From today's Knoxville News Sentinel editorial:

Gov. Phil Bredesen's naming of Gary Wade for a seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court provides the high court with someone who has the personal integrity and judicial experience needed for this important position.

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In naming Wade to the Supreme Court, Bredesen in a statement mentioned Wade's reputation "for fairness and consistency, his strong commitment to the law and his dedication to the faithful dispensation of justice."

Those characteristics will serve Wade well on the high court, but in a larger sense, they will serve Tennesseans through the many cases and deliberations that will face the court in the years ahead.

Betty Bean in yesterday's Halls Shopper:

A couple of weeks ago, we told you how a Nashville TV station was attempting to “Swiftboat” Gary Wade’s bid to be named to the state Supreme Court. Obviously, Gov. Phil Bredesen wasn’t impressed with WSMV-TV’s sensationalist attacks, since he named Wade to the state’s highest court this week.

Wade, 58, who has served on the state Court of Criminal Appeals since 1988 and has been presiding judge of that body since 1998, is a Sevierville native who has long been considered the East Tennessee Democrat with the most promising political prospects.

He’s smart, hard-working, honest and not bad looking.

The Mountain Press:

The Tennessee Supreme Court will be well-served by the addition of Sevierville's Gary Wade. But that's not just an isolated opinion. People across this state, from justices to circuit judges to business people to heads of nonprofits to educators, agree with that. Perhaps that's why Gov. Phil Bredesen chose Wade from among three nominees for a vacancy on the court.

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To have Gary Wade as one of this state's five Supreme Court justices is an important milestone for a county better known for amusements than leadership. Congratulations to a most worthy Sevier County resident.

Sounds like universal agreement that Wade is a good pick for the Tennessee Supreme Court.