The World According to Oatney

Oh, what a tangled web we weave...

I managed to get Steve Mule in a tizzy yesterday when I posted about Naifeh and his mafia coming to Knoxville in support of Democratic Tennessee House candidate Schree Pettigrew. (The truth of the matter is that Naifeh and McWherter came here less in support of Pettigrew and more out of opposition to her opponent. Naifeh wants someone in the 18th District seat that he can manipulate and use like a ragdoll the way he does so many other members of the House. Mrs. Pettigrew ought not think it complementary that Naifeh came to her event and supported her so publicly because should she win, Naifeh will believe that she owes him and he "owns" her.) Steve Mule said that I was spreading an untruth. I reject that notion, because if there is untruth to the story that Schree Pettigrew was recruited to move into the district and given a job with a promenent law firm and that her husband was also given a job in return for her agreeing to run, blame the MetroPulse for perpetuating the story. I will note that the biggest leftist toilet paper roll in the South did manage to spell Mrs. Pettigrew's first name wrong.

If I find that the story is completely untrue, I'll be the first to retract it here-it wouldn't be the first time I have retracted something on this blog. Apparently, however, Mrs. Pettigrew's supporters do not hold such high standards for themselves. Apparently some supporters of Mrs. Pettigrew have set about perpetuating outright lies about who has given money to Stacey Campfield's campaign and that he has changed his position on the income tax and now favors it. For the record: I know Stacey-he has taken no money from Don Sundquist as these apparently dishonest people have alleged. Further, if Stacey Campfield has changed his opinion on the income tax, then I am an aging Woodstock hippie. I am a walking tax protest, and Stacey is even more anti-income tax than I am!

The truth does not seem to stop the smoke of Satan and the cloud of falsehood from weaving their way into this campaign. Boss Hogg, who has gone out of his way to defame Campfield for standing up to the mountain of lies that is Naifeh, got on WNOX and turned a routine interview into a tirade against Campfield, telling such foul untruths as to say that Stacey Campfield was an obstruction to eminent domain reform. Perhaps only Representative Frank Niceley has been as outspoken an advocate of true and comprehensive eminent domain reform as Stacey Campfield has been. Meanwhile Naifeh threatens to stop debate on the House floor when questioning isn't going in a direction he likes on eminent domain. What erstwhile proponents of openness and freedom of speech Mrs. Pettigrew has chosen to associate herself with...what a team to join, a team of dishonest backroom dealers and stiflers of public debate-oh joy!

I have no reason to believe that Mrs. Pettigrew isn't an honorable human being. That said, it might behoove her to remember that people are often judged by the company they keep. If you want people to think that you will truly stand up for them and not merely with the establishment which has done and continues to do wrong by the people of this State, allowing the epitome and the walking advertisement for that corrupt establishment trash your opponent on the radio is not very convincing. Sitting by and doing nothing to stop apparent supporters of yours from telling total falsehoods about your opponent does you no justice personally or professionally. Is your goal victory at any price, or is it to be remembered with honor? I cannot speak for Mrs. Pettigrew, but I can say without any reserve tthat it appears that the goal of her Party is victory, and honor and dignity be damned.

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 4:18 PM