Newscoma

It made me laugh out loud.

So much happened in Tennessee politics yesterday in the opening hours of the 106th General Assembly that it’s difficult to wrap one’s mind around it all. I watched a lot of it streaming and Twitter went wild.

Who knew that yesterday was going to be insane. Not I.

It was political drama at it’s best. I think that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi need to come down to Nashville and see how it’s done. Jimmy Naifeh and Gary Odom got their political strategy on when it came to getting Jason Mumpower, who had been designated the golden child and next speaker, out in the cold.

You can always catch Adam’s coverage at Post Politics and he was all over it yesterday. It just goes to show that we need that sort of aggregated blog where someone is continually feeding information. Excellent.

Once I started seeing the fireworks at PP, I headed to the website and watched this latest version of “Days of our Lives” in real time. I didn’t see any Republicans heads exploding but I did see a flurry of activity. The stream is great, however, I wish they’d had a camera on Rep. Stacy Campfield. Better yet, I wish they had a camera on Gary Odom, who gloats for fun on any given day. I wonder if there was a light coming out of his head. I will pay higher taxes for this option in the future.

I have a few random thoughts about the events of the day.

1. Around the blogosphere, it’s being said that Kent Williams pledged to vote for a republican and it appears he did.
2. Michael Silence is right in this post, you know.
3. As is Aunt B. here. The progressive movement amongst elected democrats isn’t going to change in the least. Why? There really isn’t much of a progressive movement going on in Nashville. However, it was a bit of fun to watch for political junkies.However, this is a Blue Dog state which doesn’t always jibe with progressives. It is what it is.
4. I honestly don’t understand Robin Smith’s statement on Kent Williams. I mean I understand she called him a lying scumbag, I get that, and I will give her props for saying exactly what she wanted to. However, it was a bit strong. The PR tactics of Smith and Hobbs always gobsmacks me.
5. Williams had to leave the General Assembly with highway patrolmen? Was he in danger? Was Mumpower going to rip his face off? Was this honestly necessary? Were the GOP, who were highly pissed, holding torches and sticks? I refer back to Smith’s message at #4. Oh wait, there is this from The Tennessean:
   

   “The level of vitriol from Republican was palpable. After Williams left the chamber during a recess, Mike Weaver, the husband of freshman House member Terri Lynn Weaver, hissed “Judas” at Williams as he made his way down the hallway.”

6. So. Beale. Just go there.
7. I honestly would have loved to be a fly on the wall in Jimmy Naifeh’s office after the session yesterday.
8. I honestly would have loved to be a fly on the wall in Jason Mumpower’s office after the session yesterday.
9. Wonkette line of the day: The point is, Harry Reid could never do this. Snap!

I would like to remind everyone, after yesterday’s soap opera, that Williams is still a Republican. He may not have been the anointed Jason Mumpower, but the GOP still has the leadership in the house.

Photo Credit

UPDATED to add Ben Cunningham’s video wrap-up

Is Harry Reid finally playing hardball? Not Chris Matthews HardBall, because that show just gives me the hives, but some Democratic “Harry”ball?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has decided to keep the chamber in session over the Thanksgiving break to block President Bush from making any unsavory recess appointments while Senators are out of town.

Give ‘em hell, Harry. 

Incidentally, I like saying Harry outloud. I have no idea why.

Just saying.