On The Cover

January 12, 2012

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Lightning Round Question No. 1—The McRib: Pork waste on a bun or saucy riblets of seasonal McGoodness?

I’ll go with a Big Mac.

You haven’t said much about a plan or a platform yet, but we’re guessing you’re about to unleash that puppy soon. Can you give us some details?

By the middle of February I will roll out my plan for the first steps we need to take to strengthen our country and restore confidence in government. It’s going to be pragmatic, specific and hard hitting. I can’t wait to talk about solutions with the people of Tennessee’s 3rd District—there’s not enough of that anymore.

If you could have dinner with any historical figures, dead or alive, who would sit at your dream dinner table?

The Wright Brothers, daring American visionaries; William Wilberforce, the young leader of a movement to abolish British slave trade; Dave Ramsey, best known for his no-nonsense approach to solving financial problems; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, future leader of the conservative movement; and any one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Lightning Round Question No. 2—Who’s the president of Uzbekistan? Just kidding! Whose your candidate in the presidential election and why?

Like a lot of voters, I’m still undecided. But I’m taking a hard look at John Wolfe.

You came down pretty hard on the Occupy Movement, saying it’s time quit “whining,” now it’s time to “roll up their sleeves.”  Time magazine made “The Protestor” its Person of the Year. Do you believe the movement has accomplished nothing?

They have raised awareness of some legitimate corporate corruption issues. I just don’t believe our country’s problems will be solved by the “99 percent” complaining about the “1 percent.” In this country of all places, hard work and success should not be vilified.

You’ve said Chuck is a nice guy, but represents the status quo. What is the “status quo” from the perspective of your generation?

Excessive partisanship and shortsighted, politically motivated policy define the status quo in Washington right now. I think we’ve seen both from Representative Fleischmann.

Coldplay: “The critics are wrong! They’re a great band.” Or Coldplay: “Overrated hitmakers. They suck!”  Where are you on this?

I drive a Ford F-150, you think I listen to Coldplay?

Could you take Obama in a pick-up game?

I hope so. I’ve got 26 years on the president. But I’ve heard he’s hard to stop when he goes left.

You mention God—a lot—in your interviews. Religion obviously plays a big role in your life. Give us an example of how your faith has influenced you in life.

Jesus set an example of fearless living that has withstood the test of time. As believers, we are called to lead and take risks when necessary—Scripture tells us we have not been given “a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and self discipline.” At the end of the day I hope people will see my faith through my actions much more than by my words.

What is the last book you read?

“Common Ground” by Cal Thomas and Bob Beckel.

You’ve grown up around politics. What’s the main thing you’ve learned from your father?

To be motivated by impact, not money or power. He is such a passionate, joyful guy, much like my grandfather Don Wamp was, and I think it’s because he made his life about other people, not himself. At a time when many politicians were just looking out for themselves, he really took public service seriously.

January 12, 2012

Latest Comments

  • Give me a break

    @Colbert Super PAC

    Maybe when you learn to spell "naive" you can begin to criticize those who run for public office.

    Posted by Anonymous January 28, 2012 18:09:38

  • F150?

    Weston says "I drive a Ford F-150, you think I listen to Coldplay?"

    Really? He was driving a Land Rover a few weeks ago. Does he need a truck to complete the image?

    Posted by The Question Man January 25, 2012 12:17:28

  • Desperate Times...

    Though he is conservative (how else could he utilize the family name, much less win the TN 3rd?), it is good that he has a distaste for the current partisan gridlock in Washington, which is perhaps worse than a Congress-backed, indecisive Obama administration that blindly follows the D-party line.

    Honestly, it appeared that Chuck Fleishmann ran on a platform built solely on anti-Obama sentiments that sprang up during and after the Healthcare Overhaul debates; he was essentially the Tea Party candidate for our district, making him less a figure of local interests than he was a drop in a wave of the Republican Congressional counter-attack.
    The John Boehner-led House has done little but shut down the White House's endeavors (and very nearly shut down the Federal government) as a means of protest, and unemployment rates are not much lower than they were when the Democrats controlled said House.
    Perhaps Wamp, Jr. has a point when he criticizes the Occupy Movement: protest alone does absolutely nothing, and if you want to be not only heard, but respected, you need to stand up and offer solutions.

    So far, most Americans feel the current Congress has done too much protesting and not enough, well, doing.

    That being said, I'm not 100% sure if Weston Wamp is interested in "joining the family business," as a high school friend of mine said, or really offering solutions for the good of the citizens of Bradley, Hamilton, Union, Rhea, Meigs, Polk, and other counties of the 3rd District. I plan to attend one of his public speeches if and when he comes to Cleveland so I can hear this much anticipated platform that will be "launched" next month.

    We need Conservatives and Liberals in government, but more than either, we need moderates; only then will we see a return of the bi-partisan cooperation that was prevalent under the Reagan and Bush, Sr. administrations. Let's hope Wamp is the real deal, otherwise this will be a very depressing year in politics; at the same time, let's not be blind to whoever he really ends up revealing himself to be, in spite of the evidence, trying to make him the antidote for what 2012 really is, no matter what: a depressing year in politics.

    Posted by Josiah Augustine January 24, 2012 22:12:16

  • The Next Obama

    Anyone nieve as to believe real life experience isn't neccessary for making important macroeconomic policy decisions, should be thrown into the same category as Barack Obama (the irony of course is that Obama's policies are used as the punchline by someone with even less experience).

    The US needs individuals from outside the beltway with real life experience to fix the current economic and political problems, not another career politican's family pushing their own advances through an already broken political system.

    Posted by Colbert Super PAC January 18, 2012 11:58:56

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