Here is the entire 2016 Legislative Luncheon from the East Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. WBIR's John Becker moderated.
Some items of note:
State Senator Randy McNally's muddled and distracting invocation of TennCare to obfuscate the failure to pass Insure Tennessee.
State Senator Rick Briggs candidly admitting fewer controversial things (including Insure Tennessee) will get done this session because of the election year.
State Representative Martin Daniel's backward-looking comments on UT and diversity, and some of the dismissive comments of others regarding what the UT Office of Diversity does.
Some bizarre comments, notably from Rep. Jimmy Matlock, suggesting the desirability of open carry of guns by adults within schools.
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Discussing:
- Vote! Thursday is election day. (2 replies)
- Publix Greenwise Organic Berry Recall (4 replies)
- Clayton partners Townsend properties with national company (1 reply)
- U.S. Commerce Dept. Going Socialist? (1 reply)
- Open AI escapes, hacks competitor (2 replies)
- What's going on with Chattanooga? (3 replies)
- Oil company benefits from Middle East war? (2 replies)
- Senate Homeland Security Meeting - Harassment of Anthony Fauci (1 reply)
- Tennessee paying $637 million over 5 years for voucher software program (3 replies)
- Confusion at the Alcoa South Plant (3 replies)
- The Odyssey (1 reply)
- Tennessee: great for business, not so great place to live (1 reply)
TN Progressive
- Alcoa property taxes will probably not go up (BlountViews)
- Smith & Wesson not a good fit for Blount County (BlountViews)
- Pellissippi Parkway extension delayed again (BlountViews)
- Blount County early voting record turnout (BlountViews)
- WATCH THIS SPACE. (Left Wing Cracker)
- America As It Is Right Now (RoaneViews)
- A friend sent this: From Captain McElwee's Tall Tales of Roane County (RoaneViews)
- The Meidas Touch (RoaneViews)
- Massive Security Breach Analysis (RoaneViews)
- (Whitescreek Journal)
- My choices in the August election (Left Wing Cracker)
- July 4, 2024 - aka The Twilight Zone (Joe Powell)
TN Politics
- Ohio US Sen. Moreno says former son-in-law Rep. Max Miller unfit to serve in Congress (TN Lookout)
- Blanche asserts ‘anti-weaponization’ fund is dead, wins key GOP support in US Senate (TN Lookout)
- Blackburn moves $4.8M from US Senate campaign account in apparent legal ‘workaround’ (TN Lookout)
- In crowded primaries for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, what separates the candidates? (TN Lookout)
- Attorneys for pardoned abortion clinic protester announce 7-figure settlement with DOJ (TN Lookout)
- Crickets: Four fatal shootings by Memphis Task Force and little coverage from national news (TN Lookout)
Knox TN Today
- Inside Tennessee Basketball: Coaches Who Made History (Knox TN Today)
- Daily Connections: Your East Tennessee Guide | August 4 (Knox TN Today)
- ‘A Whole Lot o’ Shakin’ Goin’ On’ (Knox TN Today)
- The Masonic Temple: Rutherford B. Hayes partied here (Knox TN Today)
- Dishing It Out: Strawberry Pretzel Salad (Knox TN Today)
- Playground in a day + Thoughts on Flock + Broadacres block party ++ (Knox TN Today)
- Understanding auto insurance: What East Tennessee drivers should know (Knox TN Today)
- First-time homebuying checklist simplifies the buying process (Knox TN Today)
- Tickets on sale for Family Promise Pasta & Bluegrass Festival (Knox TN Today)
- Asia Harris — 2026 Girl Talk graduate (Knox TN Today)
- Above and Beyond: Carnegie Medal recipient Brandon Rorer (Knox TN Today)
- ‘Things are going to be different’ for Tennessee football (Knox TN Today)
Local TV News
- Storm chances will remain elevated through the week (WATE)
- NWS: tornadoes touched down in Cumberland, Fentress counties (WATE)
- Knox County OKs new review process for challenged or banned library books (WATE)
- Lawyer explains how to get medical records after pediatric office eviction (WATE)
- Burchett files bill to ban federal funds for Flock cameras, urges state regulations (WATE)
- Mother sentenced to 25 years for abuse of 3-month-old twins in Campbell County (WATE)
News Sentinel
State News
- BlueCross commits $10M to Chattanooga riverfront redevelopment - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Waiting for practice to start? Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Vols - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- City sends notice of default to Jimmy White on Bend agreement - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Times Opinion: In the voting booth, it’s the year of the not-at-all-close call - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
Wire Reports
- Arson arrest made in connection to Washington wildfire as officials race to contain flames - CNN (US News)
- Stock Market Today: Stock Futures Gain, Oil Ticks Up — Live Updates - wsj.com (Business)
- BP profits more than double as Iran war sends oil prices soaring - The Guardian (Business)
- Stockton-based In-N-Out manager Ashley Garibay identified as Idaho mass shooting victim - KCRA (US News)
- China’s AI Blitz Creates ‘Death Zone’ for Rival US Model Makers - Bloomberg.com (Business)
- Trump raises concerns over campaign in call with Rep. Max Miller amid abuse allegations - CBS News (US News)
- Scott Bessent’s yen intervention signals new era of US ‘currency activism’ - Financial Times (Business)
- Cyclospora outbreak causes first two deaths - Axios (Business)
- Blanche poised for confirmation vote after he kills Trump's fund - Axios (US News)
- Powerball jackpot hits $748M. Check Monday's winning numbers - yahoo.com (Business)
- Asia stocks struggle for direction, oil moves higher - Reuters (Business)
- Pirro Meets With Trump at the White House After He Said She ‘Choked’ in Reflecting Pool Case - The New York Times (US News)
- House Ag Chair ‘pleased’ with Senate farm bill - Politico (US News)
- Brown’s President Will Resign After a Tenure That Included Trump Deal - The New York Times (US News)
- Trump says oil companies should cut gas prices after making "too much money" - CBS News (Business)
Local Media
Lost Medicaid Funding
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TN Progressive
Nearby:
- Blount Dems
- Herston TN Family Law
- Inside of Knoxville
- Instapundit
- Jack Lail
- Jim Stovall
- Knox Dems
- MoxCarm Blue Streak
- Outdoor Knoxville
- Pittman Properties
- Reality Me
- Stop Alcoa Parkway
Beyond:
- Nashville Scene
- Nashville Post
- Smart City Memphis
- TN Dems
- TN Journal
- TN Lookout
- Bob Stepno
- Facing South

John Becker, the ultimate professional
Watching it on Youtube and all I can say is John Becker is such a true professional.
Next time
Next time consider putting Randy McNally on a timer. His slow-paced, rambling answers took up way too much time. Also, consider extending the forum by 15 or 30 minutes. There's never enough time to ask a sufficient number of questions.
But thanks for your role in putting this on and thanks to our senators and representatives for being willing to come.
Anyone running against Daniel next time? Support them. Even Steve Hall.