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Governor expresses confidence in House Speaker Williams

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is voicing a measure of confidence in new House Speaker Kent Williams’ ability to lead.

Bredesen, during a meeting with members of the Times-News Editorial Board, was asked who’s in charge of the House amid Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s recent comment that “it does seem like there’s more than one (House) speaker.”

Williams, a second-term Carter County Republican lawmaker, is presiding over a 50-49 Republican majority in the House still feeling the effects of his surprise election as House speaker last January over House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower of Bristol.

“I think Kent is in charge,” Bredesen, a Democrat, said of Williams. “He’s been in the legislature two years. He’s leaning on (former House Speaker) Jimmy Naifeh and probably on (House Chief of Staff) Burney Durham for advice. Isn’t that what you want him to do?”

Williams, said Bredesen, had no Republican role model for a House speaker. The job hadn’t been held by a Republican since retired U.S. Rep. Bill Jenkins of Rogersville was elected by the House for a two-year term as speaker in 1969.

“When you’re brand new and you weren’t brought up through the ranks and you don’t have a mentor like Jimmy (Naifeh) did in (former House Speaker and Governor) Ned McWherter ... you want to lean on somebody a little bit to help you through that stuff. He’s doing that and doing it intelligently.”

Bredesen, who cannot run for a third term as governor, said he hasn’t spent much time monitoring the 2010 governor’s race.

Four Republicans, including Ramsey of Blountville, are lined up to seek the GOP nomination, while former House Majority Leader Kim McMillan of Clarksville appears to be the early Democratic front-runner.

“There have been Democratic candidates come call on me just to introduce themselves, and everybody knows I’m not going to get involved in a primary,” Bredesen said. “On the Republican side there’s a lot of interest and excitement and competitiveness there. I don’t have a read on those things.

“I do a little bit of polling now and then to touch base and see where things are. Nobody has got any statewide name recognition out there. (U.S. Rep.) Zach Wamp is known very well in his district, and the same is true of Ron. In the end it will come down to who can line up the people who can provide that recognition with both money and well-known people.”

Bredesen indicated he still favors a statewide election of the lieutenant governor, who is now elected by the state Senate.

But a statewide election of the state attorney general, Bredesen said, would be a total disaster. The attorney general is now selected by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

A proposed constitutional amendment to elect the lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state is being considered by the legislature. It is sponsored by state Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga.

“I will do everything I can to fight that,” Bredesen said of the state electing an attorney general. “We are the only state in the nation without an elected attorney general, and every time I go to a conference of governors, people swoon into the light — the reason being the attorney general is a place you run to governor from in every state. ... So you put the sitting governor whoever it is in the position of the person they are supposed to rely on for advice on a whole host of matters is somebody who is probably trying to get their job.”

Bredesen also said he hasn’t decided what he will do after his term expires in early 2011.

“I enjoy what I’m doing. I had a brief flirtation with Washington a month ago (when he was considered for Health and Human Services secretary by President Obama’s administration). I got over that quickly. I will find something constructive to do. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve done in the public sector. I’d like to find some way to keep a hand in that. If what life holds for me is to go back (to private business), I will be a satisfied man with that.”

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