Why did GOP sweep Tennessee? Because Democratic leaders here stand for nothing

In an incredibly tardy and lazy analysis of why Republicans did so well in Tennessee on Nov. 4, The Tennessean yesterday offered comments from a few members of the state's congressional delegation.

And those of Jim Cooper of Nashville were most telling. Cooper, Representative Easter Bunny because he is inoffensive and unproductive on Capitol Hill for his constituents, said that he has been getting a lot of grief nationally because Tennessee went in the wrong direction.

Cooper is indicative, however, of why. Democrats here are nothing like those nationally -- and that's why Democrats in Tennessee lost control of the legislature and let candidate John McCain roll up huge margins.

Cooper is a Bredesen Democrat, which means one resembles little of what the party represents nationally. Both support choice, but then run so close to the Republicans that the two parties seem the same.

Cooper is a big supporter of the punitive 287g deportation program in his congressional district and said nothing when a pregnant Hispanic woman was tortured by local law enforcement before and after she delivered her American citizen child. Cooper brings no appropriation earmarks back to his district. And his most prominent position taken during the past two years has been against Rural Electric Cooperatives -- of which none are in his district.

Cooper was an early supporter of Obama, which hopefully means the new president might find some place where he needs a stand-for-nothing accountant in his White House.

Bredesen, the governor here, told President-elect Obama not to campaign in Tennessee. Yet Democrats still have the gall to say that a lot of the vote for McCain in Tennessee was racist. That's bullshit. A vote for McCain was an honorable one. He was the most experienced candidate and did come to Tennessee.

To be constructive in my criticism, I'd recommend The Tennessean offer political analysis of a major election at least the following Sunday, not almost in December. Also, get your writer out into the areas of the state where McCain did roll up big margins and ask the voters why they made their choices.

The truth is better than more political spin from a sad, silly group of politicians led by Cooper.