why was the crowd hostile?

located here.

The crowd wasn't hostile, that is just another one of Sandra's shock journalist tricks to keep you coming back.

Thanks for the link Brian. I bet there was standing room only if the vast Brian's Blog team attended. Perhaps one of them could corroborate your story. I'm looking forward to reading their post.

The crowd was defensive and only one guy said anything resembling support for Schumpert. Folks were polite, but the questions were hostile.

This is a classic fight between the "outs" and the "ins."

Parties are so inbred that they are basically irrelevant. The "ins" of both parties support each other. So Ben and Tommy will be supporting the "outs."

I've been around so long that I remember when the current crop of "ins" were the "outs." (sigh) -- s.

if you will read the post it names all the elected officials, candidates and media present. That doesn't count the everyday member of the club that was present.

For the record, I let the entire staff go home early today. I was the only member of the Brian's Blog team present.

It does appear that the News-Sentinel required two employees (Georginia and Sandra) to be in attendance for every member (me) of the Brian's Blog team present.

Sandra is changing the wording. First it was hostile now it is defensive. hmm.

Innies and Outies. I like your explanation Sandra. I hope you weren't trampled to death by the Truth Squad.

Speaking of which, doesn't the title of Hornback's post about this meeting sound like a bad porn movie?

The Twelve White Men Have Been Replaced By Seven (Which Includes Three Women)

I will leave the porn movies up to you and Sandra.

They're needed at the home office immediately. There's been a breach!

Beanster. How would your employer E.W. Scripps instruct you to refer to them? How would you suggest they be mentioned, "appointed officials." They took the oath of office just as the individuals before them were sworn into office.But then again you don't feel that way for all of them only the ones you don't like. It is interesting that you can only handle one of them. That is certainly not biased, now is it?

I will bet you a cup of coffee that Ken Irvine will call himself a Judge when he runs for Criminal Court Judge in 2014 and he was only appointed today. Is there a difference? No, but I bet you and Sandra will say there is.

bizzy it is time to put the cup of coffee down. To much java this late at night is not good for you. All the C-Stores in Karns are closed, pour the coffee down the sink and get some more tomorrow.

I have no problem with Frank Leuthold or John Griess. I have always supported Frank and John and they have suppported me.

You continue to try to skirt the real issue. It won't happen as long as people continue to reveal your biases.

The real issue is that you have bias. A "real journalist" (as you and Sandra like to call yourselves) is not supposed to have bias. The bias as you stated it in this thread "I don't include Leuthold in that group"

Ray Lee Jenkins was not and is not too sick to serve another term. He has served for a year into this term and he will be back to continue serving.

This is yet another classless Beanster attack that she posts here at KnoxViews. Just because Judge Jenkins is older, she believes he has no usefulness to his community and his profession.

So tell us Beanster. When in your ideal perfect world should all elderly citizens go away from your sight?

Also, for the record. Judge Jenkins concluded more cases than the two "younger" Criminal Court Judges. So, if for some reason Judge Jenkins does not return. The citizens were well served by a Judge that carried a docket and concluded more cases than his counterparts.

Can and will the same be said of Irvine during his brief stint filling in for Jenkins? I will report the results.

My only problem with Tommy and Ben's group is they wrong people leading the charge.... plus who are they going to support... they ask for donations but as of yet do not have slate of canidates to support... how do I know I will like or respect the canidates they choose to support???

Tommy and Ben are vague on these questions:

1. Who picked you? -- They don't say, "We sat down and decided to do this." Instead, they say, "We were approached and asked to do this." But when pushed on who asked them they provide no name(s).

2. What is your selection criteria? -- "Good people" is the best they come with. Tommy did not answer a direct question about whether there are deal-breaker characteristics that would preclude a candidate from gaining the PAC endorsement.

Even so, I'm glad they have formed the PAC and I plan to contribute. -- s.

In fairness, Mark Brown could have turned down an interim appointment, because it would probably have required him to resign his City Council seat, although I am reliably informed that Irvine was Bredesen's pick.

The crowd lastnight was neither hostile nor defensive. What I saw was a healthy dose of skepticism for yet another group of elites wanting to tell us who we should elect to office. One lifelong Republican leaving the meeting summed it up best, "they want us to give them money so they can give it to Democrats." I would hope that idea would be a tough sell at a Republican gathering.

As for "ins" and "outs" there were incumbents as well as challengers for Trustee, Law Director and at least two County Commission seats. At the end of the day this PAC like any other pack will support candidates that support their agenda like any other special interest group.

"Good government is not a partisan issue....It's the people's government..not the party's government."

Thats the sweet spot in next years elections.

If you cant win..you cant govern

Tommy & Ben are as good as it gets when comes to winning elections.

I agree,after all,the West Knox Republican Club is working to get the Republican county ticket elected next year.

I am a member of the 1st district democrats..It seams to me the opposite would be true in our committee...when we say give to the Republicans..we dont mean money.

Looks to me like the Public Trust is going to be running quasi non partisan candidates.Which will get tricky in the partisan primaries.But remember one thing,the turn out for the county primaries is going to set records...which could delute the hard core partisan vote.This will give an opening to candidates that preach;"Its the people's government..not the party's government."

Obviously,what candidates are nominated,will play into the Public Trust's general election strategy.Could run a fusion ticket.

Then again & who knows...these folks may run independents in the general.

Just remember the Tommy and Ben PAC can only give $1,000 per election cycle per candidate... so they can not really influence an election with money...

Check out SColfax, there is another witness to last night's meeting. Sandra is backing up from hostile and defensive.

As for the Bredesen appointment which Beanster is defending. Where was the public input that everyone on this board says did not exist on Commission on 1/31? Does everyone on this board believe that massive public input is only neccesary when it a County Commission appointing vacanicies but as long as it is a Democrat Governor in a smoked filled backroom to appoint someone even State Representative Joe Armstrong doesn't support then it is o.k.

Please tell.

however, yourself and many others have saber rattled that public input was neccesary for the appointments on 1/31. So, obviously that doesn't apply to judicial appointments by a DEMOCRAT governor. Certainly a double standard in the Beanster world.

As for whether I am making things up. You my friend are the one that has written inaccurate stories for just about every newspaper in town. It is difficult to stay at one publication very long, Knoxville Journal, Metro Pulse, Shopper and now E.W. Scripps.

As for my friend Hubert Smith. He is a journalist that doesn't get it wrong like you and yours.

Just remember the Tommy and Ben PAC can only give $1,000 per election cycle per candidate... so they can not really influence an election with money...

Tommy said the PAC could give $5,000 per candidate per election (primary and general).

Tommy & Ben are as good as it gets when comes to winning elections.

Neither Tommy nor Ben ever lost. Few who run for office can say that. And I don't recall Tommy having any staff crises of ethics while serving 8 years as Knox County's CEO.

Tommy said last night, "The hardest thing about running is begging for money." He said the PAC will not be a candidate's sole source of funding.

... But doggone it, $5,000 can go a long way toward buying yard signs and fliers for a grass-roots commission race. Bee DeSelm got elected a bunch of times while limiting donations to $5. -- s.

with this part of what Sandra said. "Tommy said the PAC could give $5,000 per candidate per election (primary and general)." That one statement is accurate to what Coach said.

As for this about Tommy "while serving 8 years as Knox County's CEO." He served as County Executive not CEO. Knox County has NEVER had a position of CEO.

For every accurate statement, there appears to be a wrong one. It must be a gossip and lie.

Sherri Lee the same Sherri Lee that is the wife of the former Baxter Lee? He passed away about 8 years ago, I believe.

If it is the same Sherri Lee together she and Baxter founded a janitorial cleaning company SSC that cleans office buildings, schools etc.

If you find yourself in agreement with Hornback's "reporting" take a moment to read this absolutely spellbinding post from his blog:

(link...)

or this one:

(link...)

or even better:

(link...)

Bizzy, we are pleased that you are reading Brian's Blog and saving posts to share with others.

We have started putting more pictures on the blog because we are trying to help people like you and yours in Karns that have difficulty in reading.

After today, you only have two more days of free money from the Court Clerk's office. Enjoy.