The Knoxville News-Corker
The Knoxville News-Sentinel showed very clearly where that paper is coming down in the Republican Senate Primary in a story on Bob Corker written by Tom Humphrey yesterday. I found the write-up to be the most openly pro-Corker piece written by any paper in the State. I'd say the KNS came as close as anyone to lionizing Corker in the Sunday Edition.In the article, Corker does say that his 1994 Senate loss was "about the best thing that ever happened to me." If we are to judge on Corker's record since that time, it may have been the best thing to happen to Tennessee as well. Corker continues refering to Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary as "people from Washington," as if to say that Bob from Chattanooga never had a thing to do with lobbyists or lobbying in his life. People have asked me what my big problem is with Corker, and for me the biggest problem is his disingenuous attitude. No, I don't agree with Corker's supposedly-former positions on a number of issues, but I find the way he portrays his opponents to be even more deceptive. To the politically unschooled, Corker is a political outsider, and he portrays himself as such. However, he has a history as an insider and has gotten support from the lobbyists (and employed them as mayor) he pretends to decry. If Corker wants to play games about who is and is not an insider, we might refer to him as "Beltway Bob."
As for the KNS, I think it says a ton about Corker politically (and those who back him) that the News-Sentinel is giving him such favorable coverage. The News-Sentinel's liberal editor Jack McElroy has not shown himself or his paper dispossed to give solid conservative candidates good coverage, and where the KNS can get away with it in this conservative area, they'll take a liberal editorial line. Although to be fair to the KNS most Scripps-Howard papers tend to be Democrat or liberal papers, and our local Scripps paper is actually more conservative than some others. Nonetheless, the KNS takes a left-of-center editorial stance the majority of the time, and they are cooing over Bob Corker like a baby over a lollipop. That reality alone ought to cause bona fide conservatives in East Tennessee to sit up and take notice and begin to ask more questions about Mr. Corker.
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:27 AM
3 Comments:
David,
You should check out the poll that was taken at Knoxviews (another local blog, mostly liberal). Local liberals have known for sometime that Corker was going to be endorsed by KNS (if not in word, then in deed). It's not that big a calculation to make; Election = f($).
The big wigs know that Tennesse is a pivitol state for retaining control of the Senate, it's the "R" that counts - if it has "hino" after it, well, that's OK ... so ... electabilty is the name of the game and why Corker will probably win in August. Of all the 3 stooges he has the potenital to get the 1/3 in the middle plus the 1/3 true blue conservative, which he'll have anyway since he has the "R" - com'n whatcha going to do? Vote for Ford Jr? And don't say stay home! Not voting is voting for the other guy. So you gonn'a vote for Ford Jr.?
Van Hillary and Ed Bryant only have the potential of drawing on the 1/3 true blue conservatives, thus living the field open for Ford Jr to draw the 1/3 liberal and the 1/3 in the middle and, consequently, victory in Novmember.
Predictions:
1) I think Corker will win the primary in August.
2) Ford Jr. will win in the Fall.
3) The spread will be less than 10 points.
SteveMule
Steve;
I won't stay home, but I'll not vote for Corker or Ford. If the Libertarians run someone, I'll probably vote for that person as a protest vote. If there is a qualified write-in, I may vote for that individual.
I agree that Ford will win the General Election if Corker is the GOP nominee. It is odd-in the name of so-called "electability," the establishment is lining up behind Corker. However, the majority of the party does not want Corker, he can only win because the votes of a majority of the GOP are split between Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary. Since a majority of his own party is not behind him, Corker is unelectable!
David,
Corker is electable. Most of the 1/3 true blue conservative will vote for him if only to keep a Democract from winning.
I'm predicting a Ford Jr. win for only two reasons:
1) Ford Jr.'s broader appeal in the middle 1/3.
2) A fired up Democratic Base that wants to win even if it's Ford Jr.
If Ed Bryant or Van Hillary were the candidates they would attract mostly only the 1/3 true blue conservative. Consequently, FOrd Jr. would have the 1/3 liberal and the 1/3 middle. Against Bryant I'd predict a double digit win by Ford Jr., and against Van Hillary, I'd give it to Ford Jr. by slightly more than 20 points.
Corker is simply the best bet for keeping Sen. Frist's seat in Republican hands.
SteveMule
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