Over the last few days, there has been some online chatter about mounting a primary challenge to Nashville’s Congressman Jim Cooper. Seems some of our more-liberal out-of-state friends think he is a little too cozy with the corporations. Some of them even claim they’ve been “in the district” interviewing potential candidates.
Well, Carpetbaggers, listen to some wisdom from No Chaser:
In Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District, Jim Cooper is strong like bull. We like him, and we don’t like you fucking around in our congressional district.
You see, we live here. We choose who represents us in Congress. Not you. That’s the way the system is supposed to work.
By the way, if you actually are in Nashville interviewing candidates, you might want to know that no one with any credibility would waste time talking to you. Sure, we could spend the next hour naming ambitious people that would make strong candidates for the seat — but not against Cooper. They wouldn’t even entertain the possibility of running against him.
Seed Newsvine
22 Comments
09/26/2009 at 11:05 am
[...] friend in Baltimore who was wondering if there really is any local opposition to Cooper. And today Gilgamark is talking about [...]
09/26/2009 at 12:09 pm
[...] CHASER » Good Luck With ThatPosted 2 hours [...]
09/26/2009 at 2:09 pm
That’s not true. First of all, I met with an Accountability Now rep. So, I’m a little offended by the notion that “no one with any credibility” would meet with the group. Second, I know for a fact that many, many, many people with a good deal of credibility and clout met and discussed matters in District 5 with Accountability Now representatives. Third, the “carpetbagger” argument is empty and inaccurate. There are plenty of southerners who want a national health plan and there are plenty of folks with plenty of financial and political clout who dislike Cooper’s handling of the healthcare issue. Fourth, Cooper is stubborn like mule, but not sure he’s strong like bull. Especially not on healthcare, where he’s polling poorly with both GOP and Dems. His overall handling of the issue is not strong, in part because local community groups (like unions) are hacked off that Cooper wants to propose Healthy Americans Act even after HR 3200 has passed through 3 committees. Cooper says there are 18 versions of a public option, but doesn’t say what they are, doesn’t explain them, and doesn’t say which he’d support and which he wouldn’t. Cooper says he supports Obama’s plan but then says that he opposes HR 3200. Does Obama oppose HR 3200? Because that would be newsworthy if it was true.
Now, we all can agree with Cooper’s main points that costs have to be controlled and that we need to fix the revenue issue too. But if that’s true, then why not support single payer? Cooper says it’s because Americans want more choices. But we’re running out of choices … and time. So … what’s next? Where do we go from here?
09/26/2009 at 2:13 pm
An afterthought – I guess what’s most surprising is that some of the most prominent bloggers in Nashville wouldn’t be aware of what’s really going on in Nashville. Especially in Antioch and North Nashville, where our Democratic base lives and works.
09/26/2009 at 5:17 pm
Ben,
I feel I’m pretty well aware of what’s happening in Nashville and my sense is that voters in North Nashville, Antioch, etc. do not turn out for primaries or midterms. I’d like to see some geographical data on voter turnout, I think it would be educational.
Furthermore, I hope Accountability Now is aware that we have open primaries in Tennessee. I can’t tell you how many times working as a canvasser I had names on my walk list that were die hard Republicans, people who profess to not have “any idea how my name got on the Democratic Party’s list.” The only way that would happen is if they voted in a Democratic primary. So don’t think it doesn’t happen because it does.
This is a big concern as well.
09/26/2009 at 7:44 pm
When did Ben Vos get any credibility? He’s just a stupid blogger.
09/27/2009 at 9:57 am
I am going to meet with them, too, full disclosure. I am somewhat disappointed at the ass-covering going on here, because Jim Cooper destroyed health-care reform once, and it saddens me to see that you are perfectly willing to let him do it again.
Jim Cooper represents his donors, not his constituents, and will until he is held accountable.
09/27/2009 at 10:55 am
“We choose who represents us in Congress.”
Well, it’s more like a slight plurality chose Cooper several years ago, and nobody has gotten to vote on him since. It saddens me to see so many Nashville bloggers reflexively defend a representative who does not care about this district. Every vote he’s getting hit on is a vote he deserves to be hit on, and our district deserves a chance to actually vote on Cooper rather than let a bunch of bloggers with some gut feeling on Nashville preemptively declare the entire enterprise useless.
09/27/2009 at 10:57 am
Cooper wants real and sustainable health care reform, and I agree with him. In fact, I believe that’s exactly what we’ll get.
Furthermore, Cooper has been a good representative for this district, and he enjoys broad support, despite the exaggerated claims to the contrary. He’ll be re-elected overwhelmingly with my support and the support of people throughout the district, and no one outside of this district will change that.
09/27/2009 at 11:52 am
You are completely wrong, Gary. Cooper won a hotly contested, multi-candidate primary in 2002. Since then, he has represented the district well and has been re-elected overwhelmingly.
All I’m reading from you and others, Gary, is overwrought rhetoric. I base my assertion on my knowledge of Nashville politics and my daily contact with Nashvillians from all sides of the city.
Bottom line: Nashvillians are satisfied with Cooper. He will be re-elected. No one with any real credibility will even consider running against him.
You’re entitled to feel otherwise, but I’ll ask you this: name the candidate. Who is your knight in shining armor?
09/27/2009 at 5:17 pm
Mark, if there’s no public option, there’s no reform. Period.
We are at a point where, at a national level, the answer is NOT more Democrats, it’s BETTER Democrats, and Cooper does not qualify.
09/27/2009 at 6:35 pm
Well, Steve, I disagree with you about Cooper. He’s a good rep, and he’ll be re-elected.
Cooper is right that there are various ways of doing a public option, and the reform that passes will include some form of it.
09/27/2009 at 9:43 pm
Maybe the reasons that people haven’t in past turned out to vote in North Nashville or Antioch are because 1) they don’t have a candidate they can get excited about and 2) no one has ever taken them seriously or organized. I’d say Jerry Maynard’s success in 2007 points to something new. And you might be right, but I just think the situation is different and especially after the big turnout for the 2008 primary.
Cathedral of Praise turned out nearly 2200 votes for the 2008 primary. Precinct 3-7 turned out about 1300. Hayes Middle (2-1) turned out over 1300.
By comparison, Eakin had about 1200. Belmont had about 1200.
In Antioch, Woodson Chapel had two precincts with about 1000 each. New Antioch HS (33-2) pulled in over 1400.
So I’m not sure I agree that primaries don’t turn out voters in North Nashville or Antioch. I think it’s a question of whether they have a candidate they can believe in.
Numbers from Super Tuesday 2008 here: http://state.tn.us/sos/election/results/2008-02/DemPresidentPrecinct.pdf
09/27/2009 at 10:15 pm
[...] CHASER » Good Luck With ThatPosted 36 hours [...]
09/27/2009 at 10:16 pm
You are tilting at windmills, Ben.
09/28/2009 at 12:10 pm
[...] it is. But what is funny to me is the language – “outside interlopers?” (And this blog really seems clueless. Lost Cause anyone?) You would think someone in the South would have a little [...]
09/28/2009 at 4:33 pm
[...] Party Chairman Chip Forrester today released the following statement concerning reports that out-of-state groups are attempting to recruit a primary challenger for Nashville Congressman Jim [...]
09/28/2009 at 6:30 pm
[...] The statement comes after the leader of a PAC called Accountability Now took to the Nashville airwaves to explain his group’s support for a Cooper primary challenge. Meanwhile, the Daily Kos, which started this whole darn thing, has been waging a little back-and-forth battle with Nashville bloggers who support Cooper, a group that includes Brown. [...]
09/29/2009 at 8:33 pm
[...] columnist” A.C. Kleinheider called him an “interloper.” Shit, boy, No Chaser called you a dirty carpetbagger. We’re offended that you’re more offended to be called an [...]
09/30/2009 at 7:01 am
I’m just surfing around, trying to get myself caught up on all of this, so I realize I’m late to this post. But I just have to say, I’ll take the word of someone who presents credible data to make their point over someone who tosses out a dismissive, “you’re tilting at windmills.”
They told us we were tilting at windmills when we tried to get Steve Cohen elected. Even after he won the primary, some of your geniuses in Nashville still wouldn’t give him an endorsement, because “a Ford is going to win that seat no matter what.” Then Jake Ford got about 15% of the general election votes. Nobody talks about the Fords anymore.
They told me that I was tilting at windmills when I tried to get instant runoff voting in Memphis. Even the people who gave me donations said they thought it was a lost cause. I won with 71% and IRV is now a part of the Memphis City Charter.
All I’m hearing from you folks in Nashville are excuses. Not facts, just a bunch of hunches and “I know better because I live here.” Well, a lot of other people live there, too. And speaking as a progressive, a Tennesseean, a Southerner, and a man who was raised right by his family, shame on you if you won’t even try.
09/30/2009 at 9:20 am
Try what, Autoegocrat? I support Jim Cooper. I intend to continue supporting him.
09/30/2009 at 10:27 pm
Good luck with that.