TN TAX BATTLE Bashing, smashing part of campaign fare (BASHING TAXQUIST)

Since the fastest-growing political sport in Tennessee these days is Sundquist smashing, it is appropriate to have some means of judging the heated competition. You have surely noticed the Sundquist-smashing phenomena, which is second only to fighting the dreaded and evil income tax (IT) in overall popularity among pandering Tennessee politicians.

An argument can be made that lambasting legislators is also on the upswing in popularity. It is entertaining spectator sport to watch legislators calling each other names such as "do-nothing" or "income tax hound."

But the gouging of Gov. Don Sundquist is where it's at. Initially, of course, dumping on Sundquist was a sideshow to IT-bashing. He, like most everybody in Tennessee politics, was a professional IT-basher himself for years.

So, when he switched over to embracing IT, Sundquist naturally became a target for those who love to hate IT. But he was sort of incidental. No more. Sundquist smashing now rivals IT-bashing itself, indicating, of course, that polls show the hapless governor as wildly unpopular. Politicians always look forward to kicking a guy when he's down - in the polls.

The front-running candidates in the race to succeed Sundquist, Democrat Phil Bredesen and Republican Van Hilleary, are part of that pack. To judge their ability in smashing Sundquist, you have to get down to nuances. I'd give Hilleary the edge, partly because he and Sundquist are both Republicans, and though trendy now, a Republican bashing an incumbent Republican is a break with tradition. Also, Hilleary devoted his very first radio commercial to boasting that he stood up to Sundquist.

For real superiority in Sundquist bashing, though, it is submitted that you look for novelty in topic, consistency and bold irrelevancy. With that, consider U.S. Rep. Bob Clement, now running for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. He broke out of the pack and took the lead last week by smashing Sundquist for supposed shortcomings in the state's homeland security system - including the slowness in the FBI granting a security clearance to Wendell Gilbert, state director of homeland security.

"The governor's office is asleep at the switch on homeland security," declared Clement, a Democrat who lost his first race for Congress to Sundquist back in 1984. He criticized Sundquist way back then, even before he was a governor, giving Clement big points for consistency. And the new line of attack is novel. Moreover, Clement's unkind cut was bold and irrelevant to anything but pure, beautiful bashing.

For irrelevancy, consider that a governor doesn't have much to do with the FBI granting a security clearance, and Clement has nothing much to do with state government - either as a congressman or, if elected, as a U.S. senator. Yes, Clement is clearly the leader in Sundquist smashing - putting to shame the Republican U.S. Senate candidates. In the GOP Senate primary, about the best Sundquist smashing has been by Ed Bryant - who makes a theme of pointing out that the governor has admitted preferring Lamar Alexander.

Alexander, in turn, is doubtless in last place insofar as Sundquist smashing goes. When the topic of our lame-duck governor comes up, he mostly sits in subdued silence.

In the gubernatorial race, Republican Jim Henry is back there with Alexander. Democrats Randy Nichols and Charles Smith are in the middle of the pack, a bit behind Bredesen. The question now becomes whether leadership in Sundquist smashing translates into winning at the polls. If so, we can clearly expect Bryant to beat Alexander in the GOP primary, then lose to Clement in November. Hilleary should trounce Henry in August, then head into November even with the Democrat - maybe a bit ahead. Bredesen, meanwhile, may have the edge on his Democratic competitors.

Then again, the gubernatorial abuse contest will surely continue - and it could change overnight.

LOL! Alexander and Sundquist deserve each other--what a bunch of GOOBERS! ;oD

1 vote for Van Hilleary here!

I'm a bit worried about the crop of, possible, candidates for Dumbquist's seat. . .

I have got to meet a couple of them - Hillary and Henry - and I'm just no too fond of either of them or the others that I just see/hear from.

Any of them that you like ?? ??

I've not had a chance to hear any of them. (I do NO night driving due to vision problems unless it's an emergency and most of them are here in the late evening.) Henry is endorsed by the RINO Shelby Co mayor Jim Rout. FRANK CAGLE might give you some insights.

Thanks !!

I'll dig into what he may have to say . . .

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