Dirkmonster

McClendon comes up short; Little is a man

Regrettably, the guy I worked to try and get elected to the city commission lost Tuesday.  Devin McClendon came up a few hundred votes short.  What's encouraging however, is how Devin ran his campaign and how gracious he was last evening.   I saw some of the winners come up to Devin and offer their congratulations on a well run campaign.

The big winner was Rhea Little, a neighbor of mine.  I had the pleasure of meeting Rhea yesterday evening and I was impressed.  Note to the Tennessean - everyone knows newspapers are on the decline...Don't get the winner's gender wrong in the pitiful blurb in the pitiful local section that has been combined with the pitiful business section.  Rhea Little is not a "her". He's a "he".  Said blurb was attributed to the Tennessean's Harriet Vaughan.  Harriet, I'm guessing your editor screwed up.    Download TennesseanGoof

A newcomer to Brentwood politics did win big.  However, the three incumbents were also returned to office.  This, I think, is largely the result of low turnout.  The city commission race was the only thing on the ballot.  If it were combined with other races, the results might not be so predictable. 

McClendon for Brentwood (TN) City Commissioner

Here is an email I sent out to our neighbors this morning in support of Devin McClendon - my friend and my choice in the May 5th election for Brentwood (TN) City Commissioner.  If you're a resident of Brentwood, please vote!  If not, please read on anyway - here's a guy who makes a difference.

We are e-mailing today to encourage you to get involved in the election of our next Brentwood City Commissioners and to ask for your support and one week from now, on May 5th, for Devin McClendon.

We have known and trusted Devin for 10 years and am excited about his campaign for Brentwood City Commissioner.

Having lived in Brentwood his entire life, Devin has a passion for service and the quality of life in our city.  Along with his deep roots in Brentwood, Devin has a diverse background in business and real estate.

Most importantly, we know Devin’s character to be one of strength, integrity and compassion.  His knowledge of Brentwood is remarkable.  We know Devin will take a proactive approach to facing our city’s opportunities and challenges.

Ultimately, we believe you will find Devin to be someone who will always have an open mind and be willing to listen to your concerns and ideas.  He is also someone who will give you a direct answer.  

If you have questions about Devin’s ideas for Brentwood’s future, please visit the campaign's website at www.VoteMcClendon.com.  There you can find answers on his postition on important issues as well as video of his answers to each and every question asked during various candidate forums.  Or, just call or email me and I will be glad to tell you why Devin is worthy of your vote.

Lyn and I appreciate the opportunity to ask our neighbors' to consider joining us in voting McClendon for City Commissioner.

Please remember to vote on May 5th.  Early Voting lasts until April 30th at the Brentwood Library on Concord Rd or the City Offices on Maryland Way.

Vote Devin! 

Ginger's incredible inauguration adventure

My dear "mom in residence" Ginger Primus sent friends and family the story of her adventure today.  Ginger has lived in McLean, VA for decades and is a veteran of crowds on National Mall.  But as we all saw today, this was different:

Starting at 5 this AM I joined a sea of humanity - a million of my closest friends, on Metro and almost 2 million on the Mall.  All I can say is WHAT A DAY!!  Gail got a friend of hers to drop us off at Vienna Metro about 6 - it was taking over an hour to get in to park.  Then we walked 4 blocks to the end of the line to get into the station.  That took an hour.  Luckily Gail got us round trip inaugural tickets yesterday so we bypassed the gates.  We got on a train and stood like sardines (do they stand?) or cattle for and hour and a half getting into DC.  While we rode, announcements kept coming of what stations were closed because of crowding.  We got off at Capitol South and began to follow the signs and crowds to the Silver ticket standing area.  We walked over a mile to find the end of the line - it wound around many buildings, down many streets, and ended up at the Air and Space Museum.  The line didn't move until 10:00 when they opened the gates.  It took us a half hour to get to security checkpoints.  Then once on the mall, we wanted to find a place where we could see both the capitol and the jumbotron.  Gail is very short, so that was a task.  We moved about 10 times until she could see - and it wasn't easy to move - you were shoulder to shoulder with all the others. 

 

The crowd was amazing - friendly, upbeat, bundled up and huddling together to keep warm - some had been there since 5.  There was an hour concert and then it all began.  We heard later that the people with seats never got past the checkpoint and never got to use their tickets - had to join everyone else on the streets.  It was fun watching all the dignitaries come onto the screen, and people cheered or booed accordingly.  It was exciting to see the car approach and then Obama get out, amidst flag waving and cheers of OBAMA! and USA!  I thought he gave an excellent speech, and when it was over, we headed with 1000's of others toward the Metro stop.  While waiting to move, we heard the helicopter carrying George and Laura Bush go overhead.  When we got to the Metro, we were told it was closed until 2 or 4, so we hoofed it to the next one, about 5 blocks away.  When we got there, the line went for blocks again.  We were told one had a 10 block back-up 4 deep.  But with our round trip tickets we could go through the far side and ran down to jump on the first train - and got seats!  It only took 45 minutes to get home.  Gail called another friend to pick us up and we went to her house to watch the parade, which was just starting, and hour and a half late.  Part of that delay was Teddy Kennedy having a seizure during the luncheon, and part was just getting everybody to the viewing stand before the Obama's came.  We watched him walk past the crowd, and they went right by where we had been standing, although you had to be there early to be able to stand there. 

 

I fell asleep watching the parade and woke up to see the last half of it.  I took a lot of pictures, but the sun was at the wrong angle for some, and people were in the way for most.  We were just glad to have been a part of that momentous occasion, the largest crowd in DC history, and the largest for an inauguration.  People we met today were from everywhere - it was really neat.  It was really encouraging and hopeful to see how many people could be together and be so cold, yet joyful.  There were no arrests today - that is amazing. 

 

One funny thing - we left the mall and tried to get out of the gated area, but it was blocked.  (Maybe closed by security until the dignitaries could go by.)  So someone pushed the fence apart and people started to file out in the garden behind the American Indian Museum.  There was a wall to climb up and a guy helped me up, then we were trapped again by another fence.  A guy lifted it out of the cement blocks and we all had to crawl under it on our hands and knees while people held it up for each other.  We all felt like escapees or crossing the border illegally.  But at least we got out.

 

It was quite a day, and we are glad we went.  I will not forget it.  Sandy, I never heard my phone.  Just got your message.  I used the radio you had given me to find out which Metro stations were open.  Thanks.

Love, Ginger

Knowing Ginger as I do, any outward evidence of crowd induced frustration was probably limited to a couple "This is ridiculous" type comments.  And then she didn't think twice about climbing a wall or crawling underneath a fence.  Way to go Ginger!

This is Ginger with Jenna Claire at the Wilson County (TN) Fair this past summer:

Obama at the office

Like our team, I suppose millions who had to work today took time out to watch President Obama's Inauguration.

We had it planned out well.  With no cable TV at the office, we planned a high tech solution to stream it through one of about a hundred web sites offering coverage or even stream it via my Slingbox at home.  Using a projector, we would have a giant picture.  Then the computer didn't have java for the web player. Then the stream was clogged with a zillion connections, then it was time for the ceremony.  Times looked bleak, our office faced a crisis...the cynics said it couldn't be done, a great depression was threatened.  Our inauguration watch party needed a rescue plan; a bailout, if you will.

Then, a leader emerged.  An ironic leader, to be sure.  Although he's an accomplished IT professional and a Republican Southern Baptist, he came to the rescue with a low tech solution to watch a liberal take office.  In rolled the media cart with an old 20" TV with broken buttons.  No problem, an old remote was at hand. Old remote had dead batteries - our man had new ones.  No cable for CNN (or even Fox News) and snow for a signal on CBS, NBC and ABC.  Our man chose PBS and we saw the whole thing: Crazy hat, messed up oath and all.

Folks, we can come together as a nation to solve our common problems.  Yes we can.

See our Obama at the office photo album.

"Barack the Magic Negro"? Oh Chip, that's no stocking stuffer

Chip Saltsman probably had no chance to be elected Republican National Committee Chairman anyway, but this pretty much seals the deal.

The chairman of the Republican National Committee said he was "appalled" by a song called "Barack the Magic Negro" on a CD distributed by one of his political rivals...

Chip Saltsman sent RNC members the parody CD "We Hate the USA" for Christmas, which includes the controversial tune. He defended his decision Friday, telling CNN the song was clearly intended as a joke.

"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."

Yeah, that's the problem.

Saltsman, a former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party, was a top advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and managed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign.

He is one of several candidates running to replace Duncan in the closely contested race to lead the Republican Party.

Republicans need a leader with a better sense of humor and plenty of common sense.