Daily Dose for October 04, 2006

Daily Dose

Bryson & Bredesen Spar in Debate -- Governor Phil Bredesen and Republican challenger Jim Bryson held their first debate in Knoxville yesterday, with issues like illegal immigration, TennCare reform, and taxation coming up. The highlight of the debate came when Bryson directly questioned Bredesen on Deputy Governor Dave Cooley: "The TBI and deputy governor have been held in contempt of court in the last couple of days...And so my question is, governor, is the deputy governor going to be held accountable, and are you going to keep the deputy governor?" Bredesen: "I’m not here to argue a court case which is going at the moment." Later Bredesen said if Cooley has done something wrong he will be "dealt with." Bryson may have put himself in the bind in response to a question by Tom Humphrey where he said he would not raise gasoline taxes in order to restore money stripped from the road fund. Some question why Bredesen would share the stage with Bryson when he was so far ahead in the polls - to which Bredesen's team responded: "His hands were tied." More from the Chattanoogan, Times Free Press, News Sentinel, Tennessean, and City Paper.

New RNSC Ad Criticizes Ford for Attending Playboy Party -- A new ad for the Republican National Senatorial Committee criticizes Harold Ford Jr for shooting a commercial in a church, but attending a Playboy party in Jacksonville last year. The ad starts with a clip from Ford's church commercial where he says "I won't let them make me someone I'm not." Announcer: "Fair enough. So what kind of man parties with Playboy playmates in lingerie, then films political ads from a church pew?" The ad also criticizes Ford for voting to 'kill the Patriot Act and strip intelligence funding.' Ford's campaign would not comment whether Ford attended the event, but called the ad X-rated. Also brief mention in today's Tennessean.

Herenton Proposes Tax Increase Day After Announcing Surplus -- A day after he reported a surplus in city government, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton is not backing down from a proposed .50 property tax increase to fund a intiative to increase the number of police officers in Memphis. Several City Councilmen have said they will oppose the tax increase. Herenton promised in 2005 that if the council approved a property tax then he wouldn't ask for another the current term.

Rochelle v. Beavers Heats Up -- In Senate District 17, the race between Republican incumbent Mae Beavers and former Democratic legislator Bob Rochelle is heating up with a new ad where Rochelle accuses Beavers of hiding information from the TBI in an investigation in 2002 about her residency. Beavers says the Rochelle ad is completely false. The investigation cited was later dropped without charges because "the evidence showed that Beavers built a second house in a neighboring district for 'speculation and resale' and intended to return to her old district 'as soon as that was accomplished,' which is permissible under state law."

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |