WASHINGTON — Gov. Phil Bredesen has made national headlines for his proposal to have a superdelegate convention before the Democratic National Convention, but he said his efforts are not an attempt to become a vice presidential candidate.
“A couple of years ago, I gave some thought to, do you want to try to be a player in that stuff — Southern governor and all that kind of stuff,” he told The Politico, a Washington D.C. political newspaper. “What I really decided is: If you do that, you’re going to get nothing done in your second term as governor.”
Gov. Bredesen, whose term expires in 2010, first suggested his superdelegate convention idea in a New York Times op-ed last week so that the nominating process is not dragged out until the national convention.
Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., are neck-and-neck in the race for delegates, and many superdelegates — party insiders and elected officials — have yet to commit to a candidate.
Gov. Bredesen is still publicly neutral in the race.
WAMP: ALEXANDER IS A PEACE-BROKER
Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who is up for re-election in November, is sorely needed in Congress to tamp down the partisan rhetoric plaguing Washington.
Rep. Wamp, who introduced Sen. Alexander as the keynote speaker in last week’s Rotary Club of Chattanooga meeting, said the former two-term governor and U.S. education secretary has a history of working across party lines.
Sen. Alexander holds the No. 3 leadership position in the Senate Republican caucus.
“America’s losing ground in the world because our political process and our election process is dumbing down our country to the lowest common denominator with division and rancid rhetoric,” Rep. Wamp said. “The thing I want people to know is that (Sen. Alexander) is one of the key people in this country that will help us restore civility in the political process.”
PADGETT FILES FOR SENATE RACE
Mike Padgett, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face off against Sen. Alexander in November, officially filed papers this week to run for the office.
Mr. Padgett, a former Knox County clerk, said he will work to change the status quo in Washington.
“We can’t continue to give tax breaks to the richest of the rich while middle-class families in this country are fighting just to stay on their feet,” he said. “I will fight for real tax relief for the working men and women who are hit the hardest by gas prices, mortgage foreclosures, huge medical bills and all the other results of business as usual in Washington.”
Besides Mr. Padgett, former Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Bob Tuke and Nashville businessman Ken Eaton are seeking the party’s nomination.
Sen. Alexander so far is unopposed in the Republican primary.
The filing deadline for candidates is Thursday.
