Holiday cleaning turned up “Beggars at the gate,” my column from October 17, 1994. Think back.

1994: Bill Clinton and Al Gore were president/VP; Ned McWherter was governor; Harlan Mathews (appointed by McWherter to replace Gore) and Jim Sasser represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. These five white guys had one other thing in common – all were Democrats.

One might call it a “super majority.”

2026: Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are president/VP; Bill Lee is governor; Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. These four white guys and a woman have one other thing in common – all are Republicans.

“The only thing constant is change,” said the ancient Greek.

Beggars at the gate   (published October 17, 1994)

It ranks high in the “get a life” sweepstakes. There we were. A hundred or so folks standing in a yard on Simona Road (Beverly Acres, Fountain City), waiting for Vice President Al Gore to arrive at the home of Dr. Fred and Deena Hurst, across the street.

Kids had a welcome banner. Middle schoolers had come on their bikes. Joggers had stopped. And a dog with an orange bandana roved back and forth.

We all stood and waited for two hours while the sun slowly sank and the Secret Service guys kept asking us to step back off the pavement.

There was Jack Cunningham in a lawn chair, Gary Grant and the Rev. Carl Oaks, Charles and Celia Thompson who had left dinner cooking. While we waited, we were entertained by the arrival of the honored guests.

The admission fee was $500 per person to the campaign of Sen. Jim Sasser. There were several doctors present and officials from St. Mary’s where Dr. Hurst is a former chief of staff. We spotted Dr. William Cloud, Dr. Larry Huskey, Dr. David Wooten, Dr. Doug Leahy and the orthodontist Dr. Frank Bowyer. Developer Doug Horne and former city council member Casey Jones came as did former state Rep. Bill Owen, lawyers Sid Gilreath and Daryl Fansler, and mobile home guy Jim Clayton.

The security was awesome. There were 10 city motorcycle cops, about 8 county cruisers and 5 highway patrol cars plus multiple unmarked police cars and even a Rural-Metro ambulance. Security vehicles lined the street and guests were brought in by a shuttle van.

Earl Hoffmeister walked down the street with the Rev. J. Bazzel Mull, shaking hands and hobnobbing. Joanne Hoffmeister walked ahead with Charlotte and Tommy Schumpert. Elizabeth “Lady” Mull brought up the rear. She had parked the car.

Finally, the moment arrived. A long black car with Al and Tipper Gore, Jim and Mary Sasser pulled up about 8 p.m. It was too dark to see and the car swooped down the Hursts’ driveway and let them enter through the downstairs door. Those who had waited didn’t see a thing.

I hiked to my van and drove to Shannondale School to get a car count. (There were 44, indicating the News-Sentinel’s later report of 200 guests was high.) Suddenly, a big sedan eased up beside me and there were Harold and Sylvia Woods, Knoxville’s best known labor leaders. They were dressed up high.

Rolling down his window, Harold asked, “Are you shuttling to the Hursts’?”

“Nope,” I said. “I’m countin’ cars.” And I drove away, remembering all over again why I’m a Republican.

Notes: Bill Dunn, who moved from Grainger County with wife and a bunch of kids to live with his parents while he ran for state representative, was campaigning in Powell when he encountered Realtor Laura Bailey. “I’m Bill Dunn,” he said. “Laura Bailey,” she answered, shaking hands. “And what do you do?” asked Dunn. He didn’t know the best-known real estate broker in his district. She had more signs out than he did.