Blue Collar Muse

Erick Erickson at RedState has an excellent post up this afternoon on one of our Tennessee races. Over in Memphis, TN-9, incumbent, white, Jewish, male, Democrat Steve Cohen has a primary fight on his hands from challenger, black, religious affiliation unknown, female Democrat Nikki Tinker. Tinker barely lost to Cohen in 2006 for Harold Ford Jr.’s seat when Ford ran unsuccessfully for the Senate against Bob Corker for the seat Bill Frist was vacating.

Not content with permitting a Democrat with superb bona fides to occupy the seat, Tinker is running against Cohen again. TN-9, largely Shelby County and Memphis, TN, is predominantly a black community. Unsurprisingly, race has become an issue for the Democratic primary. At least the Democrats are consistent. Even their own white males aren’t good enough to represent black Democrats.

That Cohen would be targeted at all is curious given recent political debate in Tennessee. As I mentioned, his Democratic credentials are impressive. Across the state, for months, there have been Progressives calling for someone to run against other incumbent Democrats like Lincoln Davis (TN-4), Jim Cooper (TN-5) and Bart Gordon (TN-6) because they aren’t Democratic enough. To my knowledge, despite serious objections to the Blue Dog status of these men, no Democrat is challenging them. Blue Dogs they may be but they know the length of their chain. None of these Dems are willing to put their people and their supposed principles above Pelosi and their Party. But they are white and so are the majority of their constituents.

Not so for Cohen and TN-9. He tried to join the Congressional Black Caucus earlier this year. He was denied. Only 3 of the 42 members of that caucus has endorsed his bid to remain the Democratic Congressman from Memphis. I’m reminded of the scene in “The Godfather” where Tessio is being led off to be executed for betraying the Corleones. He looks at Tom Hagen and asks, “Can you get me off the hook? For old time’s sake?” He’s met with a sad shake of the head as Hagen looks away.

Been nice knowing you, Steve. But nothing, not even your apology for slavery, can save you from what’s coming. You know the drill. It’s Democratic politics - rife with personal destruction - at its finest. And it’s about to claim another soul.

And who is talking about it? Obama, the great Uniter of the Races? The Tennessee Democratic Party and its Chair Gray Sasser? ANYBODY on the Left? Nope … just a little ol’ Right of Center blogger from Georgia at RedState. Thanks for keeping us in the loop on this one, Erick!

Blue Collar Muse

SEE ALSO:

Racism in Politics Shows its Ugly Head by Real Debate Wisconsin.

So Only White Guys are Racist When Voting? at Granite Grok

Obama’s and Media’s Silence on Racist Attacks on Tennessee Dem by Warner Todd Huston at NewsBusters.

Nice Wrap Up of Tennessee Blog Views on the Issue at Nashville is Talking.

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