by Bart Whiteman
posted November 24, 2005
Demonstrating just how desperate he is to win the Republican nomination for U.S. senator from the state of Tennessee, Van Hilleary, on a Nashville conservative radio talk show, attempted to smear former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker’s efforts to secure corporate and government underwriting for a “legislative retreat” for the Black Caucus held locally in 2004. Lord, please save us from desperate politicians. PLEASE SAVE US.
Also, save us from “back trashers” like Hilleary. These are guys who spend their time rooting through the slag heap of the past looking for bits of dirt and unmentionables they can rub on their opponents in a pitiful effort to gain an advantage. They emerge smelling just like the garbage they have surrounded themselves with. They also forget the process makes their own hands dirty, and there’s no soap that will get those hands clean. How about an idea or two about the future? HOW ABOUT AN IDEA OR TWO ABOUT THE FUTURE?
It is this fashionable campaign technique that has pretty much made a complete wasteland of American politics.
Unwittingly, Hilleary threw Corker a huge compliment. Anyone who could make a few phone calls to raise $50,000 for a cause from which he gains no direct personal advantage I want on my side working for me. Hilleary pretty much admitted he wouldn’t and couldn’t have done the same thing. Score one for Corker. Corker was also doing something that was totally revolutionary (let alone “ultra liberal”) at the same time – his job. Score two for Corker. Lord, give us more politicians who do their job. GIVE US MORE.
Hilleary also admitted that, if elected, he would refuse to support something that would benefit the state of Tennessee if it didn’t fit into his narrow scope of politically acceptable minutiae. Forced to choose between helping his state or helping himself, we know what Hilleary would do. Score three for Corker.
Hilleary also tried to drop a little sly acid during his interview by suggesting that Corker appears to have supported some Democrats over the years and not just Republicans. Thank goodness. Score four for Corker. Hilleary handled this dreadful little jab about as deftly as Manny Ramirez handles quick one-hoppers in Fenway Park’s left field. Thank goodness that there is someone out there who looks for merit somewhere besides in a party label. Right now both parties might want to take stock of the fact that they rank right down there with General Motors with regard to public prestige.
Hilleary thinks he can win by out Republican-ing Coker. This is someone driving toward a cliff with no brakes in his vehicle and a concrete block on the gas pedal. If the Republicans applaud that, then they are doing so from the back seat of the same vehicle.
Hilleary also pointed out that Corker has accepted a campaign contribution of $5,000 from the International Brotherhood of Electoral Workers, in other words, “organized labor,” a taboo word in high-level Republican men’s lounges. Boy, won’t that make you just get up and dance? The funny thing is that $5,000 is the same amount that Corker once gave to another failed Hilleary political campaign. Go figure.
What is Hilleary suggesting here? “Bob, I’ll give back the five G’s if you give back the five G’s?” I don’t think so.
All of this would actually be funny if the Republicans didn’t control all that they do. You know the current shame list. If they would stop acting like terminal politicians during the last gasp days of Rhodesia, maybe it wouldn’t be so troubling.
Hilleary needs to shore up his own resume and stop looking for spelling mistakes in Corker’s. The facts are that Corker has him beat inside the Republican Party and also has him beat everywhere else, too. Score five for Corker. This is like a NASCAR driver in 43rd place at the Daytona 500 saying: “Well, if you arrived two hours after the start of the race and took a quick look at the track, you might think I was ahead. It would just be a bunch of guys driving in circles until you checked out the race board.”
The race isn’t over yet, but Hilleary might want to talk to his pit crew and think about trying a new brand of tires.
Bart Whiteman
Bartwhiteman@aol.com
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I am a little confused. Why should Republicans support Bob Corker in the Senate race? Bart Whiteman's answer is because he raised money for the Black Caucus. Mr. Whiteman is not going to vote for a Republican so why does he want the rest of us to do so?
So here is what this opinion seems to be saying: Bob Corker, a Republican, helps in raising money for an organization that has historically been opposed to the ideals and platform of the republican party. Van Hilleary sees that as a problem when someone is running as a republican candidate in the U.S. Senate race here in Tennessee. The Black Caucus also refused membership to a white applicant, obviously a race issue.
So if a person and an organizaiton that are known Bush-bashers, supports Corker for the Senate then I for one would support one of the other candidates for Senate. I do not think Republicans could trust someone who would raise money for an organization that does not have the same value system or would use that money to undermine the work of the Republican party. Now if the Black Caucus was doing work or had a platform that was non-partisan then that would be a different issue. But the author of the Hilleary Gaffe letter, who is praising Bob Corker, is very partisan.
Bob Corker is looking for votes where he can find them whether it be in the Republican party or outside of it. Bob does what is good for Bob and Tennessee should see that. What Bob did for Chattanooga as mayor was first a good thing for Bob Corker and secondarily a good thing for Chattanooga and Bart Whiteman knows it.
Johnny Franks
seechatt@yahoo.com
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We all know you can tell a lot about a man based upon his friends and enemies. The fact Bart Whiteman (a man who never misses a chance to share even the most inane liberal thought) has decided to befriend Corker, and villify Van Hillery, speaks volumes.
Last time I checked, the Republican Party in Tennessee is quite conservative. Having left wingers rise to Corker's defense does Corker's campaign little good in the Republican primary.
Kathy Johnson
kathyjohnson1000@yahoo.com
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