Republicans Kick Off Midterm Convention

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

From the Principal Toyota Studios, it's Morning in Memphis with Todd Starnes.

Todd Starnes (0:08)

And hello, everybody. Happy Wednesday to you, and we have a jam-packed day for you.

Sun up to sundown here on The Mighty 990 Of course, the big Republican midterm convention getting underway later tonight in Dallas, Texas. We're gonna be talking to a lot of lawmakers throughout the day that are at the convention, and we'll be providing you exclusive coverage right here on your radio station for political news coverage. By the way, 78 degrees right now at Whitehaven High School. It is gonna be another scorcher. Laura Huckabee, our chief meteorologist, will be along in just a little while with an updated look at your forecast, and Commander Chuck taking a look at the morning commute today. Real quick, before we go right away to our Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line, I have to give you guys a huge shout out. A well done KWAM listening audience. Yesterday, we had George Brown on from Kroger, and there was a huge, huge response yesterday to our first responder supply drive. This was right outside the Kroger at Poplar in Highland. And we understand George sent us a note late last night. It was a huge success. And you guys donated thousands of dollars worth of items, snacks, all sorts of things to our first responders. They're going to be divided up between Memphis Police, Shelby County Sheriff's Department, and the Memphis Fire Department. So we want to say thank you, first of all, to our great KWAM audience, and also the good people over at Kroger.

What a great day yesterday. Had a chance to get out there. And KWAM, our staff dropped off some supplies as well. And we're just honored to be able to stand up and say thank you for the great work that our first responders are engaged in every single day.

All right, well, we are in the throes of politics here in the Mid-South. And our next guest wants to be the next governor of the state of Tennessee. She is right now a Memphis City Councilman, Jerri Green. Jerri, hope you're doing well today. And please tell me, you guys have like an emergency kiddie pool that you guys could jump in. It's hot out there on the campaign trail.

Jerri Green (2:26)

Man, thank you for having me back, Todd. I love coming on KWAM, even if it's early.

But yeah, it is ridiculously hot. I'm ready for fall weather already. Football started. It's time for some fall weather.

Todd Starnes (2:40)

Yes, yes, it is. And by the way, speaking of football, what an amazing what an amazing launch to the football season for the Memphis Tigers. And that stadium is really breathtaking. And the University of Memphis off to a great start.

Jerri Green (2:56)

Yes, University of Memphis and of course, my college, University of Tennessee had a pretty good start too. So it's going to be great from one side of Tennessee to the other this year.

Todd Starnes (3:05)

It's east to west. That's what it's all about. Jerri, we've got a lot of politics to talk about. And you made some headlines yesterday, throwing down the gauntlet and you're challenging Senator Marsha Blackburn to a series of debates across the state of Tennessee.

Tell us about the back story there.

Jerri Green (3:28)

Well, we've been asking Senator Blackburn to debate us for almost a year now, over 300 days. And we've received no response. So I thought perhaps if we laid out some dates, some places, and sent her a formal letter, that she would actually participate in this job interview that we are both in the middle of right now. And we started with her hometown, you know, not far from her house. So hopefully she could make at least one of them.

Todd Starnes (3:54)

Why is a debate and debating your opponent on stage, why is that important to the electoral process?

Jerri Green (4:02)

Well, I think that if you can't take the questions, you don't have the answers and the voters are owed at the very least a debate. I think she should also be holding town halls as I've had over 170 across the state, taking questions directly from the people who she'll be working for.

But if you can't stand up and say what you stand for, then you don't deserve the job in my opinion. This is how you tell voters what you believe, what you don't believe, what your plans are, what your policies would be. And the voters deserve to have a stand side by side to hear that.

Todd Starnes (4:40)

I found it interesting you actually referenced a column that Senator Blackburn wrote back in 2024