A.C. Kleinheider, of Volunteer Voters is leaving WKRN due to budget cutting measures. Having been there twice, I know some of what A.C.’s going through. The political atmosphere of blogging has lost a leader and WKRN has screwed up once again. Having taken a national leadership position in blogging as an addendum to news journalism by bringing on two people who changed the nature of blogging in the country, they have decided that shooting themselves in the foot once wasn’t effective enough at removing them from the future. They have now succeeded in becoming an average run-of-the-mill television station rather than a harbinger of the future. Good bye, A.C. You became very good at what you do while at Volunteer Voters and I sincerely hope there will be another opportunity show up quickly. You deserve it.

What was initially a six month freelance gig to cover among other things a hard fought contested 2006 Senate Race became a full time mission to cover the political blogosphere here in Tennessee. Not only did we see that race to its conclusion we saw a new mayor elected in Nashville and we got darn near through the longest Presidential Primary season in history in here in 2008.

Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to see that last one to the end with you. Today, March 14, was my last day at WKRN here in Nashville. Like many cherished colleagues before me at the Deuce, I have fallen prey to those unfortunate media budget cuts you hear about all too often these days.

Go by and wish him well. As one commenter put it,

WKRN is making a very foolish and short-sighted decision in my opinion. It HAD the go-to political blog in Tennessee, and the station shut it down. Hell, I read VV a helluva lot more than I visit the WKRN website. Why not shut it down instead?