Senate questions

[Toronto Ron]

Greetings from your neighbour to the east (& my wife is from east TN).

1) Any early inklings on who might go for friSSt's seat in '06? Is it true that he's retiring?

2) Lamar Alexander seems to have been quite invisible since elected in 02. Any thoughts about him?

[aintitfunny]

1. just curious

I have a sister who lives in Greensboro and her significant other is named Ron. She is from Johnson City. Must be a coincidence, but thought I should confirm that. I apologize for not having answers to your questions.

[Toronto Ron]

2. Coincidence...

My wife is actually from Kingsport. Interestingly, she has a sister in Johnson City, whose name starts with "M"!

[aintitfunny]

3. That's what I assumed -

coincidence. It would have been too strange, my B-I-Law does not strike me as a political person, but a lot more people seem to want to get involved in this climate. And yes, my name starts with an M. Thanks for putting up with this silliness.

[TN al]

4. I think I heard something...

... about Jim Cooper maybe running for the seat in '06. As for the rpuke, who cares!

[NashVegas]

5. Hmmm

1) Haven't heard any rumbles here in Nashville. They can try Van Hilary, I guess - otherwise, no idea. I'll be curious to see how ambitious Marsha Blackburn is. I wrote letters to both her and Lamar when Georgia's evil rep weakened organic foods' standards, and she was surprisingly well versed, and supportive of overturning that piece of bad legislation.

Frist scares me: that family is such a Nashville community pillar now that there's no touching him.

2) Lamar is exasperating. Gives me pause when he tries to break away from Bush, like he did on the FCC last summer, but then he'll turn around and parrot, parrot, parrot. He does have an email list though, and sends updates about every other month or so.

[NashVegas]

6. Frist

for sometime, I've heard rumor he's being groomed as a possible Pres candidate for '08.

[Claire Beth]

7. I've heard rumors about that, too! n/t

[tnlefty]

10. Has Van moved so that he can/is challenging Bart Gordon for his seat

in the house? I've heard rumors that is the case. Also heard that Wamp is being discussed to run for Frist's seat. :puke:

[Claire Beth]

8. Hello Greensboro, NC

I have family in the NC so had to say hello.

[kitkatrose]

9. I don't have any answers,

but my grandma told me that she saw in the news a while back that Frist was stepping down, as in now. I haven't been able confirm that. Have you heard it too?

Mr. Alexander is just a rubber stamp; all he does is vote for the republican party, with little to say on his own. I haven't seen anything about him since the election.

:hi: Checking in from Memphis (more or less)

[CoonDawg]

11. I'll keep my ear to the ground...

my wife works for the Frist empire in healthcare. If I hear anything, I'll let you know...she says she thinks he's being groomed for a presidential run in '08. Just a guess though. I'm really disappointed in Frist. He's become Bush's lapdog and the Insurance company's best friend.

I hope hillary stays away from Bart Gordon's seat. I am pretty impressed w/ Gordon and the way he treats us as constituents.

JMO, though...

Ernie B.

[SharonAnn]

15. He went into politics in order to be the insurance industry's BEST

friend. Seriously, he wasjust protecting the family business, HCA formerly known as Hospital Corporation of America which is also a huge HMO.

Somehow, this slight piece ofinformation never seems to stick to the Frist family business but I'll repeat it again. HCA was fined MORE than $1 billion for defrauding Medicare in 2000-2001.

[CoonDawg]

16. Yep, that's right...

and a couple of docs whose practices they managed went to jail for fraud...later their convictions were overturned on appeal.

Acually their corporate integrity agreement is the reason that my wife has a great job.

Also, the company was being run by others. Tommy Frist had taken a retirement and had turned over control to the company to another director and his staff. After all the crap hit the fan, Tommy was asked to come back to run the company, which he did. Now Jack Bovender is the head honcho.

HCA is just another big company that is profiting from it's connections to the current administration.

ErnieB

[kcr]

12. West TN

seems to think that if Frist retires in 2006, then Harold Ford Jr would probably run for the senate seat. Repubs seem to think Van Hillary would run to replace Frist.

Lamar is a cipher. he is not a wingnut, particulalrly when it comes to the FCC and the environment, but he isn't terribly independant outsid of one or two issues. he is a decent enough person, and if I have to have a Repub there, then Lamar is a better choice than many, but I would stillrather have a Dem in that slot.

[gvi]

13. Harold Ford Jr

I personally love Harold Ford Jr. What many don't realise is that he is a blue dog democrat. Personally this is why I vote for him. I am not as partisan as the majority of my friends, so when I find a candidate who's policies I agree with, I stick with him even when he makes a flub.


GVI

[newyawker99]

14. Hi gvi!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: