Phil Bredesen, Man of the People

Submitted by Andy Axel on Tue, 2008/08/19 - 10:30pm.

Do you recall the last time you saw Phil Bredesen stumping at a Wal-Mart on bread-&-butter issues?

Yeah. Me neither...

"I particularly hope he strengthens his economic message — even Senator Obama can speak more clearly and specifically about the kitchen-table, bread-and-butter issues like high energy costs," said Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio. "It's fine to tell people about hope and change, but you have to have plenty of concrete, pragmatic ideas that bring hope and change to life."

Or, in the blunter words of Gov. Phil Bredesen, Democrat of Tennessee: "Instead of giving big speeches at big stadiums, he needs to give straight-up 10-word answers to people at Wal-Mart about how he would improve their lives."

[snip]

Mr. Bredesen, of Tennessee, said that while the Democrats had little chance of carrying his state — the Obama camp is sending Mr. Bredesen to campaign in other states — Mr. Obama could still take steps to appeal to undecided Democrats there that might increase his chances elsewhere.

"I would really like to see him do things in Tennessee that would help in other working-class and blue-collar places, like Ohio," Mr. Bredesen said. "Job security and health care are huge here. He needs to come to the aisle of Home Depot and show them that a Harvard graduate — which I am as well — knows how to help them."

Thanks, Phil. Thanks for using your leadership position to help keep Tennessee in the "net export" column for the Democratic Party.

(Surely a Harvard man like Phil ought to be able to quickly translate, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." Naturelment. Certainly, job security and health care are huge here - with an unemployment rate a full point & change worse than the national rate and 15.7% of the population currently uninsured - they're huge, festering problems. And in a lamentably predictable tradition befitting this deeply conservative technocrat, the "answer" is apparently to keep making deeper cuts.)

6
vote

Bredesen is correct. Obama

Bredesen is correct. Obama has a lot of work to do if he is going to convince white working-class Americans that he will lead change that will matter to them. Here is an interesting and candid version of this line of thought:

Link...

Andy Axel's picture
C'mon, now... do you really

C'mon, now... do you really think that Bredesen has a good grip of the 10-word explanation, of the trip to the Home Depot to explain his agenda? Was it really his "common man" touch that won him widespread approval in the state? Was it really his homespun touch at the Wal-Mart?

He may be correct, but he is far from a good example of the stuff he's preaching.

Bredesen is a number of things, but a sound-bite driven, down-home ranconteur ain't one of 'em.

____________________________

"It's gettin' so a businessman can't expect no return from a fixed fight. Now, if you can't trust a fix, what can you trust?"

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

More information about formatting options

Captcha
This question is used to make sure you are a human visitor and to prevent spam submissions.
Copy the characters (respecting upper/lower case) from the image.
Blog-O-Rama

Feel Good Independence Day
(Silence Isn't Golden)

The Sicko Attacks on Sarah Palin's Baby
(TN Guerilla Women)

KNS: Ash to be Dumped in Loudon?
(RoaneViews)

Now she 's done it, now I have to go nuclear!
(Left Wing Cracker)

Palin's Resignation: Political Masterstroke Or Extreme Mental Instability of a Castrating Bitch?
(TN Guerilla Women)

Innocent Blogging Fun
(Newscoma)

Scott McNutt cuts to the truth...
(RoaneViews)

Harriman Care and Rehab in the News
(RoaneViews)

Fireworks, Cheap thrills with toxic consequences
(RoaneViews)

Democrats Muster on the Mount
(OpenPen)

Breaking: Governor Sarah Palin Will Resign!
(TN Guerilla Women)

Fireworks Show 9:30 PM July 4 at Kingston City Park
(RoaneViews)

Memphis Needs a Boring Mayor
(Vibinc)

Profit Over Wellness
(Vibinc)

Newscoma's right - it's a Possum kind of day!
(Left Wing Cracker)


Media Blogs

Memo to the Republican Governors Association
(Michael Silence)

Son of Big Box
(Josh Flory)

TVA Tries Sending Inspection Reports Directly to Landfills
(Snark Bites)

The Wa$hington Po$t
(Michael Silence)

Chapter 11 for condo developer
(Josh Flory)

Gone Fishin': Pith is Off Today
(Pith in the Wind)

Thoughts On Kyle's Kinda, Sorta Kickoff for Governor
(Tom Humphrey)

Bredesen Lectures Legislators on License Plates -- Again
(Tom Humphrey)

Robin Has a Website
(Tom Humphrey)

Cobb Successor To Be Elected on Oct. 13
(Tom Humphrey)

Gibbons 'On Target' With $415,000 In Contributions
(Tom Humphrey)

Happy Fourth of July!
(Michael Silence)

A mashup of satellite images of the TVA ash spill
(Michael Silence)

WaPo gets Ouched! again
(Michael Silence)

Stimulating government
(Michael Silence)


Post Politics

Proving Her Critics Right
(AC Kleinheider)

Makes As Much Sense As Anything I’ve Heard Yet
(AC Kleinheider)

Resigned On The 3rd Of July: Sarah Palin Steps Down As Governor
(AC Kleinheider)

Like He Never Existed
(AC Kleinheider)

You’re Light, Son
(AC Kleinheider)

Can Jim Kyle Win The Democratic Nomination For Governor?
(AC Kleinheider)

Shout Out To Tuke
(AC Kleinheider)

Alexander Wishes You A Happy Independence Day
(AC Kleinheider)

Cammack, North Of Two Hundie
(AC Kleinheider)

Ford Dynasty Member Says He’ll Make A Run At Memphis Mayor
(AC Kleinheider)


Local News

Drownings reminder to use pool alarms, gates and buddies
(Knoxville News Sentinel)

TWRA plans extra boat patrols
(Knoxville News Sentinel)

Father's fraud followed son's debt woes
(Knoxville News Sentinel)

Lockett is subject of 3 investigations
(Knoxville News Sentinel)

Loudon residents fight against ash disposal
(Knoxville News Sentinel)

Downtown condo developer files bankruptcy
(Knoxville News Sentinel Business)

Auto fallout still felt locally
(Knoxville News Sentinel Business)

Loudon residents fight against ash disposal
(Knoxville News Sentinel Business)

Hospital management at issue in Claiborne County
(Knoxville News Sentinel Business)

Tazewell hospital proposals to be heard Monday
(Knoxville News Sentinel Business)

Governor Bredesen Issues Writ of Election
(State of Tennessee)

Bredesen Breaks Ground on Recovery Act Project in Nashville
(State of Tennessee)

Extended Unemployment Benefits Available for Eligible Tennesseans
(State of Tennessee)

THP Gears Up For July 4th Weekend Crackdown on Drunk Drivers
(State of Tennessee)

Tennessee Announces 2009-10 School Meal Guidelines
(State of Tennessee)

Family's gas grill explodes catching house on fire
(WATE local)

Blount County K-9 loses battle with cancer
(WATE local)

Stripper says she is upset kidnapping & rape chares were dropped
(WATE local)

Deadly Shooting and police pursuit ends in crash
(WATE local)

Shooting and police pursuit ends in crash
(WATE local)

Hero Central: Help feed hungry kids with Backpack Buddy Club 10
(WBIR Local)

Authorities prepare for explosive holiday
(WBIR Local)

East Tennesseans hit the lake for holiday weekend
(WBIR Local)

Local fireworks laws, displays in your area
(WBIR Local)

No one hurt in boat fire on Fort Loudoun Lake
(WBIR Local)

Beefing up patrols on Tennessee highways
(WVLT Local)

Honduras rejects OAS appeal to restore president
(WVLT Local)

UPDATE: Police investigate shooting, high speed chase and crash
(WVLT Local)

SKorea says NKorea fires 2 missiles off east coast
(WVLT Local)

Alleged victim, estranged wife talk about dropped kidnap and rape charges
(WVLT Local)


Wire Reports

SC serial killer conjures memory of 60s murderer (AP)
(AP National News)

Mrs. Obama bringing glamor to Moscow this weekend (AP)
(AP Politics)

Police: Arizona woman led sons on crime spree (AP)
(AP National News)

Obama cites his agenda in holiday address (AP)
(AP Politics)

Group Sotomayor advised fought job tests (AP)
(AP Politics)

Palin resignation leaves questions on 2012 run (AP)
(AP National News)

Palin resignation leaves questions on 2012 run (AP)
(AP Politics)

Jackson was loving and attentive father, many say (AP)
(AP National News)

Jackson kids face hurdles to coping with his death (AP)
(AP National News)

Calif. bullet train hits criticism on SF Peninsula (AP)
(AP National News)

Obama calls for reform in Independence Day address (AFP)
(AP Politics)

Calif. regulators warn of pot's cancer capability (AP)
(AP National News)

Medvedev sees 'new prospects' for US-Russia ties (AFP)
(AP Politics)

NY growth besieges Revolutionary patriots' graves (AP)
(AP National News)

Palin Stirs Debate About Her Political Future With Resignation (Bloomberg)
(AP Politics)

Palin resignation splits GOP (Politico)
(AP Politics)

AP Source: Detroit mayor firing police chief (AP)
(AP National News)

Pachyderms outdo people in cross-species chow bout (AP)
(AP National News)

Firefighters battle big blaze at shuttered SC mill (AP)
(AP National News)

Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret (AP)
(AP Politics)