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Daily Dose for July 21, 2008
Alexander Gives Props to Bredesen on VW Deal
Alexander Gives Props to Bredesen on VW Deal -- GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander praised Dem Gov. Phil Bredesen for his leadership on several economic development issues, the new Volkswagen plant, which went to Chattanooga being among them. Alexander: "Gov. Bredesen is very intelligent, very focused, and he’s a good dealmaker, whether it’s with the Titans or with the Nissan headquarters or with Volkswagen ... When he focuses on something, there’s a good chance it’s going to happen. And fortunately for Tennessee, he focused on those three big things and they all got done." On the Volkswagen deal, Bredesen brushes off criticism that the incentive packages were too high. Bredesen: "I don’t know whether it’s fair that a Mercedes Benz cost $90,000, I just know if I want one that’s what I’ve got to pay ... So I look at this kind of stuff as look there are people all over the country who are willing to put X dollars on the table for a football team or X dollars on the table for an auto assembly plant or anything else like that."
Cohen Attempts to Play Up Obama Link -- The Commercial Appeal notes that the race in the 9th district Democratic primary could come down to which candidate can claim the closest link to Dem standard-bearer Barack Obama. Obama is widely popular in the 9th district, which is composed of a majority of black voters. Incumbent Congressman Steve Cohen says he endorsed Obama, well before his primary opponent Nikki Tinker - because Tinker was waiting on Clinton-backer Emily's List to guarantee their support. Still, Tinker has played up her Obama connection - making Obama's signs just as prominent as hers at her own campaign headquarters. Cohen's handlers say he is more like Obama because people chose to vote for Obama based on the content of his character, rather than the color of his skin.
Overby & Finney Clash Over Past Votes -- It's an interesting race for the GOP primary for State Senate in 8th district. State Rep. Doug Overby is running against incumbent State Sen. Raymond Finney. Overby criticizes Finney for his support of an overhaul of the state's Basic Education Plan - something local school board officials opposed. Finney, points out that Overby was one of the few Republicans to vote for Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. Both men say they voted the way they did because their vote didn't matter. Finney partially argues that the BEP vote would have passed even if he voted no and Overby says Naifeh would have been elected had he voted no.
Eaton Hits Tuke on Ford Race -- Senate long-shot Kenneth Eaton has hit other members of the Democratic primary fight for US Senate rather hard. Showing up to a City Paper interview in a casual Hawaiian shirt Eaton called out his Dem primary opponent Bob Tuke for his failure as TN Dem Party Chair to get Harold Ford, Jr. elected against Bob Corker. Meanwhile, the Commercial Appeal notes the race is beyond a long-shot for Democrats and Lamar Alexander says he's in wait-and-see mode.
