,000, isn't even owned by Miller; the Overton Park home, a two-story residence bought four years ago and valued at $280,000, is owned by him. His "neighbors" on Ayers weren't even aware that their state representative lived there. "No I never heard of that til you said something," one neighbor told a Memphis station WREG TV reporter. He did make a trip through the neighborhood telling constituents that he planned to put a campaign office at the duplex, but only after the lawsuit came about.

Rep. Miller won't talk about the lawsuit to the Memphis media but tells the Memphis Commercial Appeal "there's complexity there" in the residency question. He claims the lawsuit is politically motivated. Vinciarelli believes it's simply a matter of telling the truth. "The law says you have to live in your district that you're representing," he told the Commercial Appeal. "He's basically fooling his constituents."

Residency can be a sticky issue, most recently brought up in 2005 when another Memphis Democrat, scandalous former state senator John Ford, claimed two residences, neither one being in his district! The senate responded by passing legislation that prohibited representatives from claiming a business location as a residence. An attorney with the Tennessee Attorney General's office believes the point is moot until Election Day, when a candidate must officially live in the district.

If there is no specific criteria given that a candidate for public office must live a certain amount of time at their listed residence, there certainly should be. It would seem like common sense, but then again when has politics made sense?

Left Coast Liberal Visits Wasilla

2008-09-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Steve Lopez with the Los Angeles Times decided to trek up north from his cozy liberal base in California to Alaska for a condescending, nose-in-the-air travelogue to introduce his readers to Wasilla, hometown of Sarah Palin. A reader knows exactly what kind of treatment this journey will receive just from the photo caption without getting to the column itself:

"Fast-food joints, a gun store and strip malls -- they call this 'downtown'? Wasilla's sprawling, poorly planned developments are almost as scary as its former mayor's doctrine of Palin-tology."

Ah, we have a clever play on words from the esteemed Mr. Lopez: "Palin-tology." How original.

The accompanying video couldn't be better if an Obama operative had put it together. Lopez marvels at the snow capped mountain ranges on the way and expects to see "something magnificant, a quaint little mountain village" when he arrives in Wasilla. A moose crosses the road a few cars ahead of him. "Maybe it was a sign that I wasn't welcome in Palin country and should go back home to California," he writes. Yup, that's what it was, Stevie. Moose don't like Left Coast Libs.

Lopez drives through Wasilla and tries to find downtown. When he stops and asks where Main Street is, a resident points to the road in front of him. Obviously, he is disappointed at how Wasilla is laid out. "I expected better, Sarah. I really did," he smugly writes. He makes fun of the citizens he interviews, except for one person he found that writes a blog against her. When he criticizes the town's layout and a local businesswoman agrees, he adds: "You know, what you need maybe is a couple of good community organizers."

"All I've seen are strip malls, big box stores, chain restaurants, and gigantic churches," he says on the video. "I guess that's it. That's Wasilla."

Lopez's conclusion about his trip sounds like an Obama ad: "Here's what you need to ask yourself: Do you really want someone in the White House who's been responsible for worse urban planning than we have in Los Angeles? Think about it." But have you ever seen Chicago, Mr. Lopez?

The good citizens of Wasilla are dealing with this kind of "investigative journalism" crap from the liberal media who prowl about town looking for anything to pick apart or negative to say about Gov. Palin and Wasilla. I hope the Times got their money's worth from the trip.

Twenty-Five Electoral Votes Down, 245 To Go

2008-09-22T11:24:00.001-07:00

Barack Obama has conceded 25 electoral votes to John McCain and Sarah Palin. At least that's the impression he's giving by shutting down his campaign offices in North Dakota, Alaska, Georgia, and Idaho and moving staffers to battleground states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hey, we'll take 'em!

Getting Around the 22nd Amendment? Please.

2008-09-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

A liberal will grasp at anything to try and make a point and this post is a perfect example. The title is: "How Bush and Cheney Are Getting Around the 22nd Amendment."

The 22nd Amendment states that "[n]o person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once." This amendment was introduced to set down in writing what had been a tradition since George Washington that presidents should serve only two terms. Of course it was a Democrat, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who broke the precedent and necessitated an actual constitutional amendment to prevent it from ever happening again. America didn't need a monarchy, much less a Democratic one.

Blogger Sharon Cobb contends that the Bush administration has "been masterful at shredding the United States Constitution" and President Bush is "now getting around the 22nd amendment" to continue his masterful shredding of our nation's sacred document. So how will he do it, you ask?

Why, with a John McCain and Sarah Palin administration of course! What an original concept. What an ingenious scheme! A dastardly plot that will no doubt circumvent the 22nd Amendment and destroy the nation's moral fabric already frayed by Bill Clinton and Company. It's foolproof!

Except the Democrats already tried it. Don't you remember Al Bore's failed run for the presidency eight years ago? Wasn't that just the Democrat's attempt at a third Clinton administration? Or even worse, in 1980, Jimmy Carter tried for a second Carter administration! Now that would have been a disaster for our country.

With her premise explained (I suppose), the rest of Ms. Cobb's argument disintegrates into an attack on Sarah Palin ("McCain/Palin aren't even in office, and yet Palin is already acting just like Cheney...Palin is already above the law!") because she and her husband Todd won't cooperate with what has become a partisan Democratic witch hunt in Alaska over the so-called "Troopergate."

It's the post's conclusion that reveals, unfortunately, the real reason for her argument. It boils down to the fact that Ms. Cobb has transferred her anger at being subpoenaed in her own divorce case to what the Palins are experiencing with the so-called Troopergate. The inquiry has been transformed by Alaska state senator Hollis French from a bi-partisan investigation into a political vendetta with Hollis promising an "October surprise" before it even began. I'm sincerely sorry about Ms. Cobb's divorce, but to use it as motivation for a political attack is weak at best.

Tim Barnes "Looking to the Future" and Wanting Voters to Forget His Stolen Election

2008-09-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Tim Barnes is a forward-thinking Democrat: he wants voters of Tennessee Senate District 22 "looking to the future" and not at how he got his party's nomination for state senator.

Of course he wouldn't say it in so many words, but it's certainly what he's thinking. Look past the fact that he lost the Democratic primary to incumbent Rosalind Kurita; chose not to seek a recount but to protest to the Tennessee Democratic Party's Executive Committee; and sought to throw out the votes and void the outcome. Look past the fact that he nominated himself to fill the vacancy rather than recuse himself from the process and sees no reason to be ashamed of the way he got it. "I'd be honored to receive the nomination in this way," he said beforehand. Look past all that and you have the handpicked nominee of 65 Democrats who met at a Clarksville hotel rather than 8,935 voters who took the time to go to the polls. Of course he would rather "talk about things I can do to help the people of the 22nd Senate District," as he said at a press conference on Friday.

Barnes admitted there could have been a second primary held, "but there was not time to have another primary," he claimed. "The only other option was to have this process...After that process I was overwhelmingly named the nominee."

Responding to her opponent's desire to move forward, Rosalind Kurita told the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: "I'm sure that Mr. Barnes would like to change the subject. The subject is that in America, we don't steal elections."

Tennessee Democrats Show Their True Colors

2008-09-19T06:19:00.002-07:00

It's a fact that's true not only in the presidential election but in Tennessee politics as well: Democrats will do anything to gain or retain power. They will turn on their own members if they dare to cross party lines and work with the other side--like Rosalind Kurita--while claiming to be a party of "change" that wants bipartisanship and cooperation.

Tim Barnes is proud of his stolen election and is basking in the glory of his party's political thievery. He's living in a fantasy world where there is nothing out of the ordinary about his coronation and he acts like the candidate who won the election that wasn't bogus. Choosing to disregard his own actions (which included voting for himself at the so-called "nominating convention"), he told The Tennessean: "At some point I think she'll probably accept that she's going to have to take responsibility for her own actions."

What it came down to was Republicans who had no candidate to support in Senate District 22 voted for Kurita instead of Barnes. There's no law in Tennessee against crossing party lines and voting in the other party's primary. Democrats are hypocrites if they think they're above doing such a thing in a Republican primary. State Democratic leaders didn't want Rosalind Kurita back in the state senate, so they came up with the excuse of an "incurably uncertain" election to overturn the will of some 9,000 voters.

Barnes' supporters were only too happy to belittle Senator Kurita's supporters in attendance after his coronation. According to The Tennessean:

Shortly after Democratic executives nominated Tim Barnes for the 22nd District state Senate seat, one woman stood outside the Riverview Inn with her mouth duct-taped shut.

Her shirt read, "You silenced 9,000 votes."

A Barnes supporter offered the woman a Tim Barnes sticker to put over her mouth, then placed it over his own mouth and stood next to her, seemingly mocking her, before walking away.

The Barnes supporter is a perfect example of the Tennessee Democratic Party: arrogant, belittling, mocking. They will turn on you in a heartbeat if you don't think like they do and support who they want you to support. They have this unreasonable lock on the hearts and minds of some Tennesseans that because someone's granddaddy was a Democrat, they have to be one too. And the Tennessee Democratic Party knows it and they take advantage of it in every election.

Rosalind Kurita will fight this injustice at the ballot box through a write-in campaign as an independent candidate while exploring her legal options in court. "This is America--you just don't steal an election, and that's why I'm doing a write-in candidacy," she told the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.

I encourage Republican and independent voters in Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties as well as any Democrat who respects the democratic election process and truly believes every vote counts to make the extra effort and write in Mrs. Kurita's name for state senate on November 4. Show the Tennessee Democratic Party that they cannot control our country's political system for their own power grab.

UPDATE: It didn't take Phil Bredesen long to fall into line with other state Democratic leaders in their support for illegitimate candidate Tim Barnes. They're hosting a $500-per-person fundraiser on his behalf in Clarksville September 29. I hope Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and other state Republican leaders and independent-minded Democrats unwilling to be led like sheep by the Democratic bosses will do their part to support Sen. Kurita and help her fight for her seat.

Tennessee Democrats Oust Rosalind Kurita, Overrule Voters of Senate District 22

2008-09-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight, the Tennessee Democratic Party officially overruled the voters of State Senate District 22 (Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties) who elected incumbent Rosalind Kurita and handed the nomination to the loser, Tim Barnes. Members of the three county executive committees voted 61-4 to overturn the election results in retaliation for Kurita crossing party lines to oust John Wilder, longtime Democratic senator, as speaker and lieutenant governor last year.

The Democratic leaders were pleased with themselves as they hooped and hollered at the outcome. Democracy had died at the hands of the Tennessee Democratic Party. One Barnes supporter was quoted by The Tennessean that "never have I seen a process work so well as today."

In the most ridiculous statement of them all, this same Barnes supporter had the gall to add:

"I really think there shouldn't be any sour grapes. I think she should come on board as a private citizen and support this ticket because that's what this is all about if she's the Democrat she claims to be."

Following this logic, if someone breaks into your home and steals from you--something that is rightfully yours--"there shouldn't be any sour grapes." You should even help load what was stolen onto the thief's truck and support what he did to you "because that's what this is all about." Just smile and let it happen.

If that's what it's all about to be a Democrat, a lot of them should be ashamed of themselves at this injustice toward the winner, Rosalind Kurita. I hope she does well in the general election and the voters of District 22 see the Democrats for what they really are.

Hillary Won't Share Spotlight with Sarah Palin

2008-09-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton obviously likes the spotlight on herself and wasn't about to share it with Sarah Palin.

The defeated Democratic presidential candidate canceled her appearance at a rally outside the United Nations on September 22. It is being organized by several Jewish organizations to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressing the UN. It seems they neglected to tell Hillary that Gov. Palin had also been invited to the rally, which infuriated her handlers and led to her refusal to attend. It "was never billed to us as a partisan political event," said Philippe Reines on her behalf. "Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending."

It's interesting that it was Gov. Palin's appearance--and not Hillary's--that suddenly made it a "partisan political event." Doesn't her inclusion actually keep it from being one?

Blogger Ben Smith reports that the event organizers may now be under pressure from the Obama campaign to "disinvite" Gov. Palin. Oh yeah, now it will definitely be non-partisan. McCain/Pain spokesman Tracey Schmitt responded:

"Governor Palin believes that the danger of a nuclear Iran is greater than party or politics. She hopes that all parties can rally together in opposition to this grave threat."

Tennessee Democrats Steal Election from Rosalind Kurita

2008-09-17T05:31:00.000-07:00

As I stated in Monday's post on Sarah Palin, for a political party that preaches inclusiveness, Democrats can be a hateful bunch. Now one of their own, Rosalind Kurita, knows how it feels to have a vindictive Tennessee Democratic Party out to get her.

The two-term state senator represents District 22 comprised of Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties. She was re-elected to a third term on August 7, fighting off a challenge from within her own party by Clarksville attorney Tim Barnes with a meager 19-vote advantage. There is no Republican candidate, so the winner got the seat. A victory is a victory no matter the margin. At least that's how democracy used to work before the Democrats ruled otherwise.

On September 13, the state Democratic Executive Committee decreed that voters in District 22 shouldn't decide which Democrat would represent them and voided the election. This was done despite the fact that the election had been certified by the county election commissions and the Tennessee secretary of state and was official. The party of "every vote counts" certainly doesn't think so when things don't work out the way they like. Executive committee members from Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties will meet today to decide which Democrat they prefer as Gov. Phil Bredesen, supposedly the leader of the state party, stands off to the side and lets it happen.

(It's interesting that Democrats didn't question the election of Ophelia Ford a few years ago, which was ripe with voting irregularities and dead voters.)

The reason state Democrats are hijacking a certified election is because Kurita committed the unpardonable sin: she crossed party lines and helped vote out a politician who had been speaker and lieutenant governor for far too long, John Wilder, giving Republicans control of the speaker's podium for the first time since Reconstruction.

"I voted my conscience, and that's more important than party line," Kurita explained. "We're individuals up here." Tennessee Democrats hate that sort of thing. She was rewarded by new speaker Ron Ramsey with the position of speaker pro tempore (one her fellow Democrats never gave her), making her the highest ranking woman in state government. Whether by design or circumstance, she faced no Republican opposition for re-election. Despite their rhetoric that Republicans and Democrats should reach across party lines and cooperate, that's not what Democrats really want. What they want is to maintain their stranglehold on the General Assembly and continue their good ol' boy way of doing things in Nashville without Republicans standing in their way.

State Democratic leaders turned their back on Rosalind Kurita after twelve years of service in the senate and promoted the candidacy of Tim Barnes in the August primary to get back at her. When the result wasn't to their liking, they claimed voting irregularities and blamed Republicans for encouraging their members to vote for Kurita. (Like Democrats have never done it in Republican primaries. What hypocrisy!)

Now Democrats will chose a Democrat they like. Tim Barnes will take it any way he can get it. "I'd be honored to receive the nomination in this way," he unabashedly told the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle yesterday. Nothing like having a political office dropped in your lap, I suppose. He has shaken enough hands and slapped enough backs among members of the three county executive committees to feel good about his chances. He will likely be "honored" with a free pass to Nashville even though he lost the election.

Needless to say, state Democratic leaders have shot themselves in the foot with this debacle and liberal bloggers across the state such as Left Wing Cracker, Sharon Cobb, and Newscoma are letting them have it. "What the Democratic Party of Tennessee did to Kurita was very undemocratic," wrote Sharon Cobb, speaking for most of her fellow liberal bloggers. It's refreshing--and fun--to see Democrats coming out against their own party.

Kurita will fight for her senate seat as a write-in candidate in the November election apparently as an independent. "My people in my counties deserve to be able to elect their own senator," she said. "The fact is, they elected me, and I'm not going to quit on them...I am going to fight this. I'm not going to let this election be stolen." Good for her. Tim Barnes or whoever is picked tonight shouldn't get a free ride just because the Democratic Party chooses to override the will of the people and change the outcome of an election. "When somebody steals an election," added Kurita, "they're capable of anything."

P.S.: On a related note, liberal blogger Silence Isn't Golden writes a fitting eulogy for the Tennessee Democratic Party and their future. Let's hope he is indeed a soothsayer in this case. Tennessee has been in the grip of the Democratic Good Ol' Boys far too long. Start with Jimmy Naifeh and let's work our way down.

Dear Mr. Obama

2008-09-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

I had heard about this video and listened to it on one of the talk radio shows, either Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, last week. It's a very moving statement by a veteran of the Iraq War who sacrificed himself for freedom and for his country. He calls Obama out for putting down the war and essentially putting down our soldiers and he supports John McCain. (It's not a McCain political ad.) Thank you very much for your service, sir, and for reminding us why we fight.

"I Hate Sarah Palin"

2008-09-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

For a political party that loves to toot its horn of inclusiveness, Democrats sure are a hateful bunch.

Ever since Sarah Palin rose from relative obscurity to steal Barack Obama's presidential thunder, the Democrats and the Liberal Media have done everything they can to vilify her and make her out to be a selfish and neglectful mother, a Christian wacko, and a right-wing extremist. Obama's campaign may have a new policy that chooses to ignore her, but why do they have to attack her when the press does all their dirty work for them? Just do a Google search for Sarah Palin and you'll find them strewn across the Internet.

Case in point: Mary Mitchell, a columnist for Obama's hometown newspaper, the Chicago Sun-Times. Looking at her columns, there's no question which side of the political spectrum her feelings fall. In her first column after Sen. McCain selected Gov. Palin as his running mate (entitled "It's Not Her Brains that Landed Palin on the Ticket"), Ms. Mitchell wasn't especially negative despite the headline. She wrote:

"I don't want to diminish her accomplishments. Any time a woman is able to balance the responsibilities of being a wife and the mother of five children, including an infant with Down syndrome, with running a state, that is an incredible feat." Further into the column, she added: "I really like Palin's spirit. Too bad she's gotten snared by the political game."

Since then, Palin's stature and popularity have grown. In a matter of weeks, poll results that favored the Democrats shifted in favor of the Republicans, deflecting attention away from Obama's coronation (complete with Greek temple backdrop). Liberals are scared; when they feel threatened, sensing they might once again lose the White House, they will lash out.

Mary Mitchell's initial column on Sarah Palin was a love letter compared to what spewed from her venomous pen yesterday. The misleading headline "Palin Should Be Laughingstock to All Feminists" should have been reduced to simply "I Hate Sarah Palin." The column itself has nothing at all to do with "feminism," but everything to do with her personal vendetta against Gov. Palin because she took the spotlight away from her man. The very first sentence sets the tone:

"Sarah Palin makes me sick. I hate that she was able to steal Barack Obama's mojo just by showing up wearing rimless glasses and a skirt."

Oh no! Obama had mojo, and Palin took it away from him! Simply put, Mary Mitchell is jealous of Sarah Palin and resentful of what she has done to her man, Barack Obama.

There's nothing fair, balanced, objective, or decent about Mitchell's article. She makes no attempt to resemble a journalist (maybe she's not one). She doesn't engage the reader in anything that resembles an intelligent or thoughtful discussion. Three times Mitchell writes that Palin "makes her sick." Three times she uses the word "hate" to describe her feelings toward her. Hate is a strong verb. When is the last time you read that a columnist hated someone they don't even know? One might disagree with another's political views, but to actually hate someone for them? That's going too far. Democrats may say they're ready for "change," but obviously their supporters aren't ready for that kind of change yet. Personal attacks work very well for them, thank you very much.

Mitchell's column is nothing but a personal rant, pure and simple, one more fitting on a extremist left-wing blog than on the pages of a prominent big-city newspaper.

The most revealing statement of the entire column, though, is Mitchell's candid admission: "Frankly, Sarah Palin scares me."

And that's why the liberals hate her.

That's the reason they and their media accomplices attack her and try to dig up anything controversial about her. That's why they judge and condemn her life, her family, her choices, her religious beliefs, her politics, and her public service.

They are all scared of her. They are scared of the unexpected dynamic that she has brought to the campaign, scared of her popularity, scared of the potential loss of independents and middle-class working mothers from their ranks. She has proven that an ambitious woman can be a wife and a mother, yet still accomplish great things and make a difference. She took her right to choose and chose to keep her fifth child, despite the prognosis of Down Syndrome and an uncertain future.

It's easy for conservatives to become discouraged from such an onslaught of negativity toward the Republican ticket. But remember there is a reason why, and Mary Mitchell put it so well: "Frankly, Sarah Palin scares me."

One More Reason to Support McCain/Palin

2008-09-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here's another reason to support John McCain and Sarah Palin:

Susan Sarandon suggests that she may move to Italy or Canada if Obama doesn't win. Of course liberals are famous for such bold but empty declarations; we're still waiting for Alec Baldwin and Barbara Streisand to fulfill their promises eight years later.

(It looks like Alec's brother Stephen Baldwin has made a similar declaration if Obama wins. What's the point? Would anyone want to hinge their fate on the result of a presidential election? If your pick loses, it makes you look ridiculous--see Baldwin, Alec and Streisand, Barbara--if you don't keep your promise.)

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton SNL Parody

2008-09-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

It was inevitable that Saturday Night Live would parody Gov. Sarah Palin, and the obvious choice to play her would be former SNL alumni Tina Fey. I have to admit Ms. Fey did a very good job imitating her accent and mannerisms and Hillary's tirade at the end can't be far from her true feelings. Now Sarah should be invited as a surprise guest for a future show, just like Obama.

Sarah Palin Books Update

2008-09-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

I've learned a new term today: "crashed books". I couldn't find an official definition on Wikipedia or anywhere else, but this is how Publisher's Weekly describes the latest quick-to-press books on Gov. Sarah Palin. It seems "crashed books" are ones that are written and published quickly in response to a new trend, personality, or news event.

In addition to Epicenter Press' reprint of Sarah Palin's first biography Sarah and Zondervan's recent announcement of its own book Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader, Publisher's Weekly reports that Adams Media will publish 101 Things You--and John McCain--Didn't Know about Sarah Palin by Gregory Bergman. It will be available the first week of October. Based on the title, this one should please hateful Democrats and the Liberal Media alike. Mr. Gregory is the author of such masterpieces as The Little Book of Bathroom Philosophy: Daily Wisdom from the World's Greatest Thinkers and WTF?: How to Survive 101 of Life's Worst F*#!-ing Situations. Can't wait to read this one.

Never Forget: September 11, 2001

2008-09-11T06:31:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows where they were that terrible day when they heard or saw what happened to the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The images are ones we can never forget; they are burned in our minds forever. Innocent lives were lost and families were shattered. We grieved as a nation and we came together for one of the few times in recent memory.

Today should be a reminder to our country that the enemy is the terrorists and not our fellow Americans, both Democrat and Republican. We disagree on many issues, but we should all agree on this point. We must have a strong military to combat those who want to do our nation harm and take our freedoms. We cannot have weakness and indecisiveness in our chief executive and our government leaders. We must have leaders with strong principles and unwavering morals who look to a higher authority rather than themselves for guidance. This is what the next presidential election is all about.

Never forget what they did to our nation.

Never forget what they did to our security and peace of mind.

Never forget what they did to our people.

Never forget what we need to do to keep what they did from ever happening again.

Steve Cohen: Jesus and Obama Both "Community Organizers"

2008-09-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious! Sad, stupid, but hilarious because of who said it.

I saw this video posted on Red State and couldn't believe the audacity of Steve Cohen, the liberal representative from Tennessee' s Ninth Congressional District campaigning for Barrack Obama on the floor of the House of Representatives this morning. He blatantly reduces our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to a "community organizer" on par with the Liberal Messiah just to score points with the Democratic Party.

Thus sayteth Stephen:

"I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, um, that the parties have differences, but if you want change, but if you want change, you want the Democratic party, uh, Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus who our, uh, minister prayed about, uh, Pontius Pilate was a governor."

Let me try to follow your misguided logic, Rep. Cohen: Because Pontius Pilate--the Roman authority in Jerusalem who essentially signed Jesus' death warrant--happened to be a governor, anyone who serves as a governor is a bad person? Pray tell, does this logic apply to the current Democratic governor of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen? Or is it just Republican governors, or could it be the one who happens to be running for vice-president of the United States? Obviously this was a bumbling attempt by Cohen to imitate a bumper sticker and be cute on the taxpayer's dime.

Here's the video. (Check out his hair!)

Well Memphis, this is what you get when you send "Ira" to Washington. (Here's the Commercial Appeal's report about it.)

UPDATE: Here's the Tennessee Republican Party's response to Cohen's comments and FoxNews reports on it. A blogger from the Nashville Post (and apparently a Cohen defender) prefers to deflect from the issue by asking:

Did Steve Cohen really compare Sarah Palin to the “killer” of Christ? Is that an accurate way to describe Pilate’s role in the death of Christ? Were there any others responsible? Could it be said that it was humanity at large who was responsible for Christ’s death?

Good grief. What a Clintonesque response.

Obama on Sarah Palin: "Pig" Comment Gaffe or Deliberate?

2008-09-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

You have to admit that this presidential campaign is anything but boring. Every day there's a new revelation about someone or someone from one of the campaigns said something to offend the other. That's politics and it always has been. It's just that we're saturated nowadays with media--from television to talk radio to the Internet--that there's no getting away from it.

Case in point: During a speech yesterday, Barrack Obama continued his worn-out argument that John McCain's election would simply be a third term for President Bush. After rattling off a laundry list of policies he claimed McCain and Bush share, he added: "You know, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called ‘change,’ it’s still gonna stink after eight years."

Was this a deliberate move on Obama's part to fire back at Gov. Sarah Palin's convention joke that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick? It's wasn't good judgment on his part, to be sure. But I must grudgingly give him the benefit of the doubt on this gaffe. Listening to the remark in context with what he said before and after, he seemed to be using "you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig" as a common saying. The man may be a liberal, but he's not stupid enough to intentionally make such a degrading personal remark. At least I don't think so.

But it's the reaction of his supporters--especially those behind him--that raises the debate. They obviously perceived it to be a jab at Gov. Palin. Based on their facial expressions and their reactions, that's how they took it. The Associated Press reported that it drew "an outbreak of laughter, shouts and raucous applause from his audience, clearly drawing a connection to Palin's joke even if it's not what Obama meant." The video proves the point.

(To be fair, this clip does leave out what Obama said immediately after, which was: "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called ‘change,’ it’s still gonna stink after eight years.")

The remark may not have been deliberate, but it certainly had its effect, unintentional or not, and Obama should own up to it. His reaction? His campaign cites instances when Senator McCain used the expression in various speeches during his career. While it may be true that it's a commonly used expression, it's the context here that is important: how and when he used it during his speech. "Who has been talking about lipstick lately?" noted McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. "It was obvious. The crowd went crazy because of it."

The McCain/Palin campaign's response was a new ad entitled "Lipstick" and a call for Obama to apologize. Are they making more out of it than is necessary? Probably. Still, if he made the remark without thinking how it would be perceived, Obama should admit he didn't mean it that way and apologize for doing so. Unlikely to happen, of course.

John McCain and Sarah Palin Action Figures

2008-09-09T13:36:00.001-07:00

Wow, there are a lot of creative entrepreneurs out there! Not only can the diehard John McCain and Sarah Palin supporters buy buttons, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and mousepads with their favorite images and slogans, but now their kids can play with action figures in their images (or close enough).

Herobuilders.com has created action figures for John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Barrack Obama (sorry, Joe Biden fans, there's not one for you). According to their website, the idea came about in 2002 when the owner sculpted a George W. Bush figure and showed it off on his office desk. So many people suggested that he could sell them online that he opened his own business and began producing ones of other political and entertainment personalities. They even make custom figures on demand. In addition to the figures, there are Pez dispensers and plush dolls, too.

The Sarah Palin figure comes in three different styles: executive (seen here), school girl, and super hero. The latter two are more revealing and not for the kids. McCain's action figure (right) is pretty buff for a 72-year-old! The figures are a little pricey starting at $27.95, but they would make great conversation pieces to spark debates with your liberal friends and co-workers.

Here's another custom made doll for the girls posted on eBay. This one is complete with a mirror, podium, pink cell phone and matching laptop, rifle, skirt fatigues, and hockey stick. Bids are already up to $86.00 with three days left!

UPDATE: The Sarah Palin Barbie-like doll on eBay sold for--get this--$158.50!

Own Sarah Palin's House

2008-09-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

There's an auction posted on eBay for Todd and Sarah Palin's former home on Wasilla Lake in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. Built in 1984, it's where the Palins lived when Sarah served as mayor of Wasilla. It's "a serious collector's item," according to the seller, for a modest $969,000.00. The auction ends on Sept. 17. If anyone's interested in getting a jump-start on a Sarah Palin Museum, here's a good place to start!

UPDATE: The auction ended without any bidders.

The Original Mavericks

2008-09-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest McCain/Palin campaign ad. I like it, especially the tough-looking photo of Gov. Palin near the beginning.

Changes at MSNBC

2008-09-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like the increasingly left-pandering MSNBC will make a few changes to its election coverage. The Washington Post reports that the duo of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews will be relegated back to their roles as commentators and not be at the news anchor desk for future political events, including election night coverage. Reportedly the change is the result of internal discussions and external criticism, especially of Olbermann's blatant liberal bias during the Republican National Convention.

This is certainly a start, but why stop there? Andrea Mitchell is just as guilty of taking the Democratic side of any interview or discussion while working as a news anchor on MSNBC. It's true the job of a journalist is to ask the tough questions. But if you're consistently throwing hardballs to one side (i.e. Republicans) and softballs to the other (i.e. Democrats), where's the objectivity? Andrea makes a good Democratic commentator, but a poor choice for a news anchor.

John McCain Coming to Nashville

2008-09-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's not official yet, but John McCain reportedly could be heading to Nashville for a "debate watch party and rally" Oct. 7 at Riverfront Park. The town hall style presidential debate between John McCain and Barrack Obama will be held at Nashville's Belmont University that night. The Tennessean reports that an event production company has applied for a permit to use Riverfront Park for Oct. 6 and 7.

No Heart for "Barracuda"

2008-09-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

When she was a star basketball player for Wasilla High School in Alaska, Sarah Palin earned the nickname "Barracuda" for her drive and competitiveness on the court. Naturally, when the folks with the Republican National Convention needed a theme song of sorts for their vice-presidential candidate, Heart's 1977 hit single "Barracuda" came to mind. It pounded through the speakers as the Republican faithful celebrated and added a great touch to the event.

Apparently, they didn't ask permission to use the song from the music group and they aren't fans of the Republican Party. Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were upset at the use of "Barracuda" and sent a cease and desist order to the Republican Party. Here's their official statement:

"Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."

How petty and ridiculous can you be. If they were smart, they would ask for royalties and let the McCain/Palin campaign revive a 31-year-old song that hasn't seen the light of day in ages. Maybe the Wilson sisters would earn a little money for doing absolutely nothing. But they have to act like they're offended just like any good liberal would and make a big deal out of it. Really petty, ladies. And I used to like your songs, too.

Sarah Palin Biography

2008-09-05T09:33:00.001-07:00

It's inevitable that when someone bursts onto the national stage, whether they are an athlete or a politician, someone has to write a biography about them, and quickly, to satisfy the demand for people who want to know more about them. Such is the case for the new darling of the Republican Party, Sarah Palin.

Ironically, last night I searched Amazon to see if a book had already been written or was in the works. There was only one, a 159-page hardcover written by Kaylene Johnson and published last April. Expect Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down to be revised and published as a paperback very soon.

Today, another Palin bio was announced by Christian publisher Zondervan Books. Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader, written by Joe Hilley, will be released on October 10.

(Update: Epicenter Press, an Alaska-based publisher of Sarah, has already gone to press with 40,000 copies to meet the demand for the only Palin bio available. The run for the initial hardback edition was only 7,000 copies. Author Kaylene Johnson is also in demand.)

Let the Game Begin

2008-09-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

The 2008 presidential election is officially underway. The candidates and their running mates have been nominated by their respective parties, the balloons have deflated, and McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden are hitting the campaign trail for the next two months.

Admittedly, John McCain's acceptance speech didn't come close to that of Sarah Palin the night before. But she was a hard act for anyone to follow. What he lacked in eloquence, he made up for in confidence and determination. He acknowledged President Bush without actually naming him, thanking him for his vigilance in defending our country from another terrorist attack. The nature of this election year has forced the Republican nominee to distance himself from the two-term party leader, but it was fitting that McCain at least gave credit where it was due, much to the chagrin of the liberal media.

He gave Barrack Obama more credit than I would've expected, telling him that he had McCain's "respect and admiration" and "[d]espite our differences, more unites us than divides us." McCain was much more magnanimous than Obama could ever be to an opponent. Of course the CodePink wackos camped outside the convention hall had to interrupt his speech early on. (By the way, where did Chris Matthews and his MSNBC cohorts stage their post-convention shows? In the convention hall like all the other networks? Of course not! They had to pander to their liberal and anti-war audience outside who cheered Matthews' every word.)

McCain shared his vision for America and reputed Obama's claims that he "didn't get it" regarding the plight of many Americans in today's economy. Rather than focus simply on the way his speech was delivered, read the text for yourself.

NBC's Andrea Mitchell Gets Buried

2008-09-05T06:36:00.001-07:00

There was a bit of poetic justice last night during the post-speech celebration at the RNC. NBC/MSNBC Republican critic and leading Obama lover Andrea Mitchell was attacked and engulfed by a mass of red, white, and blue balloons as she tried to report from the convention floor. Very funny!