I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've always heard the name John Jay Hooker - the perennial candidate - and I didn't really know who he was. I imagined a shrivelled old guy in a two-bed ramshackle house with peeling dirty mint green paint, with a rusting fence holding in a barking mean-eyed mutt. There was a lot of junk on his front porch, but also a swing. Not the wooden kind, but the metal kind with molded curves.
Every year, he'd scrape together the names and cash to become a candidate by harassing would-be shoppers in front of Big Lots. The one nephew he still had a good relationship with would plead with him not to run again. But he would, again.
Maybe I'm thinking of a different candidate, the real John Jay Hooker is a dapper old guy (see photo), from an "established family" and once very real political connections and aspirations. I know there was somebody that my dad would always threaten to vote for, if he didn't like any of the other candidates. But I can't remember. This was a memory from the 70s, and John Jay Hooker was still kinda close to the mainstream of political life back then - according to wikipedia - so I'm not sure that's who my dad was talking about - maybe he threatened to write-in William Shatner. You can see how I might be confused.-0-
What prompted all this? Well, I read this post from the Nashville Knucklehead about the forthcoming election - on Thursday. An election in which he endorses Nashville blogger and serious candidate Bob Krumm (Nash-Knuck also endorses write-in candidate, Rex L Camino*) I like Bob Krumm, but I will not be voting for him. Why not? Not my district, for one thing. I couldn't vote for him if I wanted to, which I don't.
I wouldn't vote for him because he's a Republican, and because I don't agree with him on a lot of issues. Particularly issues relating to choice and immigration and a worrying tendency to tighten voting rules (e.g. requiring IDs) which could leave the Vol Abroad - and a lot of other expat voters - disenfranchised. But to be fair to Bob, I presented this issue to him and he responded saying he wouldn't forget about us expat voters.
I won't be voting in my own district anyway. Why will I not be voting? Because I didn't get any good races on my ballot. I'm not declared with a political party, so I only got the races for Sherriff and dogcatcher and so forth. The only name I recognised on the whole ballot was my cousin's. I suppose I should be voting for Cuz, but since he's running unopposed - I think he'll be alright.
__________
I don't think I'll be voting for Rex L. Camino, either. Though presumably one could write-in his name in any district. And here's why not:
1. Politics might scar his sweet and gentle soul.
2. I can't be voting for Bama fans.
I might reconsider if he started sporting John-Jay-Hookerish suits and hats as in above photo -substituting the cravat for string tie.
8 comments:
I cannot remember J who, but I know it was not John Jay Hooker. The threatened Jay was also a candidate for governor. As I remember he was not a bad candidate, just out of step with most of TN (Probably a good reason to support him). VM
It wasn't Jake Butcher, was it? Ye gods, tell me it wasn't. Nah, I can't see a member of the Vol household supporting one of the Butcher boys.
By the way, did you get the sheriff info I sent your way a few weeks ago?
Finally, don't knock TJ Hooker. It was quite the show in the Caffeine household in its day.
No I can't imagine anyone in the Vol household supporting any of the Butcher boys, either. When we used to drive by the river and see their houses on the bluff, somebody always said something, but it wasn't nice.
No. I didn't get any sheriff info.
Hell, that ain't John Jay...that there's the spittin' image of Quentin Crisp. I saw him and a passel of Fancy Lads outside of Peter Luger's in Brooklyn some years ago. I swear he was wearing the same suit and hat. A scrumptiously coifed fellow...how funny that he would return from the Beyond to try his delicately veined hand at Southern politics.
I've stated that I would set the SEC rivalry aside and vote for anyone with a name like Jim Bob Cooter on any given day. Politics is serious business and requires us to rise above and beyond.
Also, my sweet and gentle soul is currently sitting in a pawn shop on Nolensville Rd.
Gee Rex, now that I know you're hanging out in pawn shops - that removes at least one of my reservations.
Wear the string tie, and I might put my SEC rivalry aside, too.
Vol,
I sent the sheriff info to the email listed on your blogger page. You never got it, huh? Well the original was much more colorful, but it boiled down to, "If you're going to vote for any of them, the Crouch fella is the best of the bunch."
I used to see John Jay Hooker all the time when I worked downtown. He's really tall and striking and wears those custom-made three piece suits with Lincoln-esque collars, etc. and hats. He's so cool. I still regret not voting for him the time that idiot Sundquist ran for re-election.
Post a Comment