What a great celebration it was tonight as the Tennessee Democratic Party had its annual Jackson Day dinner at the world-famous Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville! State Chairman Gray Sasser really knows how to put on a party. A second-generation party chairman, Gray is the face of change among Tennessee Democrats. And as Gov. Phil Bredesen said from the podium: “There’s a sense of change in our party.”

Gov. Bredesen struck the theme of Democratic unity – never more important than it will be this year. “America needs the Democratic Party right now,” the governor said, urging all Democrats to unite behind our eventual presidential nominee. We Democrats have the energy, Gov. Bredesen said, it’s just a matter now of closing the deal and taking America back in the name of working-class values.

He was followed by Missouri’s Sen. Claire McCaskill, who gave a talk that I related to so well. She mentioned what our two states have in common: “We are both close to the land. We have common-sense values.”

She brought a rousing Tennessee applause when she talked about growing up in a family that believed “there is nothing strange about helping strangers.” That, Senator McCaskill said, is something “the Bush administration and its friends don’t get.”

All they seem to understand, she said, are “the few, the powerful and the wealthy.”

I believe every Democrat in attendance left the gathering energized to go out and make it  “a Democratic tomorrow,” in the words of Congressman Steve Cohen. I know I did…Mike

Today was another busy day talking to supporters in Nashville. I stopped by a gathering of the Davidson County Young Democrats early this evening and saw some new faces plus a few I already knew.

And let me commend my buddy R. Neal, the Knoxville blogger with TennViews and KnoxViews for following my campaign so closely and taking note of all the places Jake and I have been eating. Made my mouth water, just reading his post and remembering all the good eats!

Of course, all that good food means you have to pay the piper, so I have been hitting the Downtown Y every time I am Nashville. I worked out again this morning, and a couple of weeks ago, my son Mark and I played basketball with a group of guys there. I gotta tell you: I didn’t do bad for a 59-year-old man!

I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of Nashville friends tomorrow night at the Wildhorse, where the state Democratic Party is having its annual Jackson Day dinner. I’ll let you know how it goes… Mike

We returned to Nashville late last night, and I spent the day talking to supporters.

This evening, Jake and I hooked up with about 30 local Democrats at the Tin Roof on Demonbreun. My friend John Little dropped by, as did Brady Banks, Derek Tibbs and popular Nashville bloggers Sean Braisted and Ilissa Gold. Jake was on his best behavior, with his beautiful girlfriend at his side.

With this 35-and-under crowd, the conversation was hot, the beer was cold, and a good time was had by all.

I remember when the Country Music Hall of Fame anchored Demonbreun, and T-shirt and souvenir shops lined the north side of the street. 

Today, it is a great hub of restaurants and shops that are alive from the time the Music Row folks have breakfast at The Breeze until they close down Tin Roof or  Dan McGuinness or any of the other night spots along the street. (I’d been wanting to check out Tin Roof ever since I learned that it was my son Mark’s home away from home a few summers ago, when he was still single.)

Speaking of nightlife, have you seen Merle Haggard’s video, Rebuild America? (Check it out on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDoYsBAyFb0).

Mark e-mailed me a copy the other day, and I’ll be doggone if it doesn’t sound like an anthem for my campaign!

One line says: 

“Let’s get out of I-rack, get back on track, and rebuild America First.”

Now, where have you heard THAT before?! 

And mad props to Braisted, who included a link to the Hag’s video on a post about us Tuesday, “Daggum the Rest of It All” on his Nashville for the 21^st Century blog…Mike

Jake and I drove to Memphis this morning, and we met our old friend Big John Bratcher at the IHOP, where he introduced us to Carmikel Johnson, whose daughter, Cheyenne, is running for county assessor. Then, we went over to County Commissioner Sidney Chism’s office for a lengthy visit.

This evening, we went with Big John to the Outback and met with Freda Williams, who is running for the school board, Howard Richardson and Dianne Winters. We talked about where Senator Alexander is vulnerable and how we can win.

We are making a lot of friends in Memphis, where our campaign message is really striking a chord. And nobody works harder for a campaign than Shelby County Democrats.

 (Jake, of course, looks forward to the meals in Memphis. You should have seen him wolf down a couple of short stacks at the IHOP!)

Meanwhile, I checked my Blackberry on the way down here and found out from my blogger buddy Adam Kleinheider that there is a little polling going on at a Knoxville Web site. That my friend Bob Tuke is out to prove that Knoxville is “Tuke country.”

Well, there is only one Hill to take in Knoxville, and I’ve been claiming it as Padgett Country in elections for more than 20 years. You see, you can’t take the hill without a plan, and we released one today for reclaiming America’s honor in the world. Got a plan, Bob?…Mike 

I got into Nashville last night and had coffee this morning with my old friend Dick Lodge, a past state Democratic Party chairman. Dick and I see eye to eye on a lot of issues, and he gave me some great pointers on how to win this race.

I am spending most of the day talking to supporters, but I took a break to have lunch with A.C. Kleinheider, the editor of Nashville Post’s “political blogjam.” He is in the vanguard of “new media” journalism – a must-read for anybody serious about Tennessee politics.

Jake and I are taking off for a campaign visit tomorrow to Memphis. We expect to hit the Rendezvous for ribs with some of our supporters while we’re there. That’s really more my style (and Jake’s) than playing piano with the symphony…Mike

Memorial Day started out for me as any Monday might, but it ended up being far more profound than I could have imagined. 

I stopped by the Ben Atchley Veterans Home in Knoxville with my fundraising director, Cortney Piper, for a lunchtime get-together. I was impressed with how well the facility is run and what a nice event the administrators put together for these elderly heroes.  

I mingled with family members who were visiting and talked to several of the elderly fellows who live there. In some ways, it was heart-rending to see these men, once tall and strong, now in their sunset days. But mostly, it was heartwarming to see their pride and feel their love of country. 

In the afternoon, we attended the memorial service at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, touching in its quiet dignity. Some of those who participated were the Rev. Pat Polis with the Knoxville police chaplain’s corps, retired Brig. Gen. Gene Bayless and the East Tennessee Veterans Honor Guard, which delivered the volleys and Taps.  

Perhaps most moving, though, was Iris Walden, who spoke. She is past national president of the Gold-Star Mothers, an organization begun during World War I for the moms of those who have died in defense of their country. 

As we honor our fallen heroes, who among us doesn’t think about those hit hardest by their loss – the mothers and fathers, wives and children, brothers, sisters, friends? As a parent, it is impossible to imagine their pain. 

So, this was a day of twofold reflection for me: on the living heroes I met and the late ones we honored, on their sacrifice and their strength and the privileges we enjoy, thanks to them…Mike

Today was a treat. Christian Siler, one of my supporters, and I went to the Appalachian Dumpling Festival in Scott County. Shelley Duncan chaired the event, and it was a great success.  

They were serving chicken and dumplings, cherry dumplings, pinto bean dumplings, apple dumplings, pineapple dumplings, squash dumplings, rhubarb dumplings. If it’s a dumpling, they were dishing it up. (I gave Jake a well-deserved day off, or we’d still be there eating!) 

It was great to meet Winfield Mayor Kenny Burchfield. He said the turnout was so strong for this year’s festival because, due to high gas prices, folks are staying home for the holiday weekend and the event was free. Scott County, on the Kentucky border, lost some 300 jobs when a manufacturer closed its operations there. 

I am hearing about a lot of Americans who are giving up the annual summer vacation because of  the economy – especially the gas prices. The family trip to the beach or to grandma’s is slipping away along with middle-class prosperity – part of a trend that we must turn around.  

Stand with me in the Aug. 7 primary and on election day in November, and I will work to return the middle-class way of life to working Tennesseans…Mike 

A lot of people started the holiday weekend early, but not the folks at the Meigs County Courthouse in Decatur. When Jake and I stopped by there this morning, we met plenty of people in every department. 

We then drove to Roane County, where we had lunch at Juniors Restaurant in Rockwood.  

There are a number of Republicans in Roane County, and I am here to tell you: They are Padgett Republicans. We met a great group of them today, and they told me to count on their support. 

You can’t get re-elected time and again in Knox County the way I have without knowing how to work with Republicans. A bipartisan spirit is the only way to get a lot of things done, and that goes for the U.S. Senate just as it does in Knox County and Roane County. 

I am headed over to McMinnville to meet with Warren County Democrats this evening. I will catch up with you tomorrow…Mike

Shorty Sanders welcomed us to Grundy County, where we had lunch at Mary’s Kitchen in Altamont. Gayle Van Hooser, who’s register of deeds, and county Democratic Party Chair Sue Bouldin-Parrott joined us, and we had a chance to meet a lot of the patrons there at the restaurant. We also did an interview with the local TV station.

Meanwhile in Washington, Senator Alexander was sounding a lot like Amy Winehouse, saying NO, NO, NO.

He voted no on Jim Webb’s GI Bill that guarantees a college education to veterans. He voted no on money for lower-income Americans with heating bills they can’t pay. And he voted no on bringing the troops home from Iraq by next year and requiring Iraq to use their oil revenues to pick up part of the tab for their own reconstruction. (The list continues, but I won’t for now.)

And what did he manage to vote yes on? Another $165 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Winehouse doesn’t get it about rehab, and Senator Alexander doesn’t get it about where this nation is today. Perhaps he’ll get the message the first week in November…Mike

Van Buren County was first up for Jake and me this morning. We met our buddy Justin Walling for breakfast at the Shell station on Highway 111 in Spencer.

Just as we found in Pickett County, some people in Van Buren County have limited access to water. The good news here, though, is that they have a big automotive parts factory. They’ll be able to keep it if certain tax credits are renewed – good policy if it keeps good jobs alive.

Justin showed us around the courthouse, where we worked for votes the old-fashioned way: “Hey, how’re you? ‘Preciate your vote!”

We are on our way to Grundy County, where we’ll have lunch in Altamont. (Jake’s stomach is growling already.)

We’ll check in later today…Mike