It was all politics inside the 417 Union restaurant on Monday afternoon, as Democrats gathered for a pre-debate welcome to Al From, founder of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr., the group's chairman.The event was one of a few in Nashville on the eve of the debate to welcome out-of-town political heavies, mostly focused on the Democratic side. The GOP's major event, a debate-watching party Tuesday that was expected to see John McCain afterward, was canceled.
State Rep. Beth Harwell, co-chairwoman of the McCain campaign in Tennessee, said former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson would be in town for the debate. The GOP also said there were several county viewing parties for Republicans, as well as one sponsored by Music Row 4 McCain.
She also said B.C. "Scooter" Clippard Jr., a Republican fundraiser, is hosting a pre-debate event at his house, at which former Gov. Winfield Dunn is expected to attend, and possibly Thompson.
At 417 Union, a few dozen lawmakers, party officials, legislative staffers, and candidates milled through the narrow eatery near Capitol Hill, some hovering over a table of burritos and finger food, others preferring to linger near the bar.
The event was organized by Sen. Jim Kyle, the Democratic leader from Memphis, but he was detained at his Memphis law office, making his wife, Tennessee Regulatory Authority director Sarah Kyle, fill the role of host.
Ford took the microphone and condemned what he called the McCain campaign's increasingly negative tone, saying that the Republican nominee had condemned dirty campaign tactics in 2000. But, he said, Obama "has the wind at his back," and held out hope that Obama could still win Tennessee.
Source: Tennessean
