Saturday, May 15, 2010
Haslam, Wamp Drop In Again
Posted by Jackson Baker on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 1:39 AM
- JB
- Haslam, wife Crissy, and Gibbons
After his tour of the Criminal Justice Center4 at 201 Poplar with Gibbons, Knoxville mayor Haslam made a joke based on a reference in last week’s Tennessee Journal to the ritual that the Gibbons drop-in has become for gubernatorial candidates in Memphis. (Republicans Zach Wamp and Ron Ramsey had made the pilgrimage previously.)
“I think the Rendezvous’s getting jealous. He’s the new Memphis landmark,” said Haslam.
As for why he and the others were touching this base: “Seriously, we ought to. Bill, while he was campaigning, and even before that, was addressing one of the most serious issues in Tennessee [crime control]….He’s working on some creative solutions to the issue, and there’s nothing like coming to see it first-hand.”
Among the actrivities Haslam observed at the CJC were a domestic violence court and a drug court, both of which, he said, had contributed to the 16 percent reduction in crime in Memphis over the last two years.
Gibbons opined, “Maybe the fact that I talked about crime in the governor’s race made the other candidates understand that it is a problem that needs to be addressed.”
It has been no secret, of course, that each of Gibbons’ Republican visitors would like an endorsement — if not from Gibbons himself, then perhaps from members of the former candidate’s entourage.
Gibbons was asked: Would he consider making an endorsement of one of his former rivals?
“It’is not my intention,” he said. “You never say no, an absolute no, but it is not my intention to endorse anyone in the primary.”
During his availability with Gibbons, Haslam was asked about persistent demands from critics (including, ironically, Gibbons during the period of his active candidacy) that he release his income tax returns.
“Everything I own has been revealed publicly,” Pilot Oil scion Haslam said, contending that Tennesseans he talked to told him they understood where his money comes from. "I've laid out everything [I] own, and from Tennesseans, frankly, I have not heard that”—the “that” being demands for releaing the returns.
Haslam was also asked his attitude toward the currently controversial budget cuts passed by state Senate Repubicans and under consideration by the House. He answered warily. “I’m not for increasing taxes. And not for keeping on raiding the rainy day fund. “ He declined to specify his own budgetary remedies. “It’s too easy to sit on the sidelines and not say what you do like. I’ll let them determine specific cuts.”
Chattanooga congressman Wamp had been in town for two days earlier in the week, and at one point, after addressing a group of Young Republicans at Spindini’s Restaurant downtown, met briefly with reporters and renewed a suggestion that the gubernatorial race could winnow down from four (himself, Haslam, Ramsey, and McWherter) to three.
Who might the dropout be?, he was asked. “Well, it won’t be me. I’m not the one who’s missed most of the meetings this past week.” That was an apparent reference to Ramsey, who had missed at least one gubernatorial forum and perhaps other cattle calls due to his involvement in legislative activity.
Wamp was asked about the now famous Shelby County Commission letter requesting gubernatorial candidates to pledge that all federal funds generated by indigent care at the Med be returned 100 percent to the Med. “I intend to sign it,” he said, “but I haven’t seen it.”
During a visit to Memphis last week, Haslam was asked point-blank if he was inclined not to sign such a pledge: “Yeah, we’ve looked at that, and I don’t know that really signing that petition is what’s going to change things.” The reason? “It’s really not that simple that you can say ‘all the dollars that come out of here go back that way.’ You have to look…I don’t think anybody can give you an exact formula and say, ‘The Med produces this much and should get that much back.’
Haslam had also said, “Everybody thinks everybody else is getting a better deal.” But he acknowledged, “Memphis probably feels that stronger than most regions.”
Comments (11)
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TN Congressman Zack Wamp voted for:
Bailout Bill. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
(H.R. 1424) passed 263-171 (Roll Call 681) on October 3, 2008. This bill authorizes the Treasury Department to use $700 billion of taxpayer money to purchase troubled mortgage-related securities from banks and other financial-related institutions, on ... See Moreterms set by the Treasury Secretary, who now has authority to manage and sell those assets. The bailout plan also expands FDIC protection from $100,000 to $250,000 per bank account, extends dozens of expiring tax provisions, expands incentives for renewable energy, provides a one-year adjustment to exempt millions of Americans from the alternative minimum tax, and requires health insurers who provide mental-health coverage to put mental-health benefits on par with other medical benefits.
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Zack Wamp. Sounds like one of Ernest T. Bass's cousins.
What's the age limit for Young Republicans? The ones in the second picture look more like old Republicans. If they're Young Republicans, where does one find the old ones? Elmwood?
what a collection of clowns: Haslam (far and away the most palatable) is going to catch hell for being too "moderate"; Wamp is a C-Street loon and Ramsey is a birther. not looking good, TN.
Haslam's OK, of the 3, you're correct, he's by far the sanest. Plus, he's actually run a city, whereas these other two goons have little or no admininstrative experience.
Is the same Zach Wamp that lives with Washington DC "The Family" cult that encourage lying and adultery? I'd be interested in seeing him explain that one to some Republicans, young or otherwise.
C-Street loon? The "cult" assertion is just ridiculous. For anyone that has been paying attention to the gov. race, Wamp is just a small town guy from Chattanooga that has been involved with his church for a very, very long time... and also just celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary. If that justifies him as a loon, I'll call Mr. Webster and ask him to change his definition entry.
Regarding no administrative experience, I recently heard him mention in a forum with both Haslam and Ramsey that his veteran experience with the House Appropriations committee passed military budgets many-fold greater than the state of TN's budget, which is exponentially larger than the one that Knoxville law dictates that Haslam has to pass. To claim that he has no experience is totally off base it's not even funny.
MIke, he has no executive experience RUNNING a city or state where you have to present a budget. Fact. I'm sure he's a wonderful churchgoer, I couldn't care less. I also don't care that he was a hard-partying cokehead before finding Jesus. I do know he broke his promise to term-limit himself in the House. I do know he spouts garbage about government waste and yet he loves pork barrel funds when it comes to his district. I do know he belonged to "the Family" which imo, is a bunch of religious fanatics and liars. Small town guy from Chattanooga, what a hoot. Bottom line, Haslam would be better for Memphis than Wamp, who will shit all over us the second he gets elected.
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