Metro Pulse/Ear to the Ground

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One, Two; Buckle My Shoe

County Commissioners David Collins and Billy Tindell both read Ear last week and saw the pronouncement that Tindell was a stealth candidate for the position of commission chairman and had in fact overtaken his Second District seatmate Collins, who had been considered the front-runner.

Collins evidently wasn't happy with what he read:

"Can you count to 10?" he asked, citing the mystical number that would give him the majority of the 19 commissioners' votes. "I've got it. I've got 10 votes."

Ear 's take on the chairman's race was much more to Tindell's liking:

"I think I've got the votes," he said, smiling, "And I can count."

Trading Places

It was as if John King had morphed into Carlene Malone at City Council Tuesday night. There he was, the King of the lawyer/lobbyists who for years has made a handsome living representing developers against neighborhood groups and homeowners who want to deprive his clients of the right to develop their property as they choose. But this time, he was arguing against the developer who is seeking to erect a 72-room Hampton Inn on the corner of Henley and Main. King argued that giving the developer what he wants will seal the fate of adjoining property owners and deprive them of the use of their own property. The irony of King making a Carlene Malone appeal wasn't lost on his old foe:

"I thought it was a very appealing argument," Malone said. "I liked the portions of the law he was quoting. It was very reassuring."

Presidential Pretensions

When John Shumaker, the new president of UT, was introduced by Big Jim Haslam at a reception at Lord Lindsey last Thursday, Haslam presented him first as "the 21st President of the United States" before correcting himself in the midst of peals of laughter. The hors d'oeuvres at the affair were all of Greek derivation in deference to Shumaker's academic past as a classicist. And Shumaker quipped that he was picked for UT from his post as president of the University of Louisville, where he said he "worked for Rick Pitino," because of his "abiding desire to beat Kentucky."

Politicos a-go-go

With the exception of Bobby Clement, they all turned out for Honor Fountain City Day: Jimmy Duncan, Lamar Alexander, Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, Jim Henry, Bud Gilbert, Tom Varlan, Bill Haslam, Tim Burchett, Jim Andrews, Tim Hutchison, Bill Dunn, Steve Buttry and his opponent Stacey Campbell, Tommy Schumpert, Billy Tindell, two-thirds of City Council, and the dueling Mary Lous—Horner and Kanipe, who will be duking it out over Horner's 7th District County Commission seat. Hilleary's minions were handing out "I Trust Van" stickers; John King was walking around with a big Henry button; Dunn had set up his "listening post." It will be a long summer.