Fri
Jan 25 2013
04:10 pm
I meant to write something about the TNDP Chair race today
By: LeftWingCracker  shortURL

Crossposted from LWC.

Especially after THIS piece of news that shows why those of us outside the 440 Loop are tired of Nashville.

However, as Rachel points out at Women's Health News, we don't want a Blue Dog leading our state party either, and for good reason. Roy Herron has more baggage than a Pullman car, not the least of which is that he will not do as the McWherter family asked and take their name off the Center Roy heads, established in Ned's name.

We know Roy, and are not comfortable with him. We DON'T know anything about Dave Garrison, and his reticence to be more open only lends credence to the idea that he is a puppet for outgoing Chair Chip Forrester. Fair or not, until he is more public, what other inference can we take?

Steve Ross has a brilliant piece about what we DO need and what we do NOT need, and if you have not read it, you should, right now. Go ahead, I will wait. See? Aren't you glad you did? I know, why isn't HE running, right? Because he has a job and a family and a mortgage, that's why.

And, in her own inimitable way, our Aunt B sums up the problems of the TNDP perfectly:

The thing that’s most hilarious about this is that the Republicans have redistricted us into a party whose most reliable districts are urban and black. And the white guys all bemoan how the party needs to spend more attention on “outside of Nashville.” Where they hate Democrats. It’s important to realize that these dustups are happening–and more publicly–not because either of these groups of warring white guys has a good idea for what direction to take the party, but because the era of the white dude Democratic party is over. Our parade doesn’t look that way anymore. But at this second, there’s not someone who looks more like the people who actually vote Democratic–black people, women, gay people, young people who live in cities, etc.–who can get the support of the Executive Committee and step up to be Grand Marshall of said parade. So, we have these two factions fighting over who gets to lead a bunch of people who aren’t going to concede parade leadership to them.

Yep. And THAT'S why I have the sad feeling that no matter who wins tomorrow, Democrats lose.

And I am getting tired of it.

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Local Citizen's picture

Welcome back conservative Democrats

Submitted by Local Citizen (not verified) on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 6:50pm.

Democrats must realize Tennessee is NOT a liberal state. If the party leadership continues a litmus test, they have not seen the bottom yet. The party must return to being an all inclusive party and let the far left minority moan and groan.
You cannot continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. If the party is tired of losing and want to rebuild, then they should get behind Roy Herron for chair and start welcoming Bredsen and conservative Democrats back into the party.

jcgrim's picture

What does he bring to the TN party aside from name recognition?

Submitted by jcgrim on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 2:02pm.
(in reply to Local Citizen)

Wasn't Roy Heron Tn Dem Chair in 2000 when Gore lost TN in the presidential election? He should be held accountable for that loss.

This doesn't give me much confidence in his capabilities or vision for TN.

R. Neal's picture

Democrats must realize

Submitted by R. Neal on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 6:54pm.

Democrats must realize Tennessee is NOT a liberal state

I think we realize that. The challenge is to make us a progressive state, and I use the term loosely.

Andy Axel's picture

Christ. If someone else says

Submitted by Andy Axel on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 7:14pm.
(in reply to R. Neal)

Christ. If someone else says that Tennessee's Democrats are captive to the hard left one more time, I swear I'm pulling someone through the paint.

You know what I'll settle for? Actual moderation. I'll settle for INDEPENDENCE. That was what this state was of a time.

I would settle for having a Howard Baker Republican in the fold somewhere. Having to deal with that sleazebag Bob Corker or the crazed Marsha Blackburn or that buffoon Stacey Campfield on a regular basis is just a downright embarrassment.

It's getting to where even the sensible Democrats around look like they're out of progressive ideas, or even possessed of a scintilla of shame. Jim Cooper voting against Sandy relief was an unconscionable move on his part, especially after what happened to Nashville in May of 2010. And he's in a safe district, for crying out loud.

I'll admit, though, that a large part of me knows that what is happening now is payback for 140 years of hegemony and outright corruption by the Democratic party, and for their steadfast refusal to do a damned creative thing to help themselves when it became apparent that the gig was up. Hopefully it won't take 7 generations for the Dems around here to wise up, but given how long that they had it so easy, I'm not confident in making any kind of forecast.

knoxrebel's picture

I wish I had written this,

Submitted by knoxrebel on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 8:27pm.
(in reply to Andy Axel)

I wish I had written this, Axel. Dead-on.

R. Neal's picture

+1

Submitted by R. Neal on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 8:28pm.
(in reply to Andy Axel)

+1

Rachel's picture

What he said. And then

Submitted by Rachel on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 2:10am.
(in reply to Andy Axel)

What he said. And then some.

I'd vote for Howard Baker in a NY minute over almost any current Tennessee pol I can think of, our Mayor, Gloria Johnson and Kim McMillan excepted (hmmm, seems to be a common thread there).

I've been over Jim Cooper for sometime, but that Sandy vote was just way over the line. WAY over.

Randy's picture

I'm with you on that Axel..I

Submitted by Randy (not verified) on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 10:13pm.

I'm with you on that Axel..I would add that Democrats need to stay focused on the Big 3... Middle Class Enabling Jobs, Solvent SS and Medicare so the Middle Class can retire with dignity and second to none public education so the middle class can pursue the American Dream..I think those are the issues that carried President Obama and those are the issues for the TDP to carry the flag for. They resonate to rural folks and city folks mainly they resonate with the middle class pragmatics.... otherwise we get lost in the noise of ignorance with self-centered, grandstanding, sociopaths leading the conversation like Koxville's current State Senator.

PS I also hope our new party chair is committed to raising money for Tennessee Democrats in all 3 grand divisons and not enable our Tennessee money to go out of state.

marytheprez's picture

NO, we do not want Herron, the darling of the NRA to lead us!

Submitted by marytheprez (not verified) on Fri, 2013/01/25 - 11:21pm.

And we do not want to bring back the GOP-lite members to continue with the mess they have made. And I am with 'Rachel' who wrote that we do not want Herron because he does NOT support women and OUR right to make our own medical decisions.
Randy is right on it. We need a leader who will work on JOBS, on protecting our Social Security and Medicare. We don't know much about Dave Garrison, granted, but not everyone who is still working for the TNDP should be banished from the Party.
And we do need INDEPENDENCE from the past. The story online about the two old Dem geezers getting in a shouting match at a Christmas Party just illustrates that we need to move on. And Jim Cooper absolutely disgraced all of us. We need a chair who could tell him that was WRONG.
Like Rachel, I much prefer a Party Chair that I don't know rather than one that I know would not work for Democrats, our values...especially a NRA leader!

knoxrebel's picture

The "mess" we're in was

Submitted by knoxrebel on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 12:21am.
(in reply to marytheprez)

The "mess" we're in was actually made by Forrester, far from GOP-lite. And if Democrats are going to rekindle the flame - holding the governor's office, US Senate seats, a Congressional majority, both houses of the General Assemble, the Election Commissions, etc. - they had better not resolve to become single-issue voters, whether its abortion rights, gun rights, gay rights, or any other solitary issue. Whoever the next party chair is will not have a say in a woman's right to choose, in gun rights, or gay rights. He'll have a say in developing a strategy to start making some dents in the GOP armor, in raising the money to make that happen, in choosing the staff that'll implement that plan, in marketing the party to Tennesseans of all ages, races, gender or sexual orientation.

In the past, I see Democratic wins all across the state, 2 2 term governors in 24 years, majorities in both houses. Lately I see nothing but heartache, embarrassment after embarrassment, nobody on the bench, no potential statewide candidates at all.

One of the old Dem geezers was 40 years old, Mary. My God, my what's that make me?

gonzone's picture

I support the Democratic wing

Submitted by gonzone on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 5:40am.

I support the Democratic wing of the Democratic party. Why try to imitate Republicans? Just vote Republican and get the real nutty thing instead. If our state can't rise above our Confederate past then so be it but at least be honest bigots like the Tea Potty crew. Where's Howard Dean? We need him!

bizgrrl's picture

One more time, we need a do-over

Submitted by bizgrrl on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 7:48am.

According to Tamara and LWC, Herron voted FOR:
Guns in Bars
Guns in Parks
drug testing for welfare recipients
publication of abortion stats
requiring doctors who perform abortions to have hospital privileges
a constitutional amendment to ban an income tax
English-only driver license exams (twice)
a legal challenge of the ACA's health insurance mandate
expanded access to charter schools (by wealthier families).

Sounds more like Mark Clayton running for a Democratic seat in the US Senate.

What does matter is that this gets fixed going forward. It's bad enough the party can't recruit credible candidates in this state. Allowing candidates like Clayton on the ballot is even worse.

I just cannot believe this is okay with our representatives of the TNDP.

I think they should vote for a do-over. This is a highly paid position. Surely there is someone better than the two choices to take this position. I believe there were some, but apparently they weren't as well known. Maybe the TNDP representatives need to think a little more out of the box.

WhitesCreek's picture

I just can't get over the

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Sat, 2013/01/26 - 10:19am.

I just can't get over the fact that these two are the choices. There were actual good and qualified candidates in the hunt who were run out before the voting ever started. If Garrison would publicly state he would not bring Chip back in any capacity I would go with him.

I suspect Munday, as treasurer, will actually conduct the audit Garrison refused to do so that takes care of that.

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