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July 10, 2006
20 Answers to Chris Clem
I thought I would offer a reply to Chris Clem's much-talked-about email on Bob Corker. Why? Because Rep. Clem asked nicely, and that will usually work with me.
Before I begin, let me reiterate that my support for Bob Corker is unusual (for me). I told a couple of his staffers as much early on, when I met with them to talk about blogging and campaigns. My choice has little to do with ideological similarity, and that's a weird place to be. It may be just as simple as my own sort of declaration of Independence, though I suspect that even that is colored by my utter disappointment in the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee.
Who cares? I view the United States Senate as a place where negotiation rules the day. People should be grown-ups in the House, but they pretty much have to be in the Senate. Therefore, someone who is known as a tough negotiator, who has worked hard to build a business and, yes, a personal fortune, and who has shown ability to effectively manage and get things done, is a prime candidate to get my backing. The hot-button social issues take a back seat to pure ability. These people who act like Bob Corker is "left-wing" have never met a left-winger, if you ask me. You guys ought to meet my friend John Johnson. But I digress. Chris Clem. Right.
1. In 1994, Corker said that the [federal, right?] government has no business restricting abortion. Plenty of anti- and pro-choice advocates agree on this, in their divergent ways. I'm disappointed that Bob Corker has moved away from this position, but if he's personally convinced otherwise, so be it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a one-issue voter. Get over it.
2. As Finance Commissioner, Bob Corker supposedly made statements that supposedly indicated a possible support for a state income tax that, read your history books, never came about. I have no direct knowledge about these supposed statements or about what they supposedly meant.
3. The Hyde Amendment - browbeating Corker over his rejection of it hides the fact that it was, indeed, slipped in at the last minute instead of in an open process. Any good government finance official should react accordingly. You who think that it didn't deserve a good review just because it was "pro-life" are fooling yourselves.
4. Chattanooga property tax increase - yes, Mayor Corker did assess a dire fiscal situation and determine that a revenue increase was necessary, but then set out on a path of trimming city government and improving its ability to bring in the necessities without further tax increases. The insinuation that he "did it early" so that voters would "forget" as part of some grand scheme made me laugh out loud when I read it.
5. Would YOU try to get Van Hilleary elected to anything? (Yes, I know some of you are, right this very minute. I don't know what to say to you, except "good luck.") Prioritized partisanship is one of the worst ills of our political life today. You don't have to go way out of your way to support a candidate just because the person shares the elephant or donkey icon. And, uh, he did give Hilleary $5,000.
6. I'm just confused. In #5 the complaint is made that Corker wouldn't "support" Hilleary, but in #6 it's a foregone conclusion, which wouldn't even be brought up. Maybe he didn't support Hilleary more because he was never asked? Naw, I know better. But still. And it's true that the Mayor position in Chattanooga is non-partisan. Moving along..
7. Chris Clem was not Corker's state representative in 2002. (He was in 2001, and for perhaps a few days in January 2002; but then redistricting took effect, which moved Mayor Corker's residence into District 28, which was then, as is now, represented by Tommie Brown.) I did hear of the fundraising advantage Bredesen had over Hilleary, but I had earlier seen the Hilleary ads that attacked his GOP rival (Jim Henry), and chalked up bipartisan support for Bredesen to two things: Hilleary's ineptness, and Bredesen's business background.
8. It's true, Chris Clem rather narrowly defeated his GOP primary rival, John Lively, in 2002. It was the year I started, then had to abort, a run for the State House myself. I met then-Councilman Lively at the Election Commission and we had a nice long chat. He struck me as a candidate with broad appeal who would do well in a district like 27. I think it's just a little paranoid to blame Lively's near upset on one family, as Clem has done. Lots of people supported each candidate, and it was a close election. That's that.
9, 10, 11. These seem to be re-hashing the same thing in several steps. What an individual does in terms of contributions is a highly personal matter. There's not really a point to which to respond. Next?
12. I'm not sure I understand what Clem is talking about, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the deal with the Legislative Black Caucus was that they wanted to hold their annual convention somewhere, and Bob Corker was Mayor of Chattanooga. So, he and others talked to business leaders and such, and those businesses -- not Bob Corker -- made advertising investments toward bringing the convention here. They came. What the Caucus did with, and how they didn't report, the money is a problem, yes. But it is in no way Bob Corker's problem.
13. I watched the 2005 mayoral election closely, and I never saw evidence that Bob Corker was raising money for any candidate. Former mayor Jon Kinsey, maybe. (Funny - a lot of what is being conveniently blamed on Corker was really Kinsey's doing.) Furthermore, tell me how "agnostic" plays into anything. Are there not agnostic conservatives and Republicans? Not to the TeamGOPurists, I guess, but they do exist in some significant number. Oh, but wait -- Ann Coulter (the urban planner, not the entertainer) is an Episcopalian. Last I checked, they are affirmative on the whole God question. And they're Christian. And George Washington was one. Bad move, Chris. If Corker did in fact support Coulter for Mayor, it was likely because she would have continued his excellent efforts at building a truly world-class city.
14. Pay no attention to what Jimmy Naifeh says on just about anything this topic. (Oops, that must have been the beer talking.) And why is it a mortal transgression to be friends with someone from another political party?
15. Why would Bob Corker be in a back room in Nashville while the State Senate chooses a new leader? He'll be getting prepped on being sworn in to the United States Senate.
16. More about Jimmy Naifeh -- and there's this little matter of a public election that will decide who rules the State House.
17. State legislators have their reasons for supporting either Bryant or Hilleary. For one thing, I'm sure some of them were in a congressional district represented by one or the other. Then there's the whole free will thing.
18. John McCain and Arlen Specter are not liberal. The latter can be called moderate, and the former is downright conservative, depending on the day. How many of those Senators have endorsed Van Hilleary? So a few of the far-right ones like Bryant. Sure, that makes sense. Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader, hasn't indicated a preference. That's a good thing, in Tennessee Republican party circles anyway. But I think you can guess, like I can, whom he supports. It's just a guess, I know.
19 & 20. These last two are just here to make an even number, I think. They are so full of speculative nonsense (well, 20's just a rhetorical question) that I can't rightly respond. I don't know any more than you do what Bob Corker will do in 2007 or 2008, but I suspect he won't be turning the Republican Party into a bunch of liberals. It's just a hunch.
Okay, so maybe I didn't hit every single point with a counterpoint. I hope to hear about mistakes I've made, and I promise to correct them if I can validate the correction. I welcome your opinions on this matter. It should be fun!
Last note: I do appreciate Rep. Clem for contacting me and proposing that I put up a response on my blog. It's an honor to correspond with an elected public servant, even if we disagree about 96% of the time. Chris is a good player in this game. My responses above aren't directed at him, but at you, dear reader. There's a handy Comments function here for you to use in your part of the conversation.
Bob Corker for Senate , Politics is Personal , US Senate Elections | By joe lance | 10:47 PM