The Senate Race
There’s some little political tussle going on in my fair state for Senate. The three Republican candidates are duking it out, while Ford is waiting to see who precisely is going to beat him. Some notes on it:
Corker, with his own cash and support from the Good Ol’ Boy machine, is buying this thing. He gave his campaign about $1.7M yesterday. He can outspend everyone and he will. Corker was the mayor of Chattanooga and made his fortune in development and real estate. It’s amusing to watch his commercials lambasting illegal immigration and telling us that citizens should speak English knowing full well that part of his fortune was amassed on the backs of illegal immigrants because such cheap labor tends to be a mainstay in development, contracting and real estate ventures. I even heard some illegal aliens were arrested on his job sites.
Ed Bryant seems to have a lot of support on Al Gore’s Tubes of Internets. But it kinda seems to end there.
Van seems to be a non-issue other than the fact him being in the race may be the reason Bryant can’t win.
Blogs as political indicators: Quite frankly, they suck at it. If you read the Internets and the blogs, you’d think this race was going to be a close race between Bryant and Ford. But you’d be wrong. It’s going to be Corker with Ford jumping up and down in the background saying pick me, pick me like the slow kid who always gets picked last when choosing dodge ball teams in the fifth grade. I say that based on the backing of the local political machine and who business is backing. I’ll bet a beer on it.
That’s not an endorsement of Corker at all. I don’t care for him. All three Republican candidates spend their time telling the voters exactly why they’re all the same (in case you didn’t know, they’re all against abortion; against gay marriage; against illegal immigration; and for fiscal conservatism). Then, they say things like well I’m more against abortion; against gay marriage; against illegal immigration; and for fiscal conservatism than these other two. Or that the other two are less against abortion; against gay marriage; against illegal immigration; and for fiscal conservatism than I am. Ford’s message is roughly the same, only less believable.
Guys, try telling us how you’re different from each other.
And whenever I see the commercial of Corker on the Arizona border in his flannel shirt and jeans, trying to look all outdoorsy, and yammering about immigrants, I notice that his jeans are pulled up too high on the waist. He walks in an awkward and uncertain manner with his thumbs in his belt loops. And he meanders sans confidence. And I have one thought and it is: Man, this guy’s a pussy. And this pussy will be the next senator from Tennessee.
Update: Oh, yeah. I’m not endorsing anyone but since you guys know that I:
1 – Don’t like Ford because I don’t believe him when it comes to guns; and that he’s too buddy-buddy with Schumer, who is everything I hate in a Senator;
2 – Have explicitly endorsed Not Hilleary
3 – Think Corker is a pussy;
Well, I’ll hold my nose when I do it. Or vote third party.
ETA: Oh, and that’s not to say I’ll hold my nose because I think Bryant is a bad guy or anything like that. He seems to be the most sincere and straight forward candidate. He’s just not someone I can get real excited about.
July 21st, 2006 at 9:06 am
Anytime I hear a politician on either side ramble on about abortion rights or gay marriage I can not help but be remembered of the famous prostitute scene in Full Metal Jacket.
July 21st, 2006 at 9:28 am
I know it’s popular to think a politician can “buy” an election, but no matter how much money someone pours into a campaign it only works if we, the people, punch his button on election day. Nobody’s paying us to vote for him (well, most of us aren’t being paid to vote for anyone. I wouldn’t put it past half the folks that actually attend Knox GOP and Democrat meetings) and it’s ultimately our choice to vote for who we feel is best qualified.
I understand that the one that best gets his message out usually wins, which means spending the most money and and in this case that means Corker. I just wish people would take time to just review things.
July 21st, 2006 at 9:34 am
Barry, I tend to think that the parties do have a block that does vote party line and that it can be backed by enough money. Money does influence politics but you’re probably right that it isn’t bought, per se.
July 21st, 2006 at 9:46 am
It’s semantics, yeah. But whenever I hear a politician “bought” an election, I get this picture in my head of a guy with the politican haircut (case in point: Van Hilleary) standing outside a polling place handing people $10 bills…. 😉
July 21st, 2006 at 9:49 am
I don’t recall the prostitute scene but its been awhile since I’ve seen Full Metal Jacket. Might have to throw it on tonight after the little one goes to sleep.
July 21st, 2006 at 10:05 am
It was Mud Island, in Memphis. That’s where Corker’s illegals were busted. Of course, they were subcontractors, so he washed his hands of that issue.
July 21st, 2006 at 10:11 am
The TN Senate Race Top To Bottom
Say Uncle, a Blount county blogger with a concealed carry permit and the willingness / ability to use it, has aimed his blogging gun at the Tennesse Senate race. Uncle does not endorse anyone but he gives his views on all within the race. Bottomline he…
July 21st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Corker’s personal loan of 1.7 million dollars into his campaign plus his introduction of negative ads early in the campaign should tell us that team Corker is desperate and far behind.
But until the UT poll came out you could not be certain. Why is the UT poll so different from all other polls?
Let’s do the math. Corker is head cheerleader for the Haslam/Ragsdale machine. Big Jim gave UT 27 million dollars last year. Lo and behold the UT poll shows head cheerleader Corker with a sizable lead.
Smells like team spirit.
But what happens when the little people figure out that the fix is in and the Haslam/Ragsdale machine is bad for East Tennessee?
July 22nd, 2006 at 4:11 pm
[…] Sundquist backs Corker? That’s the kiss of death. I may have to take it all back. Well, except that part about being a pussy. […]
July 31st, 2006 at 8:51 am
[…] I wonder if these papers will retract their endorsement? Of course not. Instead of lying, shouldn’t you be telling us why you’re more against abortion than your opponents are? Or maybe telling us why you’re different? […]
August 4th, 2006 at 8:47 am
[…] I told you so! Bob Corker will be the next senator from Tennessee. I’ll still bet a beer on it. Corker had to change his image from moderate Republican to conservative Republican to do so. I voted for Bryant. I wonder what these guys are gonna do now. […]
September 7th, 2006 at 8:38 am
[…] Corker, I’m not a fan of either. He doesn’t have a voting record. His record as Chattanooga mayor is mixed. He’s been caught lying. And I think he’s a pussy. […]
September 14th, 2006 at 9:17 am
[…] I said before: If you read the Internets and the blogs, you’d think this race was going to be a close race between Bryant and Ford. But you’d be wrong. It’s going to be Corker with Ford jumping up and down in the background saying pick me, pick me like the slow kid who always gets picked last when choosing dodge ball teams in the fifth grade. I say that based on the backing of the local political machine and who business is backing. I’ll bet a beer on it. […]
October 19th, 2006 at 11:07 am
[…] I was to the point where I could taste all that free beer I was bound to get. But AC: So what do you think this means? Is this poll proof that the Ford campaign has reached its ceiling and that the retooled Corker campaign has reclaimed it’s rightful place atop the heap? […]