Halls guy Jake Mabe sent a joyous gift – a link to the late Gov. Winfield Dunn harmonizing with the late Glen Campbell on a Hank Williams classic back in 1973, a mere 50 years ago when Republicans weren’t so angry and songs had both rhythm and rhyme. Enjoy.

Winfield and wife Betty Dunn get into “Midnight Blues”

Glen Campbell extends handshake to Gov. Winfield Dunn

Getting it right in District 18

To readers who love, respect or at least look for my political predictions, I let you down by writing: On election night (11/05/24), I’m expecting an upset in House District 18 where Democrat Bryan Goldberg is challenging one-term Republican state Rep. Elaine Davis.

Davis won with 18,611 votes to 16,013 for Goldberg – a margin of 2,598 – or 53.75% to 46.25%. Not an upset.

Davis already has pre-filed seven bills for the 2025 session including HB 0021 which exempts food and food ingredients from the state sales tax and HB 0039 which requires school districts to provide free feminine hygiene products in all women’s and girls’ bathrooms, in all locker rooms and with school nurses at each public senior high school for student use only.

Hmmm. These bills help people. Reckon Goldberg won after all?

None dare call it treason

Elon Musk said retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman “committed treason” and “will pay” in a story reported first by Miranda Nazzaro for The Hill.

We kill people for treason: 18 U.S. Code § 2381 – Treason

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death … and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kane responded on Twitter: “Message to Elon Musk — The Vindman family embodies patriotism and public service. You know nothing about either.”

Six boost Baker School

Six Tennesseans have pledged $500,000 each to endow four-year undergraduate scholarships at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs. The Baker Scholars program aims to attract and educate a new generation of leaders who will rise to meet the challenges of the 21st century, say they.

The $3 million in endowed gifts will support six named scholarships for four years of study. Donors are:

  • Al Gore, 45th U.S. vice president, former U.S. senator and U.S. representative from Tennessee, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient
  • Lamar Alexander, former Tennessee governor, U.S. senator from Tennessee, U.S. secretary of education and president of the University of Tennessee System.
  • Natalie Haslam, philanthropist
  • James A. Haslam II, Pilot Company founder, philanthropist and Baker School board chair
  • Heath Shuler, former U.S. representative from North Carolina, and his wife, Nikol Shuler
  • Bill Powers, Tennessee state senator and former staffer for Sen. Howard H. Baker, and his wife, Fran Powers
So long to Kay Granger

Kay Granger (2012)

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) has been living in a memory-care facility since July 2024 and has missed votes in the House since July 24. Meanwhile, nobody in the House leadership, the Texas delegation, the press or her staff noticed or mentioned her absence. Granger, like U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), piled up a lot of firsts – first female mayor of Fort Worth, first Republican woman from Texas in the U.S. House and first woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee. Granger did not run in 2024. Feinstein –  first female mayor of San Francisco, first woman, along with Barbara Boxer one year later, elected to U.S. Senate from California – died in office.