Bush due here KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE Tuesday for fund-raiser (Van Hilleary-guv)

President Bush comes to Knoxville Tuesday to speak for fellow Republican Van Hilleary in the congressman's quest to be Tennessee's next governor.

The noon luncheon at the Knoxville Convention Center will be one of the largest fund-raisers ever held in East Tennessee, event sponsors say.

Hilleary opposes former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen in what is considered a close race that will be decided on Nov. 5. The winner will succeed Republican Don Sundquist, who isn't eligible to seek another term.

Susan Richardson Williams, luncheon co-chair, said the Hilleary campaign believes 750 people will attend the $1,000-per-plate affair.

"We had about 65 table hosts sign up. If all sell tickets (10 to a table) - and we always have some come back in response to invitations - it sounds like it will be a huge success," she said. "It's looking good."

U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. said he and fellow GOP Congressmen Zach Wamp of Chattanooga and Bill Jenkins of Kingsport have been invited to fly with the president and Hilleary from Washington, D.C., but Duncan isn't sure he'll be on the plane.

With Congress trying to recess this week, Duncan said he has two bills he has to handle on the House floor as chairman of the House's Water Resources Subcommittee.

One bill is the Water Resources Development Act, which has a number of projects for the Army Corps of Engineers and includes $267 million over a 10-year-period for a new lock at Chickamauga Dam near Chattanooga.

"I've got to fly back up to Washington Sunday afternoon and handle bills on the floor (today)," Duncan said last week.

He said he also has to evaluate what will be taken up on Tuesday and whether it includes Bush's request for authority to use U.S. force against Iraq.

Luncheon planners said a public rally is being planned for McGhee Tyson Airport before the lunch. Details are to be released later.

Ten business, political and community leaders from the Chattanooga area have joined Republicans for Bredesen, a bipartisan effort in support of Bredesen's campaign for governor. The group includes Ben Probasco, a principal at Kinsey Probasco and Associates, which is the coordinating developer for Knoxville's Market Square.

State conservation and environmental leaders have joined efforts with Hilleary to create environmental policy for Tennessee. Cumberland County Executive Brock Hill will chair the committee. Other members are Gary Douthat, president of the Tennessee Bowhunter Society, Moshiem; Etta Pettijohn, free-lance outdoor and conservation writer who promotes women in the outdoors, Greeneville; Casey Purcell, member of the Tennessee Conservation League Policy Board, Knoxville; and Bobby Seay, co-founder of the Dead Pigeon River Council, Newport.

Georgiana Vines is associate editor of the News-Sentinel. Her political column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. She can be reached at 865-342-6343 or at vines@knews.com. This column also is available on the Internet at www.knoxnews.com.

SPREAD THE WORD AL'S NOT VERY POPULAR WITH TENNESSEE DEMWITS

AlGorebatross has lots of time on his hands as the Tennessee demwits especially the demwit weasel word phil bredesen who is running for governor is RUNNING from AlGorebatross as if albore has the black plague!

Come to think of it AlGorebatross has only campaigned for 2 Tennessee canidates. Leftist boby clement who is running against Lamar, and socialist sherry fisher who is running against Heroine anti-income tax warrior Mae Beavers for state Senate.

I wish News Max or World Net Daily would pick this story up.

Bredesen running from Albore

Gore's role minor in state politics Bredesen keeping his distance from ex-vice president

albore has positioned himself where he can claim victory when any TN Democrat defeats any TN Republican. I understand the "bore" is also directing the McBride campaign in FL. I would think Van Hilleary would be in more trouble than Lamar Alexander because some "moderate" Republicans will boycott the Hilleary candidacy. Some of the uninformed may refuse to support Hilleary because his last name sounds too much like the first name of a northern liberal senator.

weasel phil went to school with hitlery and is a native New Yorker.

NO mayor of a city has ever been elected Governor in the state of Tennessee so I've been told.

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STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

NO mayor of a city has ever been elected Governor in the state of Tennessee so I've been told.

I think this is also true in LA -- no mayor has been elected governor there either. Also, I don't think any NYC mayor has ever been elected governor in NY. And no Dallas mayor has been elected senator from TX, but the Democrats are superconfident this year in a former mayor of Dalla running for the U.S. Senate. So, there is always a first, even a "Frist" in TN. And isn't albore an asset to the liberal Nashville mayor? Or maybe people outside Nashville just don't like Nashville, and that will hurt the Democrat -- Bredenson, I can never remember the spelling of his name.

No al is not an asset, especially when you REFUSE to call him to campaign for you. weasel phil is running from AlGorebatross as if Albore has the black plague. In fact albore has only appeared for TWO canidates. Socialist sherry fisher who is running for state senate, and leftist bob clement who is running for Thompson's seat.

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