Metro Pulse/Ear to the Ground

Comment
on this story

Trickling Down

As word seeped out about County Commissioner Mike Arms' impending appointment to the staff of County Executive-elect Mike Ragsdale, other bells started ringing. Specifically, those attached to the telephones of certain of Arms' colleagues who got calls from one Nick McBride, a courthouse operative who works in the office of Register of Deeds Steve Hall. McBride would like to be appointed to fill Arms' seat, should a vacancy occur.

Wha'd He Mean?

Congressman Jimmy Duncan spent the first full hour after the polls closed last Thursday at Jim Henry's "celebration" hall at Rothchild's in West Knoxville. He kept saying he was headed for Republican headquarters downtown, and he was. But when the early returns showed that Henry was being beaten back soundly by Van Hilleary for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Duncan said wistfully, "I think Jim could have beaten [Phil] Bredesen," who became the Democratic nominee in a walk.

Hubris on Tap

County Commissioner John Schmid, a Republican, hung out for a while at Democrat sheriff candidate's Jim Andrews election night party at Bogartz in Homberg. Schmid had been working the polls for Andrews all day. When Sheriff Tim Hutchison's narrow victory became evident in the tally, Schmid groused, "Now we'll have four more years of his [Hutchison's] arrogance."

Just Like Home

The morning after the primaries, the Phil Bredesen campaign staged a near-perfect rally at Roane County High School in Kingston. The Democratic camp had about a dozen enthusiasts holding pro-Bredesen signs along the route from Interstate 40 to the high school, and among those in attendance that morning were Democratic Congressional candidate Lincoln Davis and former State Sen. Annabelle Clement O'Brien. About the only thing that went wrong was the car alarm that went off just outside the building in the middle of Bredesen's short speech. The annoying horn honking, which lasted about two minutes and which the gubernatorial candidate masterfully ignored, gave the estimated 500 Bredesen supporters in attendance a small taste of what it's been like at the Legislature during the past two years.

Everybody's Doing the Column Thing

Used to be, there was nobody better than Lynn Redmon to help tickle a political columnist's funny bone. Redmon could be counted on for a pithy take on current events, which he viewed with a relentlessly sardonic eye. Now, damnit, he's gone and started up his own column, so he's saving his best stuff for the readers of the Powell Post. His take on the case of the double-dipping exterminator, which is currently plaguing the school board:

"Here is the three-question test that should be given to all Knox County School administrators this year to see if they deserve to be rehired.

1. What do termites eat? The answer of course is termites eat wood. 2. What are schools made of? The answer of course is that schools are made of concrete, brick, steel, glass—practically everything but wood.

3. Then why are we involved with a yearly termite control contract, complete with cost overrun scandals, when schools for the most part do not contain any termite food? The answer of course is..."

Are You Ready for Some Fulmer?

The Downtown Rotarians are such an interesting bunch that they're becoming one of our favorite sources of column fodder. This past week, they hosted Phillip Fulmer, who had just returned from Southeastern Conference media days (or "swimming with the sharks," as he puts it), and had some comments on the Vols' upcoming football season. Actually, one of the four football seasons in Big Orange Country, according to Fulmer: "Regular season, recruiting season, spring practice and can't wait till next season season."

Best player? "Kelly Washington. He's a great football player. If you don't believe it, just ask him." Fulmer also had a word of caution for boosters, whom he numbered among the three greatest dangers to college football (along with agents and gambling): " If you see a recruit that you think we just have to have, call me. Do not talk to the football player."