The World According to Oatney

The case for Stacey Campfield

All the usual Democrat suspects came out of their lairs and were in Knoxville a few days ago. Napoleon the Pig Jimmy Naifeh was there. Ned McWherter was there. All the Democrat leaders were squealing about like a bunch of fat hogs in a pen of wet mud. They came to Knoxville to inform 60 people (most of whom it can be assumed were Democrat die-hards) that Stacey Campfield was "on the wrong team" and that his Democrat opponent, who was given a plum job (along with her husband, who may have even been given a State job) to move into the 18th district and run against Campfield was on the "right team."

Attempting to buy a seat in the State House by setting someone up (job and all) is not a new tactic but it is pretty low-down. Ms. Schree will owe quite a few people should she win her election bid. She'll owe Naifeh, she'll owe McWherter, she'll owe the people who got her and her husband those nice plum jobs and all that campaign money, but I'll bet she won't serve the people the way Stacey Campfield has done and is doing.

I won't speak any further ill against Ms. Pettigrew, though I think her actions and the actions of those who support her speak for themselves. I can only speak of my personal experiences with a man who has become not merely a political source, but a dear personal friend. The first time I met Stacey was on one of his "listening tour" stops at Norwood Library. We talked for half an hour or so, and his humility deeply impressed me. In the months ahead, Stacey would impress me even further as I observed firsthand his dedication to serving his constituents, and even folks that really weren't but might as well have been.

When Nicole and I still lived in Knoxville, we lived right on the district line-literally, Stacey covered the houses across the street. I could never get my crooked represensative to listen to anything, and when I would call his office, I always would get his secretary "leave your name and call again-fax the info..." etc., but I'd never hear anything. One day I called Stacey's office, and answering the phone was a man's voice uttering three simple words-"this is Stacey." If Stacey had time to talk, didn't have a committee meeting, wasn't at a hearing or on the House floor, he made time to talk to me, and I know he did the same with any constituent to call his office as well. On the rare occasion that I did get his secretary or one of the other folks in his office, they would actually bother to tell me where he was and if possible when he might return. If Stacey gives you one of his business cards, the local number on there is his cell phone number. When Stacey isn't in Nashville, his cell phone is always on, and he will answer calls at all hours of the day and night.

I learned this firsthand the other night. Stacey took the time to put in a personal call to me as he is sometimes known to do since we struck up a friendship. I was at a Knights of Columbus meeting and could not take his call right away, and I got home at nearly midnight. I thought that his phone would be off and he would be in the bed-"I'll leave him a voicemail and let him know I got his call" I thought. In the dead of night, Rep. Stacey Campfield's phone was on and he answered it (no, he didn't know it was me calling), and he was not on the road. I won't be bothering him that late at night anymore, but that speaks volumes about the kind of representative of the people Stacey is-if you need Stacey he is there for you day or night, he is there when other legislators are not.

So the next time you hear people say that he isn't representing his district, you can tell them to pick up the phone and call him with their concerns because unlike some others, he will be there to listen to them. Stacey Campfield not only represents his district, he never stops representing them, he is doing it even as I write this, and he is there for his constituents and for all East Tennesseans whenever we might need him.

If you live in the 18th District and you don't want a representative in Nashville who takes the job of representing the people that seriously, then you might consider a vote for Ms. Pettigrew. After all, the leadership of Animal Farm the Democratic Party all support her. If you want a representative who will be there for you in ways that personify what "being there" really means, I would encourage you to support the campaign of State Representative Stacey Campfield and give him your vote on November 7th.

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:08 PM