DENVER – As is always the case at a national major party
convention, would-be office-holders were much in evidence at this week’s
Democratic National Convention.Such occasions allow for the kind of schmoozing
and logrolling and P.R. and balloon-floating – not to mention he occasional
fundraising opportunity — that political campaigns require.
Indeed, a feature of the DNC gathering, one which will be
reproduced in kind at next week’s Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St.
Paul, was the showcasing in prime time of congressmen and other officials trying
to move up to the Senate or to governorships in their states.
Even if such promotional undertakings don’t make it to
national TV, they certainly go on in a variety of convention venues. Tennessee’s
4th District U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, held an early lunch for the
state’s delegates, for example – and though his remarks were made off the record
for media folks, Davis was happy to prose for press pictures. (And the
ultra-conservative blue dog probably won’t mind it being observed that, in his
generally bland remarks, he kept to the ‘Democrat Party’ usage favored by
Republicans.)
Among the other hopefuls rubbing elbows with delegates was
former Clarksville State Rep. Kim McMillan, a declared gubernatorial candidate
who held a reception for Tennesseans on Wednesday night. And, though he kept
busy attending to other functions in his role as state Senate Democratic leader,
Jim Kyle of Memphis did not disavow the idea when asked about a tip that he,
too, might run for governor in 2010. (First things first, though: After this
year’s elections, Kyle hopes to be Lt. Governor, a title synonymous with Speaker
of the Senate, a post reserved for the majority party.)
The real sleeper among politicians on the move, however,
might be Governor Phil Bredesen, who held one gala party for Tennesseans in
Denver (as did former congressman Harold Ford Jr., now head of the
right/centrist Democratic Leadership Council) and had a major role in two
luncheons as either host or featured speaker.
And what might the governor be premeditating for the
future? A few hints were provided during a leisurely chat I had with Bredesen
during his Tuesday night party at Denver’s Hyatt Grand Hotel.
For one thing, he allowed as how he had considered running
for the open U.S. Senate seat in 2006 but eventually deferred to Ford and ran
for reelection instead. He thought again about a race `this year for the Senate
seat now held by Republican Lamar Alexander. Actually, he said, he had been the
object of “a full court press” to do so from Senator majority leader Harry Reid
of Nevada.
“I finally decided that I wasn’t sure I’d be comfortable in
the job,” Bredesen said. The governor entertained no doubt whatever that he
could have beaten Alexander had he run. “Oh yes, sure,” he said.
Bredesen had been among those speculated on as a possible
Democratic vice-presidential choice during the last year and had earlier on been
mentioned by The New Republic as a possible long-shot presidential
contender. During the nip-and-tuck late phase of this year’s Democratic primary
contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Bredesen sought and got
serious attention from the mainstream media when he floated a variety of
proposals for breaking the stalemate.
If all of that suggests a man interested in holding
national office a some point, the governor was quick to provide confirmation of
such interests. At one point I asked him if his loss to Republican Don Sundquist
during his first run for he governorship in 1994 might have been a blessing
disguise, given that Sundquist faced a plethora of long-simmering financial
problems during his tenure while Bredesen, then mayor of
Nashville, enhanced his political image by landing the NFL Titans and
achieving\ other well-publicized successes.
“No,” he said. That defeat upset his timetable and had kept
him for laying an early base for what he described as “national” ventures.
Pressed on the matter, he acknowledged having nursed thoughts of a presidential
run and, in the almost off-handedly self-confident manner that Bredesen-watchers
are familiar with, nodded “Yes” when asked if he thought he could step into such
a role.
What does come next for the governor when, restricted to
two terms by the state constitution, he has to leave office in January of 2011?
“Well, I often think of my father going to his office and taking care of his
business at the age of 90, and I can see myself doing something like that. I’m
going to stay active, that’s for sure.”
In business or in public service? Either avenue was
possible, Bredesen said.
