Am I the only one who sees hilarity here?

Let's nominate some influential people for Laurens to interview.

What's the criteria? Money, fame, elected position?

Blue boots?

Laurens Tullock is doing the fence mending for Ragsdale, bringing in a number of local people, many of whom were/used to be staunch Ragsdale supporters, as he's got two years to repair his image for the governor's run in 2010. They'll bring in about 500 folks, many from out of county, (telling them they're one of 100)and do a one on one focus group to see where Rags is missing the mark on public perception, public appearances, everything from top to bottom. Let's hope the fortunate 100 tell him the truth, that he needs to leave office, leave now, and never run for public office again, as he can't follow the rules, he hires questionable people around him, and he takes himself, way, way too seriously in his role as county executive.

Maybe they are planning to do some influencer marketing. Don't recognize the term? Check out the Wiki - (link...)

"Market research techniques can be used to identify influencers, using pre-defined criteria to determine the extent and type of influence. For example, Keller and Berry propose five attributes of influencers:

* Activists: influencers get involved, with their communities, political movements, charities and so on.
* Connected: influencers have large social networks
* Impact: influencers are looked up to and are trusted by others
* Active minds: influencers have multiple and diverse interests
* Trendsetters: influencers tend to be early adopters (or leavers) in markets"

I see the note in the Shopper. Who is on the list? Anyone know?

This is probably couched up under one of Ragsdale's infamous no-bid professional services contracts, such that the taxpayers are paying for his makeover, who were also the one's stuck by his initial foray into limitless spending of the public's money.

I'd have somebody drop a dime on the entire team and see who's paying the bill for this service, who the 100 really are and how many did they have to cull to get to 100. Should be a public record, unless more creative off balance sheet accounts are uncovered. Has the hospitality account been reborn? Wonder whose space they are using for these interviews/focus groups, some school building or some classroom?

Cornerstone Foundation shouldn't be receiving any donations for purely political purposes from the local government, but one really never knows about this local government anymore.

All right, I'll take the bait...

In regards to generous philanthropy, it's difficult to argue with the Haslam family. Heck, I love the new downtown theatre. Even on the 6th floor of Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee, I found myself in a study area made possible by their donation. It's an impressively generous, diverse record of giving.

Bill Williams (even retired) is the most influential person in local media.

Mike Campbell in entertainment.

There are few people I respect more than Tommy Schumpert. When he speaks, folks listen.

Nonetheless, and not to start a barn-burner here at Knoxviews, but I believe Tim Hutchison is the most influential person in Knox County.

Mike Campbell is the CEO of Regal Entertainment Group, the largest "motion picture exhibitor" in the world.

"The Company's theatre circuit, comprising Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres, operates 6,386 screens in 539 locations in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Regal operates approximately 18% of all indoor screens in the United States including theatres in 43 of the top 50 U.S. markets and growing suburban areas."

Clearly, Ashley Capps should be on the list.

Folks:

Laurens Tullock has been doing these interviews every couple of years since the Cornerstone Foundation was founded.

You can read all the political agendas in the world you want into it...but the reality is that Laurens likes to talk to people about what they percieve the community needs and use that input to help decide what Cornerstone funds.

It's private money and it is probably more outreach than a lot of foundations do. And I don't see that he needs to include anybody on the list because of what Knoxviews subscribers, or any other group, might think.

I don't get it. However, if it is the Cornerstone Foundation, then why don't they just list 100 local members of the clergy.

The point is not if its 100 members of the clery or 100 business people or 100 any other group. The point is that its private money, generously put into a foundation to be given away and as long as they operate with the rules that govern foundations, then who they talk to and what they fund is pretty much up to them.

Mike C.

I agree with you, if it's private money and done by Cornerstone, it's their own business. Cornerstone does lots of very good work.

So, if it's all Cornerstone and has been done for years, how is it that Ragsdale's name got connected to these interviews?

I think the Mayor is planning on doing some visits, too. If he and Laurens are doing so at the same time, I don't believe it is planned.

Laurens likes to talk to people about what they percieve the community needs and use that input to help decide what Cornerstone funds.

I think the Mayor is planning on doing some visits, too. If he and Laurens are doing so at the same time, I don't believe it is planned.

Interesting connection.

Maybe Ragsdale thought Lawrence Tullock was speaking to the least 100 influential people in the community, a list for which Mike Ragsdale would be right at the top, followed closely by people whose buildings have burned awaiting redevelopment, the communities spin shops and hucksters, Eric Ainge, Knox county commission, and the company that runs the convention center.

You want to kill a project, devestate a candidate, destroy an event, tell them Mike Ragsdale is really in favor of it all the way.