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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, today outlined a plan that should be adopted before any loan to the U.S. auto industry is discussed or contemplated. The hearing, the second in a series examining the industry, included testimony from UAW (United Automobile Workers union) President Ron Gettelfinger, Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally, Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli, and General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. “At today's hearing I suggested a number of very specific and rigorous measures that should be in place...

Against the odds, GOP candidates in the state of Tennessee experienced a historic win. In addition to delivering the state to John McCain, Republicans won both chambers of the state legislature. And, as the Wall Street Journal reported, "Sen. Lamar Alexander became the first Republican to carry all but one county in his re-election win -- even taking a quarter of Tennessee's black votes." NPR was not so generous to Republicans in its reportage. Given the opportunity to traffic in the 'Republicans as racists' trope or do some honest journalism, well, with NPR involved, you can probably guess which way...

Will wonders never cease?! Hank Williams Jr. says he will run for the U.S. Senate as a Republican candidate during the next primary election. It is my understanding that Hank has already talked with Sen. Lamar Alexander and former Sen. Bill Frist -- both Republicans -- regarding his candidacy. Those of you who keep up with country music news by reading this weekly column are already aware that Hank spent a lot of time on the campaign trail with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain's vice presidential running mate.

When voters consign political parties to minority status, circular firing squads usually follow. But Tennessee Democratic leaders and campaign operatives aren't blaming each other for the party's stunning losses in last week's legislative elections. They're blaming racism. Barack Obama changed the political map with the biggest Democratic victory since LBJ, but the election made a different kind of history in the alternate universe known as Tennessee. John McCain not only won the state by 15 points, he took some rural counties by 40 points or more, and those mind-boggling margins poured down the ballot to give Republicans majorities in both...

KNOXVILLE — Groups representing Hispanic immigrants in East Tennessee joined together Friday in downtown Knoxville to explain their missions and outline their goals to members of other civic-minded groups in the community. It is safe to say everyone present had an accent — the native East Tennesseans as well as the Hispanics. The meeting was sponsored by the East Tennessee Foundation and initiated by Gladys Pineda, chair of the Latino Task Force of CEDnet (Community Economic Development Network of East Tennessee). The Latino Task Force is dedicated to linking Hispanics with businesses and organizations in hopes of unifying to create...

Tennessee Republicans served notice Wednesday that the legislature is under new management, all but promising to replace the three state constitutional officers and challenging Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen to open talks on state budget issues. Although Republicans won a one-vote majority in the state Senate two years ago, they built it to a 19-14 margin Tuesday and, unexpectedly, won a 50-49 majority in the House, which Democrats held 53-46 until Election Day. Legislative historian Eddie Weeks confirmed it's the first time the GOP has held a majority of both chambers since 1869, during Reconstruction after the Civil War. Both parties...

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Republicans can flex newfound muscle and shake the Tennessee Capitol to its foundation when they take control of the General Assembly in January. The seismic change the election is bringing to the political power structure comes as the state faces its worst economic crisis in decades. And a Republican leader in the House — where Democratic Speaker Jimmy Naifeh of Covington has thwarted GOP measures for the last 18 years — should clear the way for measures limiting abortion rights and loosening gun restrictions. Republicans could also determine the future of the state's judicial selection process and...

Tennessee Republicans won a 19-to-14 state Senate majority in Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial voting totals, while House Republicans appeared to have gained a 50-to-49 margin in that chamber, giving them control of it for the first time since 1971. For the first time since post-Civil War Reconstruction, the GOP holds majorities in both chambers, Republicans said. House and Senate Republicans also have enough votes — 69 — to capture the three constitutional offices of secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer. The state’s 132 legislators elect the constitutional officers, and it takes 67 votes to win. Unofficial returns showed Republican...

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain picked up a trio of red states early in the night Tuesday, with multiple media outlets projecting a GOP victory in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. All three were polling fairly strongly for McCain, although there was some indication that the race had been tightening in South Carolina. The states are mid-weights in the Electoral College, with Oklahoma adding 7, Tennessee 11, and South Carolina 8, adding 26 votes to McCain's total. McCain's victory in South Carolina eliminates the possibility that rival Democrat Barack Obama could sweep the Atlantic seaboard. Obama was down by 10...

GOP presidential candidate John McCain is expected to get a pre-Election Day message out in Tennessee and Virginia by campaigning at Tri-Cities Regional Airport on Monday. McCain’s appearance at Tri-City Aviation is scheduled to happen about 11 a.m., 1st Congressional District GOP nominee Phil Roe said. The McCain campaign hadn’t announced the event or its time Friday. The last time a GOP presidential nominee campaigned in the Tri-Cities was in October 2000 when George W. Bush did a stump speech at Tri-City Aviation about a month before defeating Democratic Vice President Al Gore. McCain’s timing caught Tennessee GOP leaders, including...

Tickets will be required to attend Monday’s Northeast Tennessee appearance of Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and are available online as well as through McCain campaign offices in Abingdon and other Southwest Virginia locations. McCain’s Road to Victory Rally is scheduled for Tri-Cities Regional Airport at Tri-City Aviation Inc., 253 Airport Circle, Blountville, Tenn. Doors will open at 9:45 a.m., according to a campaign e-mail. McCain is slated to appear in the late morning. The campaign e-mail, sent Saturday afternoon, asks that supporters of the McCain-Palin ticket “wear something RED to remind everyone to keep Virginia and Tennessee RED”...

Road to Victory Rally in Blountville, TN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2008 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM Address: Tri-Cities Regional Airport: Tri-City Aviation, Inc.- 253 Airport Circle Blountville, TN 37617 Please join Senator John McCain for a Road to Victory Rally in Blountville, TN Monday November 3rd Tri-Cities Regional Airport Tri-City Aviation, Inc. 253 Airport Circle Blountville, TN 37617 *Tri-Cities Regional Airport is located 3 miles off Interstate 81 at Exit 63. Doors Open at 8:30 a.m. Join John McCain for his final Road to Victory rally on Monday, November 3rd at Tri-Cities Regional Airport. This will be Senator McCain's last...

Early and Absentee Votes November 4, 2008

11 am, Tri-cities airport. Please pass on ... More info to follow........

John McCain now leads Barack Obama 54% to 42% in Tennessee, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state. The latest numbers represent a modest slip for the Republican, who led 58% to 39% in late September. However, McCain has held double-digit leads since tracking began in April, with his lowest level support at 51% in June.

A crush of voters swarmed the polls Wednesday as Tennessee began its 15-day early voting period. More than 4,200 people voted at three polling sites in Hamilton County, according to Hamilton County Election Commission workers at the sites. Voters waited for as little as a few minutes up to an hour to cast their ballots, workers said. Though there are a handful of races on some voters’ ballots, the huge turnout is due to the presidential race between Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., officials say. “I just had to cast my vote for Barack Obama today,” said...

Red State Update at Belmont Debate

Gloria Johnson, who heads up Democrat Barack Obama's local campaign for the presidency, says she and other supporters are undaunted by polls showing Republican John McCain strongly carrying Tennessee. Pollster.com, which provides analysis of all national and state polls, showed McCain at 57.4 percent of those polled and Obama at 37.3 percent in Tennessee on Friday. -Snip- Now she's planned a get-out-the-vote campaign that has a "staging" location and leaders in every Knox County Commission district, she said. Phone banks, canvassers, rides to the polls and poll-watching will be done at that level, she said. "This is what we did...

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County’s registered voter list will likely top 60,000 before early voting begins next week. A whirlwind month of voter registration was capped Monday with 407 new registrations, Elections Director Fran Green told county election commissioners Tuesday. In the August general election the county had about 54,000 registered voters. As of Tuesday, that number was 59,891. Ms. Green held up a tray of registrations and estimated about 500 were left to process. “That will put us over 60,000, “ she said. Election Commission Chairwoman Mary Frances Armstrong praised the office staff’s effort to handle the Monday mobs.....

The son of a Democratic Tennessee state lawmaker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to hacking the e-mail account of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. David Kernell, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn. entered the plea in federal court in Knoxville, the same day prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with intentionally accessing Palin's e-mail account... Kernell, an economics student ... was brought into court wearing handcuffs and shackles on his ankles. He was released without posting bond, but the court limited his computer use to checking his own e-mail and doing class work. Kernell's father is longtime state Rep. Mike Kernell of...

Indictment of Palin Hacker per Fox!!!!

Any Freepers going to the Townhall debate on Oct 7th in Nashville? We need to destroy Obama and hit him hard with questions on Ayers, Wright, his Stalinist tactics, everything. This is the one big chance to destroy this Communist, anti-American liar once and for all.

Debate to happen...

NASHVILLE — With just 37 days to go until Election Day, Republican presidential candidate John McCain continues to hold a double-digit lead in Tennessee over Democrat Barack Obama, a new statewide poll shows. U.S. Sen. Obama, D-Ill., has made some gains in recent weeks, but the survey of 625 registered, likely voters shows U.S. Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, still lead Sen. Obama and his vice presidential pick, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., by 16 points in the Volunteer State. The Sept. 22-24 poll shows Sen. McCain leading Sen. Obama by 55 percent...

One of his most memorable bills fits the Obama MO: February 26, 2005 Income tax proposed? *HB2027 by *Kernell. Taxes, Privilege - Enacts a 1 percent privilege tax on employer's payroll and dedicates revenue to funding special payments to certain hospitals and funding some portion of a reenacted Tennessee Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 6; Title 56; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68; and Title 71.

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee has voted to declare state Sen. Rosalind Kurita's thin primary victory invalid. The panel voted 33-11 on Saturday to declare Kurita's 19-vote August victory "incurably uncertain" after her opponent, Clarksville attorney Tim Barnes, alleged heavy Republican interference in the Democratic nominating contest. A joint convention of the Democratic executive committees in Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery counties will now determine who the nominee will be. There is no Republican running in the general election. Barnes' candidacy was boosted by Democrats who were upset that Kurita helped unseat John Wilder, a Mason Democrat, from...

John McCain now leads Barack Obama in the Volunteer State by twenty-four percentage points in Tennessee. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Volunteer State shows McCain with a 56% to 32% margin. That’s essentially where the race stood in April although Obama managed to close the gap to fifteen points in June, shortly after wrapping up the Democratic nomination. When “leaners” are included, McCain now leads Obama 60% to 35%. Leaners are survey participants who initially indicate no preference for either major candidate but indicate that they are leaning towards either McCain or Obama. Fifty-seven percent (57%) say...

Cheryl Bynum admires John McCain so much that she did something for him she wouldn't do for just any politician. She became a Republican. "He's like your father or brother or someone you feel like you can trust," said Bynum, who lives in Knoxville. "He's the guy you call when you're in trouble." Bynum considers herself a political moderate and was registered as an Independent before McCain decided to run for president. But once he jumped into the race, Bynum changed her voter registration to Republican, did volunteer work for his campaign and got herself elected as a delegate to...

Gov. Phil Bredesen said he doesn't believe the information was part of a bigger political plot. "I think it's just somebody who has some time on their hands, which is a problem in its self, who is doing this kind of thing to show that he had access or to answer a question about somebody," said Bredesen. However, Republican Party Chair Robin Smith is skeptical of the governor's response. "The facts that are involved could impact very drastically the outcome of this November's election, so we're not talking about an internal affairs matter of impropriety. We're talking about strong allegations...

The predictable reaction’s ensuing as we speak, in fact, as Politico presses Tennessee GOP spokesman Bill Hobbs for an explanation. Hobbs should have consulted his rulebook. Verdict: Racist. Sentence: A prominent mention in Peter Beinart’s next column.

Gores to host Obama fundraiser Nashville | July 24, 2008 12:01:13 AM IST Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is preparing to host a Nashville fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, say officials. A spokeswoman for Gore, has confirmed that Al and Tipper Gore have agreed to the event although a date and location have not been set, nor even whether Obama himself would attend, The Tennessean, a Nashville newspaper, reported Wednesday. Wade Munday, a spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party, said we would certainly welcome the senator with open arms should he arrive in Nashville before the October...

Could Felons' Votes Give Tennessee to Obama?

Barack Obama's 'don't smear me' campaign may have to go into overdrive. Even fellow Democrat Party members have their doubts about his candidacy. A Tennessee Democrat is suspicious that Obama may have connections to the terrorists. Not good news for Barry.

The Barack Obama campaign may have to update its new Web site set up to combat vicious rumors thanks to a fellow Democrat. Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member Fred Hobbs tells The City newspaper in Nashville, "I don't exactly approve of a lot of the things he stands for — and I'm not sure we know enough about him. He's got some bad connections, and he may be terrorist connected for all I can tell. It sounds kind of like he may be." Hobbs was giving an interview to the paper about fellow Tennessee Congressman and Democratic superdelegate Lincoln...

Cannot be posted due to copyright issues: http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880613030

Superdelegate Davis slow to endorse Obama By John Rodgers, jrodgers@nashvillecitypaper.com Updated: Friday, June 13, 2008 2:33 am The rise of Sen. Barack Obama, to become the Democrats’ presidential nominee has put most of his party’s faithful on his bandwagon — but not Lincoln Davis, a rural Tennessee Congressman with gubernatorial ambitions. Davis (D-Pall Mall) is not yet endorsing the presumptive nominee in Obama, saying he’ll wait until the late August Democratic Party national convention. In Davis’ sprawling 4th Congressional District — which ranges from as far west as Hickman County to as far east as the upper Cumberland Plateau —...

Proving just how important Barack Obama’s new rumor-busting Web site could be, a Tennessee Democratic Party member told a local newspaper that the presumptive nominee of his party “may be terrorist connected.”

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will be in Bristol, Va., for a “town hall” gathering Thursday, according to his campaign Web site. The event at Virginia High School will be free and open to the public, but tickets will be required for attendance. Doors are scheduled to open at 9:45 a.m., and the program is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. For security reasons, visitors should not bring bags. No signs or banners will be permitted. Tickets for the event may be picked up at the following locations: •Virginia High School Gym 1200 Long Crescent Dr. Bristol, VA 24201 Tuesday...

Barbara A. McKinzie, Alpha Kappa Alpha's international president, expressed indignation and outrage over the Tennessee Republican Party running a smear campaign against Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. McKinzie denounced the transparent mindset that triggered the decision by the Tennessee GOP to design such an ad. She said it is the basis of an ugly underpinning that is being echoed in established racist Internet chat rooms, within the right-leaning blogosphere and among some conservative pundits. To make Michelle Obama a target of a potentially hate-inspired offensive is something that she -- and the 200,000 primarily African-American female...

NASHVILLE (AP) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain will speak at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in June. Spokesman Jeff Sadosky said McCain will be joined at the townhall style meeting on June 2 by former Tennessee Senators Fred Thompson and Bill Frist. The event is free and open to the public. McCain campaigned in the state earlier this year. He was beat by former Republican nominee Mike Huckabee on Super Tuesday voting in Tennessee in February.

Chivalry is still charming, as Barack Obama proved when he recently warned Tennessee Republicans to leave his wife alone. He was commenting on a GOP Web ad that highlights Michelle Obama's comment, made at a rally in February, that she was proud of America for the first time in her adult life. When asked about the ad Monday during an interview on "Good Morning America," Obama said Republicans were welcome to pick on him and his track record, but not his wife. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should...

On Monday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama blasted the Tennessee Republican Party for the swipe it took at his wife. A new ad contrasts Obama's wife, Michelle Obama's admission earler this year that "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country" with statements from people declaring their pride for the United States...

Democrat Barack Obama has a message for Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife." Obama, his party's presidential front-runner, and his wife, Michelle, were asked in an interview aired Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" about an online video last week by the state's GOP taking her to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic. "The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find...

Democrat Barack Obama has a message for Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife." ADVERTISEMENT Obama, his party's presidential front-runner, and his wife, Michelle, were asked in an interview aired Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" about an online video last week by the state's GOP taking her to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic. "The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I...

Talk about internecine upset. The office of Senator Bob Corker, Republican from Tennessee, has weighed in today, siding with Senator Barack Obama’s objections to the state’s G.O.P. Web campaign against Michelle Obama. To recap, the officialdom of the Tennessee G.O.P. posted a Web spot that mines remarks Mrs. Obama made in February that “first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.” The ad repeats footage of her speaking those words, interspersed with comments from Tennesseans, talking about how they’ve always been proud to be an American. Her comments have been reverberating for nearly three months...

Associated Press NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Republican Party "welcomed" Michelle Obama's visit for a fundraiser Thursday with an online video that takes the Democratic presidential front-runner's wife to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic. Obama was campaigning in Wisconsin last February for her husband, Barack Obama, when she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country." The four-minute video posted on YouTube is built around the remark, replaying it six times and interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans, identified mostly by their first names, on why they are proud of America....

(CNN) -- In a preview of the political onslaught Michelle Obama may face in the fall, the Tennessee Republican Party unveiled a Web video Thursday highlighting her comment that she was proud of America "for the first time in my adult life." The four-minute video coincides with a visit to the state by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's wife for a Democratic Party event Thursday evening. It features several Tennesseans saying why they are proud of American while repeatedly cutting to Michelle Obama's comments. "The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America. To further honor the occasion...

The crowd booed Friday morning as Senator John McCain was introduced and stood just below the wreath where an assassin's bullet killed Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior 40 years ago.

NASHVILLE — From Fox News to C-SPAN, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen has been blitzing national media this week in an effort to sell his idea of a “primary” of Democratic superdelegates to break a potential logjam in the party’s presidential nomination battle. “It’s been interesting, and you don’t know what will happen,” Gov. Bredesen told Tennessee reporters Thursday. The governor was in Washington on Monday and part of Tuesday. He has been interviewed by at least 27 national outlets this week. The interest started with a March 19 op-ed piece in The New York Times in which he pitched his...

NASHVILLE - Former Lt. Gov. John Wilder announced minutes ago that he will not seek re-election to the state Senate seat he has held for 44 years. "I wanted to do what God wanted me to do, and I didn't know exactly what that was," Wilder said in a rambling speech on the Senate floor shortly before noon today. After long deliberations, he said, "I decided not to run for re-election" for the Somerville seat. Wilder compared service in the Senate to being a soldier. He closed his speech with this cryptic remark: "If I don't change my mind, that's...