Real Clear Politics interviews Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen on a wide range of electoral topics. There are some interesting remarks that the GOP will wring out in the spin cycle. But overall, Bredesen shows once again he is one of the "adults" who knows the score and how the game is played (even when he's not hitting for our team).

(By way of Knoxville Talks.)

From the Tuke Campaign:

My campaign conducted an 800 sample statewide poll last week and it showed that all our hard work is paying off. The most important finding in the poll was about the primary. We asked the following question:

In the Democratic primary for US Senate, the candidates are: Leonard Ladner, Kenneth Eaton, Gary Davis, Mike Clayton, Mike Padgett and Bob Tuke. Which one would you vote for if the election were held today?

Bob Tuke 38%
Mike Padgett 8%
Other 4%
Undecided 57%

Simply put, we're well on our way to a big win in the primary. But there is more good news to report on the primary numbers. Our pollster (the same pollster Gov. Ned McWherter, Congressman John Tanner and Harold Ford, Jr. used) pointed out that we lead Padgett in all of Tennessee's major media markets including Knoxville.

That's an impressive showing for Tuke. It's also a pretty big undecided number at this point.

UPDATE: Tuke campaign issues a correction:

Today's Tuesdays with Tuke had a typographical error for which I take full responsibility. The correct polling results are as follows:

Bob Tuke 32%
Mike Padgett 8%
Others 4%
Undecided 57%

Ben Chao

If the Obama campaign doesn't focus on Tennessee, Gov. Phil Bredesen says "I probably would put my attention on the other races," adding that he "doesn't tilt at windmills."

The "shoot 'em if you got 'em while Big Brother watches" edition of the random interval Tennessee progressive blog roundup with a look at what the best Tennessee bloggers are talking about.

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Wordless Wednesday

• Tiny Cat Pants: Will Campfield ever realize the bitter poetic injustice of his being a servant of the people of Tennessee while at the same time working to deny legal personhood to some of those people?

• Carole Borges: Understanding how these girls think might actually spur people to make changes that would help problem teens. Usually it's easier to just condemn them.

• The Crone Speaks: The average campaign contribution payoff is around $9000 for those dems that changed their vote to support retroactive immunity. Maplight has the list of who made how much. Plus: Countrywide taken to court by the Illinois AG.

• Cup Of Joe Powell: Interview With Congressional Candidate Rob Russell, plus: Super Giant Exxxtreeeeeme Summer Edition Madhouse Marathon... quite possibly the best movie blog of all time and space

• Don Williams: Tell me you don’t believe Barack Obama’s a secret Muslim, or that the "fist bump" thing he and Michelle do contains terrorist overtones. Evidently thousands or millions of people believe such nonsense..., plus: Activists, priests, scholars, artists, musicians, writers, teachers, environmentalists and others from a range of spiritual traditions accomplished much June 21 and 22 as they initiated Peace On and With the Earth, a conference to explore the relationship between peace and the environment.

• TNDP: a new religious left movement?

• Enclave: ...Ben puts words into the mouths of Social Gospelers that they never would have uttered because it is politically expedient for the anti-revenue mob to discredit mobilized progressive Christians with half-truths about who they are and what they want to "steal." Plus, judicial activists legislating from the bench, Part I and Part II.

• Fletch: Tuesday Afternoon

• KnoxViews: Supreme Court rules against Obama!, plus: Authorities shut down largest known TN puppy mill operation

• Lean Left: Heller Open Thread

• Left of the Dial: Should marijuana smoking be allowed in airports before one takes a flight? ...who would you rather sit next to on a flight: a drunk or a stoner? Plus: George Carlin’s Legacy

• LeftWingCracker: You know, two years ago, Harold Ford Junior thought he had HIS race won, too; that didn't work out so well, did it? Obama needs to tighten up, and fast. Plus: George Carlin: Baseball v. Football

• Liberadio(!) interviews David Sirota

• Newscoma: They are creating holes when it comes to civil liberties. And I’m with much of the progressive blogosphere when we see that Barack Obama said he would filibuster this bill last year and he didn’t. I ain’t happy, campers. Obama simply blew it. Bonus: I Need To Start My Own Hippie Newspaper

• A Pesky Fly Must Read: The Top Five Reasons Why The Republican Party is Good for Democrats

• Progressive Nashville: Who's getting stimulated here?, Bonus: A Bill Gates memo to staff re. Windows usability

• Resonance: 2008 Cherohala Challenge Photo Ride Report, plus $7 gas and public transportation.

• RoaneViews: Handguns flying off the shelves, severe drought, working on exceptional, and off road vehicles v. the environment.

• Russ McBee: I suppose it's possible that the crippling of a census program which improves the accuracy of counting minorities is just a coincidence., plus: Feingold on FISA

• Sean Braisted: While everyone is focused on Heller, another important ruling was issued, this in regards to campaign finance reform.

• Sharon Cobb: Who's your daddy, Hillary?, and Cohen:Conscience of the Freshman Class, plus Why is Luke Russert on my TV?

• Silence Isn't Golden: In summation: Mike Stewart, good. David Sirota, wrong. Matt Pulle, full of shit. (Click the link and read why.) Also read this.

• Southern Beale: Hell Freezes, I Thank The NRA - Why? Because they just took away the trusty old standby argument they’ve used against every Democratic candidate since forever... Plus: Supreme Court hands ExxonMobil a Big Payday, and Bobby Jindal? Really?, bonus: Nashville welcomes Cher

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: You might have thought that after eight long years of the Bush trainwreck, we could have gotten an actual liberal candidate. As the Hillary corner of the lefty blogosphere has repeatedly warned, Obama is no liberal. Is it time to say, we told you so, yet? Plus: Lusty Senators Larry Craig & David Vitter Sponsor Anti Gay Marriage Amendment: Suffice it to say, the Marriage Protection Amendment does not read: Thou shalt not publicly humiliate your wife by coveting another man in a bathroom stall. Nor does it read: Thou shalt not publicly humiliate your wife by fooling around with prostitutes.

• TennViews (Chris Lugo): Big brother is watching you and his name is AT&T. Sometimes he goes by the name of BellSouth and at other times he is known as AOL-Time-Warner. Big brother goes by a lot of names. He is listening to you while you talk and watching you while you type and everything you say could be recorded so he can look at it somewhere down the line.

• Vibinc: People seeking an office should be comfortable enough with themselves and their positions to take criticism of these topics constructively. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

• WhitesCreek Journal: Barack Obama is attempting to do something radical and dangerous for a Presidential candidate...Speak intelligently about religion...

• Women’s Health News: Seriously, what better way to proclaim that a lack of proper sex ed or lack of contraceptive availability has no bearing on these pregnancies than to suggest that the girls were sneakily and deliberately trying to become pregnant?

Tennessee Conservation Voters has recognized Sen. Rosalind Kurita, Sen. Raymond Finney, and Sen. Bill Ketron as the top environmental supporters in the Tennessee Senate for 2008.

The full scorecard (9MB PDF!) is here.

(Sen. John Wilder scored near the bottom with a -1.)

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that State Sen. and former Lt. Gov. John Wilder is campaigning for State Sen. and Speaker Pro Tem Rosalind Kurita's opponent in the upcoming Democratic primary.

Sen. Kurita cast the deciding vote that handed Republican Sen. Ron Ramsey the Lt. Gov. and Senate Speaker post. There are still some hard feelings among Democrats.

Kleinheider has more.

Bob Tuke, candidate for U.S. Senate, released the following statement today regarding the United States Supreme Court ruling on the Washington, D.C. gun ban case.

"The Second Amendment provides for a constitutional right of responsible gun ownership, and I support the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the absolute gun ban that had been enacted in our nation's capital. If elected to the U.S. Senate, I will remain vigilant in upholding the right to bear arms of law abiding citizens of the United States."

Mike Padgett has visited all 95 counties in Tennessee in his bid for U.S. Senate, and found people across the state "struggling to buy a few gallons of gas or a sackful of groceries." Read his thoughts in the presser after the jump...

Progressive Nashville takes a look at McCain's record on progressive children's issues. Basically, he's against everything. (Except war, of course.)

The Nashville City Paper profiles young Nashville progressives turned political activists, including two bloggers you may be familiar with.

Sean Braisted has the details.

Hobbs (no, not that one, the other one) admits getting talking points from Fox News and not being "as well prepared" as he "should have been" for reporter's questions.

OK, then.

UPDATE: Braisted says in comments at his post: "He said he's sorry, promised to support the nominee, and I see no reason to take it further."

OK, then.

Post Politics has the results from this weekend's Davidson Co. Republican Party Picnic Fundraiser straw poll. Nashville Republicans like Mitt Romney for VP and Bill Frist for Governor in 2010. There are some other interesting results.

RELATED: ACK also has an interesting sitdown with Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam re. the 2010 governor's race.

Our condolences to the family and friends of Tim Russert, and his extended family at the NBC Washington Bureau and beyond.

Presser after the jump...

KEY FINDINGS

1. David Davis enjoys a very strong image rating among Republican primary voters (65% favorable - 12% unfavorable). In a very encouraging finding, Davis’ image numbers are considerably better with core Republicans primary voter groups.

	Favorable	Unfavorable
Very Conservative/Strong Republicans	78%	7%
Religious Conservatives	74%	9%
Strong Republicans	71%	10%
Republican Seniors	71%	13%

2. David Davis is in solid shape on the primary ballot, leading Phil Roe by a three-to-one margin (61% Davis - 20% Roe). Here again, the Congressman does noticeably better with those core Republicans primary voter groups:

	Davis	Roe
Very Conservative/Strong Republicans	74%	16%
Strong Republicans	71%	17%
Republican Seniors	71%	13%

Public Opinion Stategies, 300 likely 2008 Republican primary voters in the 1st Congressional District, telephone survey conducted May 2008, margin of error 5.66%

Gun Owners of America House Ratings For The 110th Congress

TENNESSEE

1 DAVIS A
2 DUNCAN A
3 WAMP B
4 DAVIS A-
5 COOPER A-
6 GORDON B-
7 BLACKBURN A-
8 TANNER B-
9 COHEN B

The Maryville Daily Times reports that incumbent State Sen. Raymond Finney (R-Maryville) and primary challenger State Rep. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) debated abortion at a Right to Life forum last night. They are both against abortion. Imagine that.

They also both support SJR127 outlawing abortion. The article notes, however, that the reason it didn't pass is the only nuance on which they differ.

Independent candidate Ira Lapides was there to say the government shouldn't be involved in the issue.

If Finney and Overbey are in lockstep on the number one issue for Tennessee Republicans, why is Overby challenging his own party's incumbent? Did you want vanilla or vanilla?

Rep. Marsha Blackburn is apparently running her own economic stimulus program. For her family.

it may not matter to you when our military personnel come home; in fact it probably helps your election chances for this conflict to wear on; but for many people it matters a great deal.
It matters to the 11,000 soldiers who are being held for, in some cases, years after their original separation date because we can’t recruit enough replacements. They were told recently the policy will not change soon and the numbers will probably grow. It matters to their wives and children, their parent and their friends.
It matters to the thousands of Reserve and Guard soldiers who are serving their second and third 15 month tours away from their families, struggling to keep homes and businesses going on a third or a quarter of their usual income.
It matters to people like my grandson who was medically discharged after a Humvee wreck in his 11 month in Iraq. He wishes some of the 12 billion dollars a month being poured in Iraq was being used to grow jobs where he lives in Arkansas and other depressed areas. He is barely able to support his family.
And lastly you said what really matters is the casualties to American troops. Can you honestly tell the American people you think the casualties will stop in the next year or two or three? Maybe they will drop to 100 a year or 75 a year but in 60 years the deaths have not stopped in Israel and I don’t think they will in Iraq either. And if it is one American soldier a year it will matter to someone. A wife or a mother or child but it will matter Mr. McCain; to someone other than you.

UPDATE: ACK on some of the names.

The Mike Padgett for U.S. Senate campaign has released a list of 22 endorsements that includes some prominent Tennessee Democratic party regulars. Read the full press release and list after the jump...

Some delegate humor from Denver...

Joe Powell on how war is good for business and Rep. David Davis.

The "thrill of victory and agony of defeat* as history was made this week" edition of the weekly unpredictable TennViews roundup featuring primary reaction from Tennessee's best bloggers.

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera:: It's done. It's over. It's an historic night.

• Cup Of Joe Powell: : Clinging to past prejudices in light of change is a sure sign of extinction.

• Don Williams:: It also delivered a message in a bottle to future historians. In a speech she surely knew would be history-making, no matter what she said or how she said it, she said and did all the right things.

• TNDP: Last night the votes were counted. All across the country, from Maine to Montana, two superior candidates drew voters into the Democratic fold in record numbers. As a Democratic Party, we are ready to unite. We are ready to work. We are ready to win.

• KnoxViews: These are some kick-ass numbers across the board for Democrats.

• Lean Left: It is truly a remarkable achievement and an unalloyed good. There is a lot more work to be done, that is true, but we should take a moment to stop and appreciate what has been achieved.

• Left of the Dial: 2008 wasn’t supposed to be this difficult. This primary season has made the hanging chads and Supreme Court decision of 2000 and Swift Boat ads of 2004 seem like pleasant memories.

• LeftWingCracker:: Joy, sadness, apprehension.

• Sean Braisted: Its been a long time coming, and we are glad to have been a part of this historic victory.

• Sharon Cobb:: Tears are just streaming down my face. This is one of the most extraordinary moments in my life, and in the lives of millions of Americans.

• Silence Isn't Golden:: There will be talk in the coming days about how to best unify the party. But in the meantime, it's time to celebrate!

• Tennessee Guerilla Women:: It's been a very rough week for Hillary supporters. I know many of you are grieving, as I am.

• Vibinc:: I know I've been hard on you. I know I said some things that, perhaps cross the margins of polite discussion. Still, despite it all, we are Democrats, and I thank you for your unequivocal support for the Democratic nominee.

• WhitesCreek Journal:: It's now time to turn away from the divisiveness of this Primary contest. Sexism did not cause Hillary to lose... And, Racism did not and will not keep Obama from winning

(*RIP Jim McKay)

Post Politics interviews Bob Tuke for Senate campaign manager Ben Chao, and there are some interesting revelations.

(A KnoxViews production.)

Bob Tuke has announced his plan for energy security and independence. Saying that Alexander wants to study it for five more years, Tuke would act now to "aggressively pursue new technologies to improve efficiency and accelerate the development of alternative energy sources."

Ethanol and other biofuels play a central role, as does "clean coal" although he supports a ban on mountaintop removal mining. You can read Bob Tuke's energy plan here.

Mike Padgett issued a press release accusing Alexander of using "scare tactics" to oppose the Climate Security Act in the Senate. Alexander claims it will bring big increases in gas taxes when in fact it will only amount to an increase of about one half of one percent per year, according to Padgett.

Padgett says "The Climate Security Act is a bold measure that will get a new American energy economy up and running. It will get money to innovators and entrepreneurs so they can develop clean-energy businesses. It has the potential to create good-paying jobs and economic opportunities in Tennessee counties that have lost manufacturers."

Kleinheider has the flash report from the Tennessee Democratic Party's Unity Breakfest. Mike Padgett announced that he's switching to Obama, too.

• Ilissa Gold: My Very First Jackson Day

• Sean Braisted: Weekend Wrap

• Mike Padgett: ‘Nothing strange about helping a stranger’

• Tennessean: Bredesen urges Democrats to unite for country

• Nashville Public Radio: Governor & Obama Supporter Headline Jackson Day

• NewsChannel5: Bredesen To Announce Endorsement After Last Primary

The simple straight-talking truth is that blood 'n' guts McCain doesn't support the troops. He supports the brass.

It may be hard for a third-generation officer to make that distinction. The troops, however, will be able to figure it out.

There was much drama at the DNC RBC meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. yesterday. Here's a roundup of Tennessee blogger reaction...

Sharoncobb: Obama, even though he wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan, is willing to compromise. He has so much class, while Hillary...what rhymes with class?

Vibinc: UPDATE 8:30: I'm watching MSNBC, and I'm glad to see that Rachel Maddow is providing color commentary this morning. I doubt that anything will be resolved today, but the process is REALLY interesting to me. (Live blog with extensive notes on arguments. See also: Fixing the Presidential Primary System)

KnoxViews: What I watched of the process was open and fair to both sides in terms of hearing arguments. The Michigan decision, though, was bullshit. I don't see how this committee can take delegates away from Clinton and give them to Obama with a straight face. And I'd say that if the candidate's positions were reversed.

Tennessee Guerilla Women: Harold Ickes was mad as hell. Ickes said that Hillary reserves her right to take it to the Credentials Committee -- which is as good as saying she may take it to Denver. (Plus a TGW roundup of reaction. And, start at the top and scroll down for coverage of protests and more.)

The Crone Speaks: Shorter version, according to the RBC, not all votes matter. And that is truly the saddest part of this whole mess, coming from the party that insists all votes should matter. I am truly disappointed with this message. And worse yet, this message will stoke the outrage some voters already feel. Instead of listening to Howard Dean, the RBC fueled further disunity. How stupid is that?

Obama supporters in the Tennessee blogosphere are mostly silent this morning. Presumably they are pleased with the outcome and see no point in poking another stick in the hornet's nest.

UPDATE: WhitesCreek Steve: The Compromises went heavily in favor of Hillary Clinton with being awarded the maximum number of delegates that could have been awarded to her under the bylaws of the Democratic Party, and she's just not happy.

UPDATE: Sean Braisted: The absolute cogitative dissonance of Harold Ickes and others, who voted last year to ensure Florida and Michigan would not count towards the nomination, and who are now demagoging the situation and comparing it to civil rights battles or the Florida disenfranchisement; is just absolutely appalling, and it preys on the ignorance of their supporters who are confused about how this process really worked.