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All bets on Knoxville in Tennessee U.S. Senate race
Submitted by R. Neal on Mon, 2006/11/06 - 4:11pm.
Both Bob Corker and Harold Ford Jr. were in town today for one big final East Tennessee push before the election tomorrow. Report and more photos after the jump... Bob Corker Rally, 9:30 AM Corker had a rally downtown at Krutch Park, where he was joined on stage by an all-star GOP lineup including Sen. Bill Frist, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Congressman Jimmy Duncan, Mayor Bill Haslam, and Bob Corker's wife Elizabeth. There was a crowd of about 150 GOP supporters and local GOP who's who including Sheriff Tim Hutchison, State Sen. Jamie Woodson, Knoxville City Councilwoman Marilyn Roddy, and we even met Brian Hornback. The introductions and speeches were brief and without much substance. Saxby Chambliss asked how many had voted early, and how many had voted Republican. He said that Sam Furrow would give everyone who voted early and voted Republican a new Mercedes Benz. (Note to self: Check with my Dad to see if he's got a free Mercedes coming.) Bill Frist got the crowd going a little with a "Republicans are right, Democrats are wrong" call and response. Democrats are apparently wrong on cutting and running, increasing taxes, dependence on foreign oil, supporting predatory trial lawyers, and appointing activist judges. John McCain started by saying that he had a message from the Phoenix chamber of commerce that it was 85 degrees over there and they take all kinds of plastic for those interested in going. He said that Corker's experience as mayor was a great qualification because being mayor is harder than being a senator. He also said the Bob Corker would provide all expenses paid trips to Bob's victory party in D.C. Republicans appear to be big on incentives. Bob Corker gave a mostly uninspiring speech about momentum in the polls, and the fact that he's from Tennessee and has lived a Tennessee life. He said that John Kerry and Ted Kennedy gave Ford $1 million to influence the race. He said Tennesseans are the only ones who should influence the race and that he'd rather stand on the stage with McCain and Chambliss than with Kerry and Kennedy, or something like that. We were both sort of surprised by the lack of energy and enthusiasm, but I guess it was an older, more subdued crowd. Or maybe they were just dumbstruck by all the GOP star power on display. At any rate, it was an efficiently run event, as I imagine most Republican events are. Harold Ford Jr. Rally, 12:30 PM After the Corker rally we headed over to West Knoxville for the Harold Ford Jr. rally. There was some confusion about the venue, but everyone eventually landed at Calhouns on Bearden Hill. Congressman Ford was in Chattanooga this morning, and was running about an hour and a half late. (When he arrived he apologized for being late but said that he was mobbed in Chattanooga and just couldn't leave.) His campaign advance people told those who were there at 11:00 to go on in and have lunch on the Ford campaign while they waited. When he arrived it was the usual mob scene. He gave a fairly long interview to local media (including our friend Amelia Daniels from WATE). He went inside the restaurant and shook every hand and asked for every vote. Lincoln Davis was there, too, helping work the crowd. David Muir from ABC's Good Morning America was there. Apparently he has been on a three day road trip to states with key congressional races. Ford gave him an extensive interview just before leaving. Amelia Daniels said that there was a Nightline producer there, so some of that interview could be on Nightline tonight. We estimate there were around 200 people or more inside and outside Calhouns. It was a pleasure seeing Betty Bean and Madeline Rogero there. We also ran into Scott Emge, and met Mark Cawood, Mark Seigel, and Bill Young in person. We had seen Bill at every Ford event but didn't know who he was, so thanks to Betty for introducing us. There were apparently more than a few KnoxViewers there. There weren't any speeches, but check the local news this evening for Ford's remarks, and possibly Nightline and Good Morning America tomorrow. At the Corker rally...
At the Ford rally...
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Great meeting you and the beautiful lady of your life. Thanks for coming. Thanks for capturing Senator McCain and myself. I have liked the Senator for many many years.
You can live a better life or a bitter life.....it's your choice
I was there but actually having a business lunch with some Canadians that have heard all about this race. Wish I could have mingled and met some of you folks.
Thanks for the update and the pics.
Interesting that Corker and Ford are spending Saturday and Monday before the election in Knoxville. There are bigger cities out there. And while Saturday was game day, you'd think they'd hit, say, Memphis, in the last few days before the election. (I'm guessing they'll both be in Nashville tomorrow.)
Hey, Les, why don't we just call each other assholes and get it over with. - Somebody on the old Southknoxbubba.net (if that was you, claim your quote and win net.fame!)
Yeah, that's Lamar.
Just got an e-mail from the Ford campaign that he will be in Memphis for an election eve get out the vote kickoff tonight at 6 PM Memphis time. That means he must be somewhere around Nashville or better by now on the big Jr. Bus headed west.
That guy has to be the hardest working man in politics. There are rumors that he will be back in Knoxville for a breakfast of some kind tomorrow. I can't imagine how he will do that, but no one imagined this race would be this close and I attribute that to Ford working his ass off.
All the interest in Knoxville (east Tennessee actually) is based on the political calculas that Repub margin of victory in East Tennessee is less than some number (I usaully hear 100K) then the West and Central divisions will carry the day. So a good showing is important to both races.
Wish I could have been there for both events unfortunately I have to work. I couldn't afford to take the time off.
Take Care, Be Good and don't play in the street!
SteveMule
Les,
Corker was in Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis...all today. I think that will be generally repeated again tomorrow.
Corker will be in Chattanooga tomorrow night to watch the returns. Don't know about Junior.
Memphis.
____________________________
You can live a batter life, or a butter life. Or both, if you choose.
Corker was in Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis...all today. I think that will be generally repeated again tomorrow.
I bet he was not traveling on a bus. More like Haslam's personal jet? Just like the average UT graduate from Tennessee!
The Corker party was on the bus everywhere except from the last leg tonight, Nashville to Memphis. At least that's what I was told by a 'source familiar with the situation'.
Maybe Junior wins a close one, but this doesn't sound like someone who thinks he's winning...from the AP:
Ford's attacks on Corker have gotten sharper in the closing days of the campaign, calling the Republican a liar, the "king of slime" for his TV attack ads, and "the little guy" _ a reference to Corker being at least half a head shorter than Ford.
Sounds more like the frustration of a beaten man.
I hear you get thrown off the bus if you slip up and call Corker's wife "Betty," which was her name when she grew up in Sevier County and when she worked at the Copper Cellar in Knoxville prior to her first marriage. Seems odd, and an insult to Bettys everywhere ;-)
Crashing Bob Corker's press conference in Memphis, a seminal Howard Dean moment, which served no real purpose other than to cause independents and conservative Republican's to doubt all that Jr. had said to that point in time.
This date will come to be a point in time in the Ford Campaign which will live in infamy, which had been a fabulous event until that situation.
Having to feed your campaign millions of dollars in the last week doesn't sound like a confident man. Sounds like Corker knew he would go down in flames unless he could buy more air time to misrepresent Harold Ford's record and attack his family. Didn't the Swift Boaters lower the discourse enough for you guys?
Sounds more like a confidence man, dunnit?
____________________________
You can live a batter life, or a butter life. Or both, if you choose.
I don't think I realized how much those two guys travel. I still have it stuck in my head that this a little old bitty election.
Hey, Les, why don't we just call each other assholes and get it over with. - Somebody on the old Southknoxbubba.net (if that was you, claim your quote and win net.fame!)
Hey, from the ad I saw from a previous date. I thought Ford was darker than that. If I had known he was that light, I wouldn't have voted for him.
Adrift in the Sea of Humility
it was good to met the both of you..it looks like the pundits..after flirting with calling this race over...now are saying its a toss-up..its down to ground game..in a close one..harold ford,jr..wins with 51%!!
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