"The administration hated it. People loved it," says controversial Tennessee state legislator Stacey Campfield, describing his governor's reaction to Campfield's blog. That's Stacey in the photo, heckling (soon-to-be) Gov. Phil Bredesen, at an event a couple years ago. Campfield was tossed out of was attacked by a Bredesen supporter at the event. Entering his fourth year of public service, Campfield calls his legislative district "the fightin' 18th." "It has about 58,000 brilliant people in it," he says. "The men are big and strong and the women are all pretty."
Campfield's blogging venture, begun in 2005, has garnered him enemies as well as respect, grudging and otherwise. He clearly has a sense of humor about himself.
Chided for his grammar mistakes, Campfield replied to an emailer: "To evary bodey who rote tanks for yer inpoot ill tri harder next tim." Result: Campfield won some fans. "At least the guy is not an a**hole. In fact, he seems like a good guy," wrote one blogger. (Asterisks in original post.) Read the dizzying history of that exchange here. Campfield, who is white, also made news for seeking to join his legislature's black caucus in 2005. He received death threats and his blog served as the center of the action. He describes some of that situation in our Q & A:
What got you started blogging?
Actually, it was Democrat Howard Dean. I figured if he could do it I could too.
What is the history of your blog?
Wow, that is a big one since my political history and my blog have been so entwined since my blog's controversial start. When I started it, I was just telling the behind-the-scenes stuff. What was really going on. People loved it, the administration hated it, and it came out that they were starting to kill my bills because of it. It blew up from there. I figured "In for a penny, in for a pound." I jumped in and didn't look back. You can't be intimidated as a public servant or you are really useless. Since then, there have been a lot of issues and scrapes, because what some people consider controversial topics don't bother me. But because of my blog I have been able to put out my point of view and say what my point of view is.
What are your goals for your blog?
Just to keep pulling back the curtain. I was always a political outsider. I always wondered what was really going on and why, what I considered good ideas, would be killed. When I was elected I figured there was no reason the people shouldn't be allowed to find out. Thus the blog.
What have you learned by blogging, if anything?
My spelling and puncuation are terrible. I didn't even have a computer before I was elected. My friends discribe me and my blog like a 16 year old with a new Ferrari. "Look out, here he comes!"
What are some of your favorite moments or results, or examples of positive impact of the blog?
Too many to mention. If I had to take a stab at it ... I guess it is sort of like a megaphone. Of course I think all my ideas are brilliant at one time or another and it allows me to put them out there. Some people love them (like my tax on porn, escorts and strippers to remove the tax on food). Some people hate them. But that is OK. I like to hear their point of view as well.
What are some of your worst moments (if any)?
When I started to get death threats with the black caucus thing. I had to shut down comments for about a week and put a filter on my comments. Some of the language was not family ready.
What advice would you give other legislators or group of legislators or any public servants considering blogging?
Be consistant. People don't read a blog if you only post once a month. Be honest and have a take on the issues. People don't go to political blogs to see pictures of your cat. I don't care how interesting you think your cat is.
Should elected officials blog?
Follow the rules and yes I would support it, but many legislators may not want to because they have given the people of their district a false impression of what they really do or how they vote. If they blog people may find out the truth. I think that would be good though.
What other blogs by elected or appointed officials out there in your state or region or nationally do you read and/or admire (if any)?
Susan Lynn of Tennessee blogs a little. Linda Noe does a good little blog as well.
Extra credit question: How is that effort to join your state legislature’s black caucus coming along?
I still can't figure out why they won't let me in. I wish they would change their racist bylaws. I hear they still don't have their financial books cooked enough yet to let the public see them.
[UPDATE: Municipalist has altered the introduction to the Q & A to reflect the legislator's comments, below. Also, read more here about yet another Campfield-Bredesen dust-up, this time spurred by a Campfield blog post.]
Sorry to let you down but I was not tossed out of that event. I was physically attacked by a Brededsen supporter. When it was all sorted out I had the chance to press charges but didn't. I was invited back and have been back several times. By the way, the event was a Republican congressional event where our Republican nominee for governor was being honored. Phil crashed the event.
Posted by: THE REP | December 17, 2007 at 01:38 PM
Phil was not the gov at the time either.
Posted by: THE REP | December 17, 2007 at 01:42 PM