Tennessean.com
Last evening, the Nashville Junior Chamber of Commerce hosted a gubernatorial forum at David Lipscomb University in Nashville. As has been the case with many of the “forums” that have taken place over the course of the last few months, prior obligations left the stage short one member of the group of gubernatorial hopefuls. Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey was stuck in session at the Capitol presiding over the Senate, but Rep. Zach Wamp, Mayor of Chattanooga Bill Haslam, and Mike McWherter were in attendance.
Both Lipscomb and the Junior Chamber should be commended for putting on a fabulous event that included an audience response tracking system which allowed 50 audience members to share their reactions to the candidates’ remarks. While many of the questions produced run-of-the-mill stump speech/responses from the candidates, the featured question of the evening proved to be one that caught the prospective chief executives more than a little off guard.
After airing a three minute video (added below) displaying flood damage, the candidates were asked how they would have prevented, reacted to, and handled a similar catastrophe as governor.
“The flood went way beyond any of the measurable history, so we don’t have the resources,” Wamp said. “It’s important for us to stand together as a state and ask the federal government to help us even more.”
Haslam said the governor should work with mayors to ensure that needs for emergency services are met and coordinate with federal officials.
“The governor’s job here is to figure out what’s happening, what can the state do to help and immediately call on federal government,” he said.
McWherter told the audience that his Jackson beer distributorship was flooded with 21 inches of water, giving him personal insight into the disaster. He said the governor should stay out of the way of emergency services and then assist in the cleanup afterward.
“Once their (first responders’) job is done, it’s government’s responsibility,” he said.
Other notable quotables from the event were hard to come by. The reclusive Haslam finally went on record opposing Wine in grocery stores; McWherter stated his plans to recuse himself “when he’s elected” because of conflicts with his beer distributor business; and Wamp took a rather apathetic approach saying he preferred the status quo.
The forum was the latest of many that have been hosted across the state in recent months and will certainly not be the last. Chamber Member Marshall Farmer, who planned and coordinated the event said that he believed the forum was a huge success and that he was encouraged by the attention that his fellow young professionals are giving to this pivotal gubernatorial campaign. Video from the event can be seen here for any who are interested in seeing their future governor in action.
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[...] Tennessee Candidates for Governor Square Off at Lipscomb … [...]
[...] Tennessee Candidates for Governor Square Off at Lipscomb … [...]
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