By Robert H. Elliott
With well over 2,800 journalists
from all parts of the
world looking on, the 2nd
Presidential debate between
Sen. John McCain and Sen.
Barack Obama took place at
Nashville’s historic Belmont
University. As dozens of miles
of electrical and electronic
cables snaked across campus,
the eyes of the world were
focused through satellite dishes
on Nashville.
The debate was a town hall
format on domestic and foreign
policy issues with 80 non-committed
voters on the stage to
pose questions to the two candidates.
There were also questions
taken from the more than six
million queries that were submitted
on line. The remainder of
those in attendance in the
debate hall included invited
guests, politicians and entertainers.
But the majority of the
audience was made up of
Belmont students.
Tom Brokaw, from NBC
News, was the moderator for
the 90-minute debate. From the
start, he reminded the candidates
that they had agreed to
this format and timing—and he
was going to try and keep to
that agreement. The first question
came from Allen Shaffer of
Nashville. (Sen. Obama was
first to reply after a coin flip had
decided the order.)
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Murfreesboro,TN native pilots Space Shuttle mission
by Cass F.L. Teague, Jr., Ed.D.
NASA has assigned the crew
for space shuttle Discovery's
STS-129 mission. The flight
will deliver two experiment
racks to the International Space
Station. Marine Col. Charlie
Hobaugh will command the
mission, which is targeted to
launch in October 2009. Navy
Capt. Barry Wilmore will serve
as the pilot. Mission Specialists
are Dr. Robert Satcher, Navy
Capt. Michael Foreman, Marine
Lt. Col. Randy Bresnik and
Leland Melvin. Wilmore,
Satcher and Bresnik will be
making their first trips to space.
Barry E. ‘Butch’ Wilmore
was born in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
and grew up in Mt. Juliet. He
has Bachelor's and Master's
degrees in electrical engineering
from Tennessee Technological
University, and a Master's
degree in aviation systems from
the University of Tennessee. He
is married to the former Miss
Deanna Newport of Helenwood,
Tenn. His parents, Eugene and
Faye Wilmore, still reside in Mt.
Juliet. His brother Jack and family
reside in Franklin, Tenn. He
is a 2003 Inductee of the
Tennessee Technological
University Sports Hall of Fame
in Football.
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Tennessee’s Capitol City host four days of
events leading to Presidential Debate 08
There were large and small,
major and minor events comprising
the four day celebration of
Belmont University’s
‘Debate08.’
The events heralded the coming
of the candidates seeking to
occupy the office of President of
the United States of America.
Debate08 had to be special, after
all only three presidential debates
were scheduled across the nation.
The events, under the auspices
of Belmont University with
the leadership of Belmont’s
President Dr. Bob Fisher took
place from Saturday, Oct. 4 to
Tuesday, Oct. 7. Gov. Phil
Bredesen was the Honorary
Chair.
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by Robert H. Elliott
After an $810 billion bailout
instituted by the Department
of the Treasury and the Federal
Reserve Bank, the financial
hemorrhaging on Wall Street
continues un-abated. The financial
markets and institutions
have expressed no confidence in
the plans already instituted by
the Fed and economists are
deriding their lack of planning
for the future (CNBC).
Fed Chairman Bernanke has
often reminded the public that
his studying and understanding
of the Great Depression
strengthen his financial acumen.
Critics of the Fed’s moves have
commented on the very lack of
planning to head off the continuing
financial crisis and the
reliance of responding to instead
of anticipating the next financial
stress.
In an attempt to coax banks
into lending short-term funds to
each other, the Fed in conjunction
with the central banks of
other nations made an emergency
rate cut of _ percent to
encourage inter-bank lending.
That rate now stands at 1.5%
while the Prime rate remains at
2%. Unfortunately, the banks
don’t trust each other and are
un-trustful of what secrets may
be hidden in the deep vaults and
secret financial reports of other
institutions.
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Healthy Nashville Leadership
Council named by mayor
Mayor Karl Dean has named
14 new and reappointed members
of the Healthy Nashville
Leadership Council.
The council, created by
executive order, serves to assess
the health of Nashville citizens
and their access to health services,
as well as mobilize community
efforts to help alleviate
disparities in chronic disease.
“Nashville is known as a
center for the healthcare industry.
With so much expertise in
the area of health, we should
also be known as a city for
healthy living. The leadership
council members share this goal
with me and I look forward to
seeing their work further local
efforts to make Nashville a
healthy city,” Dean said.
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Gov. Bredesen has appointed
Sharon Gail Lee of Madisonville
to the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Lee, who has served on the
Tennessee Court of Appeals
since 2004, fills a vacancy created
by the recent retirement of
Justice William M. ‘Mickey’
Barker.
“Sharon has served with distinction
on the Court of Appeals
and I am confident she will bring
the same level of honor and
integrity to the Tennessee
Supreme Court,” said Bredesen.
“I am very pleased she has
agreed to accept this appointment.”
Before her appointment to
the bench, Lee developed a wide
variety of experience in both
civil and criminal litigation. She
began the practice of law in
1978 with J.D. Lee and
Associates in Madisonville. She
subsequently worked in various
partnerships and as a solo practitioner
before her appointment by
Bredesen to the Tennessee Court
of Appeals, Eastern Section, in
June 2004.
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By Robert H. Elliott
by Cass F.L. Teague, Jr., Ed.D.
There were large and small,
major and minor events comprising
the four day celebration of
Belmont University’s
‘Debate08.’