Newscoma

Well, this is interesting with a hat tip to Kleinheider:

Stoking the back-room intrigue recently was (Mark) Maddox’s announcement last month that he planned to seek (Gary) Odom’s leadership position because Odom was advertising his interest in the speakership. Odom fired back with a letter of his own saying that he had made no such comments, and that decisions would come later.

Maddox said he still believes that Odom will seek the speakership, although he admits that he has slightly less confidence in that now than he did several months ago. Amassing a war chest, he said, “would be a characteristic of somebody who’s looking at higher office.”

“The leader has given every indication that he’s running for speaker, and I want to put my hat in for that position,” he said.

Without saying what his intentions are one way or the other, Odom reiterated his comments last week that he wouldn’t consider leadership positions until after the election.

This is my opinion, and my opinion only. Odom IS looking to make a move. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. All politicians look up. It is what it is.

Battles behind closed doors in Nashville are so interesting to me and, that my friends, is what I believe is going on.

The Tennessee General Assembly seems to be writhing as change seems to be in the air. Instead of weapons, we see polite statements in media coverage that are barbed with really what’s going on in the back rooms.

It happens every election year.

So, if this is a throwdown between Odom and Jimmy Naifeh, I can’t help but wonder who is going to win.

People just don’t set up war chests for no reason. Remember that.