Presidential Daybook: 31 January 2008

UPDATE McCain gets Sundquist and more while Obama camp says new ads on the way

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

As the clock winds down on Tennessee's involvement in the 2008 presidential primary, the remaining two Democratic candidates are opening offices in Knoxville and Jackson. Closer to home, a GOP actual contender will be at our front door soon.

Arizona Sen. John McCain is coming to Nashville Saturday morning. The current Republican front-runner will be at Montgomery Bell Academy at 10:45 a.m. at Montgomery Bell Academy's Brownlee O. Curry gymnasium at 4001 Harding Road.

While we can gather that newly minted McCain man Scooter Clippard will be there, it will be interesting to see who else among the Fred Thompson fan club joins up with the "true American hero."

Press releases from both the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama organizations since late yesterday are touting that Clinton's campaign is opening a campaign office in Knoxville and Barack Obama's people have an operation in Jackson. We will hear more out of the Obama campaign later today, when former Tennessee Democratic Party chairman Bob Tuke lays claim to former supporters of John Edwards.

One of those known to be joining team Obama is Waller, Lansden, Dortch & Davis attorney Tom Lee. Lee was a senior adviser on the campaign of Harold Ford, Jr. for U.S. Senate and was intimately involved in Nashville Mayor Karl Dean's successful run last year.

UPDATE 11:23 pm - Big list comes in for McCain, including former Gov. Don Sundquist

The Obama campaign just announced their Edwards supporters, in addition to Lee and Tuke, the only other person on the call was Maura Satchell of Smyrna.

Obama state co-chair Bob Tuke also said that three new commercials for their candidate will begin airing between now and the next Tuesday's election.

Meanwhile, as that call was taking place, a much longer list was dropped off by a volunteer for John McCain of all the prominent Tennesseans who are now backing him.

Among the names on the list familiar to Nashvillians are; former Gov. Don Sundquist, former Congressman Van Hilleary, Sam Bartholomew, State Senators Randy McNally and Tim Burchett, State Reps. Michael Harrison, Kent Williams, Joe McCord, Gerald McCormick, Steve McDaniel, Richard Montgomery, and Eric Swafford.

We also have former Deputy Governor Wendell Moore, executive vice president of Smith Barney Todd Gardenhire, CEO of ProTrust Management Gordon Grigg, president of WestRodgers Becky West, and CEO of Kirklands Robert Alderson.

The most interesting name on the list is obviously that of Sundquist's. No word yet if radio personality Steve Gill will try to get the horn honkers to drive around MBA on Saturday as a sign of "respect."