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On Politics: Kurita was robbed
Monday, September 15, 2008 at 2:18am
The Good Ol’ Boys still run the Tennessee Democratic Party, and on Saturday they got together in the figurative smoky back room and did their best to end the career of their party’s highest-ranking woman.
State Sen. Rosalind Kurita saw her narrow election victory essentially taken from her Saturday at a downtown Nashville hotel as members of the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee met to try and decide the fate of her 19-vote victory over challenger Tim Barnes.
The party executive committee didn’t have the outright courage to hand the election to Barnes based off the challenger’s razor-thin body of evidence that there were enough irregularities in the 22nd District Democratic Senate primary to overturn the results. Instead, the body voted 33 to 11 to send the decision on whether or not to overturn the primary — and hand it to Barnes — to a board of the executive committees of the county parties in the district.
In a season where politicians on both sides of the aisle are trying to lay claim to the legacy of change and being a maverick, Kurita is the one true maverick in Legislative Plaza. And her Democratic Senate colleagues and fellow Democrats from around the state are trying to run her out of the party and elected office for having bipartisan appeal and refusing to play ball whenever the good ol’ boys decide it is time.
Kurita was the one Democrat with the spine to stand up and say enough is enough when it came to the Speaker of the Senate reign of former Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Wilder was part of the purported political West Tennessee Mafia that runs the General Assembly and by extension the Democratic Party in this state.
Wilder had lost a step, though. Tennessee Republicans were picking up seats, and Wilder’s grasp of what needed to happen each session appeared to have greatly diminished. It was time for him to go, and everybody knew it but John Wilder. Kurita knew it and acted on it. She crossed party lines and voted for now Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.
It was this sin that was the subtext of the meeting Saturday and not the paper-thin voting issues brought forth by Barnes. There was also by all accounts a general doubting voiced about our state’s open primary voting system where voters do not have to be permanently beholden to one party or the other to cast a vote in a primary.
Ironically, Kurita is being faulted in this process for something Democrats typically have to pay to do – attract Republicans to vote for them. Here, in Barnes’ evidence, the idea that the GOP may have crossed party lines to put Kurita over the top is being used as a reason to invalidate the election.
Tennessee Democrats will have a day of reckoning when it comes to this vote. Sadly, party elders seem to be squandering the leadership of Chairman Gray Sasser, one of the more informed and strategy-minded chairs in recent memory.
Even worse, Tennessee Democrats now appear to care more about politics and holding power than they do actual democracy.
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Filed under: City Voices
"Even worse, Tennessee Democrats now appear to care more about politics and holding power than they do actual democracy." If a bunker, huge raises for commissioners and the MANY antics of Naifeh didn't show us that, this certainly did. Why do we even bother to vote when they seem to be able to take that away from us to?
Dems are really showing their sexism/quest for total power.Either way they lose. If they keep her she will remember what they tried to do to her, if they don't the door is wide open for her to run as a republican or an independant.Didn't they learn anything from trying to screw Joe Liberman? (glad they didn't)
And why isn't anyone talking about the Democrat controlled Davidson County Election Commission trying to redistrict Republican candidates out of their district between the primary and the general election? They got caught and had to send out 3,000 new voter registration cards a couple of weeks ago.
First it was Hillary; now Ms. Kurita. Seems like in a time when Republicans are including women, the Demos are trying to erase us. Yep, they are sexist. I guess if a man had voted for Ramsey, it would be O.K.; and from all appearances, Wilder seemed to be a dinasour; you know, too old! There needs to be a limit on how long one can hold office that high up.
Kurita would have defeated Corker. Why is this party suicidal?
In the past 6 years, members of the Republican party on every level - federal, state, county - have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to abuse the powers of their elected and appointed offices to permanently lock Democrats out of power while they, Republicans, carry out their fascist agenda. Meanwhile, Democrats are consistently told to play nice. Screw that.
I am truly baffled how someone can have their election by the people voided by a political party. Can someone explain how this is possible? It seems, like in the Ophelia Ford case, another election should be the result, not the handing over of the seat to the guy who lost. Does this not disenfranchise the voters? Don't we have open primary laws so those of the other party can cross over if they want to? What is wrong with that?
Life, the simplest answer is that the primary candidate is selected by the party, not by any voters. The primary voting that does take place (not all states do) is merely a preference survey.The party decides, not the voters.
Clint Brewer's crocodile tears are flooding my office. Republicans were gleeful when Ophelia Ford's election was declared "incurably uncertain," but when their favorite Judas is hoisted on the same petard, they are aghast.
Why would anyone be surprised to find a snake acting like a snake? Look at the history of how politics are done in this state and this latest atrocity is just one more in a long line, a very long line.
Hmm, I had no idea. Why do we waste all of our time and money on voting then, if they won't abide by it? It is a strange situation. Kurita is very liberal and can always be counted on to vote the right way. Except for in one case.
Portraying the Democratic party as the party of sexism is laughable. Remember it was 24 years ago that the Democratic Presidential candidate chose a woman as a running mate. And count the women in positions of power or elective office in both parties and see what numbers come up.EasyWriter did a good job of putting this in perspective. HickMan, gerrymandering is a time honored tradition in both parties. Remember Tom "Money Launderer" DeLay's gerrymandering in TX that actually took seats away from Democrat Congressmen (one of whom is back in office).
Kurita was not robbed, she was lynched!!!! She is just too uppity to let her continue to serve the voters who elected her. How could these "democrats" allow a woman to hold elected office who wouldn't follow Bredesen's orders. Wasting Gray Sasser? Sasser is a wimp who does only what he is told to do even if it is in violation of law. In Denver he told the Hillary delegates to vote for Obaama on the first ballot (as some did) even though it is REQUIRED by TN law that pledged delegates vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged for 2 ballots. He provided no direction to the EC members at the hearing and screamed like a spoiled child when Bob Rochelle, Kurita's lawyer tried to provide the direction to the EC members that Sasser was too weak or corrupt to provide. I lost all respect for people who I thought had some integrity. I am still a Democrat but I am not a TN Democrat.
"Hmm, I had no idea. Why do we waste all of our time and money on voting then, if they won't abide by it? It is a strange situation. Kurita is very liberal and can always be counted on to vote the right way. Except for in one case."Actually, she broke party lines several times at the end of last session just for spite. And then proclaimed ignorance when questioned about it in interviews w/ labor leaders when they were trying to determine which candidtate they would support in the upcoming Democratic primary (they chose Barnes). She also refused to commit to supporting the Democratic nominee for Speaker next session. But back to that one vote. What did TN get? A Republican controlled Senate, and a loss of control of the legislative agenda. If you are a Democrat and support Democratic causes, this was a devastating loss. What did Kurita get? The position of Speaker Pro Tem, a bigger office, and a larger staff (and most likely a pledge from the Republicans not to run anyone against her in the general. A bargain that may come back to bite them). Her vote was not about principles or the good of her constituents. It was about Kurita. And as far as the recent primary, she had more money (much of it raised from Republicans like Ron Ramsey), ran more negative ads (Barnes didn't raise enough to get on TV), and who knows how many votes from Republicans and those misled to believe that they had to vote in the Republican primary to vote for Barnes to "win" by only 19 votes. Kurita is not a Democrat, she's an opportunist. The Democrats in the 22nd district want a Democrat as their nominee, and that's Tim Barnes!
LifeIsGood, this is the Democrats choosing their nominee; that's why the party committee rules.
Oh hell were are trying to bad mouth every woman that not a republican, you got to wonder if that breast feeding women gov Palin was not on the republican ticket if any on you pistol toting republican would give a hoot about the women. If we are gods favorite then why do we have to try to whip the world. I hate to think but does this not remind you of Bush-Gore and Bush -Kerry. I do not think anyone on here thinks if Gore was president we might not be paying $5 gas when it fell below $100 on the open market. I do feel sorry for the down syndrome kid Sarah brought into this world with no chance of a life just to support her politics so she can get votes probably in the Alaska election at the time she plan for it.
Sorry Clint,but Kurita crossed the political line and in any political party that is going too far. How far would a GOP member get should they do the same thing (vote for the Dem's position in defiance of their own party leadership)? They'd get on down the road I believe, and so do you. YOur treatment of the Wilder speakership as so far gone and out of touch makes great copy, but I don't think it can hold water. "purported political West Tennessee Mafia"You obviously have some personal rancor regarding the Democractic leadership in this state - I can only hope it is generalized mistrust of whomever is in power, as should be your journalistic approach. As it is, it looks a bit like Gill, Jr., nasty, partisan and self-righteous. Ever wonder why I stopped writing?
November can't get here fast enough...
porzitsku you need to wake up and smell the coffee. It wasn't long ago that two RINO's in the Republican controlled senate voted to keep the "booger eater" as speaker and nothing happened to them certainly not anything on the level of this disgusting action. Only anotherbooger eater would support one.
Forgot to add:Kurita was handed a plum, an easy district full of Democratic supporters who would ensure re-election after re-election, and what did she do? She thought SHE was the attraction, the star, and decided to "follow her [moral/political/selfish] compass" in treating with the likes of Ramsey. Any political party who does not "correct" that waywardness would be criticised (and probably has been by you and your peers) as being ineffective at least.Your criticism is like crocodile tears. Check your Kipling for further reference.
Ah yes Democrats ---- up.... Blame G. Bush and the republicans.... What a bunch of jack-a s.....
Just to review a few quick facts regarding the decision by the TDP executive committee: Kurita broke the law by entering a polling place during the election (her excuse is irrelavent), several Barnes supporters who asked which primary they needed to vote in were told by a poll worker to vote in the Republican primary, a poll worker testified that another poll worker was telling Barnes supporters to vote in the Republican primary "all day long
Ah, republicans. Let's see...One calls me a booger eater and offers unsubstantiated anecdotes for "proof" that I'm off base (while I'm eating boogers, I suppose), and the other can't ... quite ... articulate .. their ...feelings because they're afraid they'd get banned from this happ'nin board. Darn right we're jackasses, it is our party's logo. What's your point?
Nice GOP spin on this story, Clint.As if the "good ol boy" network tried to beat down and punish that poor little missy Rosalind Kurita.Stop it. Most of the movers and shakers in the Democratic Party ARE WOMEN! This has nothing to do with sexism and everything to do with Kurita's arrogance. This is payback from the party faithful, pure and simple for betrayal.I understand why GOoPer idiots like idgaf and sidneyames want to fan the sexism flames in the wake of Hillary's massive fail, but you should know better, Mr. Brewer. Disgraceful.
Porzitsku, come and go from this board whenever you like. If you cannot handle a group dialogue where you sometimes find your opinion in the minority it is best, in my experience, not to venture to far from your comfort zone. If you can't deal with having people disagree with you, there are plenty of talk shows and blogs out there where you can tailor your news and commentary intake so that you never have to hear anything you disagree with. I think the GOP invented that kind of news consumer strategy, but Democrats seem to have embraced it quite well of late.Morpheus, I think you and Porz. are the ones working from talking points today, not me. I am not sure where you are divining an accusation of sexism toward the TNDP in my column. "Good Ol' Boys" is a pretty old political term which more commonly denotes machine politics than sex. But, of course, you knew that already.As for Kurita, heaven forbid a politician in either party put the people of this state first and their party interests second. Wilder needed to go. Any sentient person who had been in a Senate session with him in the Speaker's chair for the last decade could tell that. Members of his own Senate caucus tried to get him to promise not to run again before Kurita crossed the aisle on that vote. We reported that at the time.I love how when I write something either side disagrees with its either a "GOP spin" or a "left wing spin." Some of you folks are just sheep. The left and the right are mirror images of the other in their tactics and intellectual dishonesty.
Clint, If Kurita was "put(ting) the people of this state first and (her) party interests second," then why did she vote for Wilder as the Democratic nominee for speaker in the caucus meeting. She could have made clear that she would not support Wilder, others were not 100% behind him either. She was putting Kurita first. Neither parter nor the people of this state entered into the equation.
Didn't the R that crossed over to vote for Wilder four years ago esssentially get the same treatment from the R's? AND the D's, who gave him the position Kurita is now in? Turnabout is fair play, especially in politics where there is no moral compass.I kind of like Kurita. For one thing, she is knowledgeable on health issues and her crossing over to do something the D's should have done themselves (retire Wilder) probably helped lead to the tobacky-loving R's backing the cigarette tax and smoking ban we've long needed. But to expect no payback would be naive.
NonyaBidness, you sound remarkably like a Democratic Party insider.I am using my name, so if you are a party official how about disclosing yours?
Nope, I'm not a party official or insider, I just keep myself informed. I am a committed Democrat though. I'm also not the reporter of this story, just a nameless commenter on this board, so I don't think you need my real name, and you can take my information for what it's worth based on that.