>> Neil: ALL RIGHT.
GLEN JACOBS, AKA CANE, JUST BODY
SLAMMED A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR
MAYOR IN KNOXVILLE.
WE CALLED THE DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATE, LINDA HENNY.
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL THAT WE'LL
GET HER.
VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> Neil: I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT
YOU WOULD BE HERE IN THE FLESH.
SO I RIPPED UP ALL OF MY TOUGH
QUESTIONS HERE.
YOU'RE AN INTIMIDATING GUY.
>> I'M TRYING TO PROJECT A
SOFTER IMAGE.
>> Neil: THAT'S MY STYLE.
YOU KNOW, JOINED AT THE HIP.
WHAT MADE YOU DO THIS?
>> I JUST WANT TO SEE MY AREA
BECOME AN EVEN BETTER PLACE.
KNOX COUNTY, TENNESSEE IS A
GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
I WANT IT TO BE BETTER.
I THINK THAT -- I CAN HAVE A
SMALL PART IN DOING THAT.
REALLY, IT'S THE MOTTO OF MY
CAMPAIGN IS "TOGETHER WE WIN."
I BELIEVE THAT I CAN HOPEFULLY
BRING ALL OF US IN OUR
COMMUNITY, KNOX COUNTY, TOGETHER
TO BUILD AN EVEN BETTER PLACE.
>> Neil: YOUR ARMS ARE BIG
ENOUGH.
YOU'RE FORCEFULLY --
>> YEAH.
>> Neil: VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
YOU'VE DONE VERY WELL.
20 PLUS YEAR IN THE WWE.
YOU DON'T NEED THIS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THIS.
A LOT OF GRIEF WITH BEING IN
POLITICS, EVEN AT MAYOR LEVEL.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH.
I ACTUALLY HAVE GRANDKIDS.
I'M AT THAT AGE.
WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON
IN OUR COUNTRY, I SOMETIMES
WONDER WHAT SORT OF WORLD
THEY'RE GOING TO INHERIT.
AS YOU SAID, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
DO VERY WELL FOR MYSELF.
YOU'VE DONE WELL.
I WONDER IF THEY'RE GOING TO
HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO MANY TIMES WE SEE THE THINGS
THAT I BELIEVE IN, THE FREE
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY.
REALLY DEMONIZED.
>> Neil: AND YOU SUPPORTED THE
MAYOR IN 2008.
>> YES.
>> Neil: WHAT ABOUT TRUMP?
>> I THINK TRUMP HAS DONE A VERY
GOOD JOB, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
ECONOMY.
HE'S CUT REGULATIONS, THE TAX
CUTS HELPED SPUR SOME GROWTH.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SPENDING CUTS,
BUT HOPEFULLY --
>> Neil: YOU'RE BIG ON LIMITED
GOVERNMENT.
YOU DON'T LIKE THAT.
GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF CONTROL.
GETS OUT OF CONTROL.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE.
YOU DO WANT TO IMPROVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AS DOESN'T TRUMP.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
>> IN OUR CASE, WHAT JUST
HAPPENED IN TENNESSEE, THEY
THERE'S MORE MONEY COMING IN TO
THE STATE.
>> Neil: ARE YOU FOR THAT?
>> I WAS NOT FOR THAT.
BUT IT'S HAPPENED.
>> Neil: IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE
MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
>> YES.
IN THIS CASE.
BUT OFTEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE
GOVERNMENT DOES THINGS LIKE THAT
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE APPLIED TO
THE PROJECTS THAT THEY SAY IT'S
GOING TO BE APPLIED FOR.
IT'S INCUMBENT ON ELECTED
OFFICIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
WE'RE GOING TO DEMAND MORE TAX
MONEY, WE USE IT IN A PRODUCTIVE
MANNER INSTEAD OF SAYING THIS IS
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IT FOR
AND FIND OUT IT WAS USED FOR
SOMETHING ELSE AN SOMETIMES
FRIVOLOUS.
>> YOU WON BY 17 VOTES, THE
REPUBLICAN UNTIL NATION FOR
MAYOR.
DID THE WRESTLING BACKGROUND --
THE BUZZ IS THAT WE HAD YOU ON.
YOU GOT MORE ATTENTION WHEN WE
HAD PRESIDENTS.
NEVERTHELESS, DID THAT HELP YOU?
>> YES, IN MANY WAYS IT DID.
IT GOT MY FOOT IN THE DOOR AS A
NOVELTY.
YOU CAN ARGUE, DID IT HURT ME?
I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT
WOULD JUST JUDGE ME AS A
CHARACTER I PLAY ON TV, THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ME ANYWAY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S COOL.
LIKE THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE
STUDIO.
>> Neil: AND YOU'RE A VERY SMART
GUY, A ENGLISH LITERATURE GUY.
WELL-READ.
UP ON THE ISSUES.
>> THAT'S THE POINT.
ESPECIALLY IN A LOCAL ELECTION,
WHAT IS GREAT IS TO GET OUT AND
TALK WITH PEOPLE.
WHEN THEY MEET ME, THEY REALIZE,
HE'S KANE THE WRESTLER.
>> Neil: CAN I GIVE YOU A TIP ON
THAT?
YOU HAD A HELL OF A HANDSHAKE.
HOW MANY HANDS DID YOU BREAK IN
YOUR COUNTY --
>> AS I SAID, I'M SOFT IN MY
IMAGE.
IT WAS ALL GOOD.
>> Neil: I WAS THINKING OF
WRESTLERS.
EVERYONE THINKS OF JESSE
VENTURA.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE SATISFIED
JUST BEING MAYOR.
>> THAT'S ALL I'M CONCERNED WITH
RIGHT NOW.
>> Neil: I DON'T BELIEVE YOU.
I DO BELIEVE -- WHAT DID I SAY?
>> YEAH, YOU RIPPED UP YOUR HARD
QUESTIONS.
BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT JOB.
REALLY THE MAYOR OF KNOX COUNTY,
HE HAS INFLUENCE ALL THROUGH THE
EAST TENNESSEE REGION.
>> Neil: IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES.
THE THIRD BIGGEST COUNTY IN THE
STATE OF TENNESSEE AND THE
CAPITOL OF EAST TENNESSEE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIVES
OF MILLIONS THAT ARE IMPACTED.
>> Neil: IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL.
YOU'RE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION
IN AUGUST.
>> YES, SIR.
>> Neil: OUTSIDE THE BOX
CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN THRIVING.
THE PRESIDENT IS AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
AND SO MANY POPULISTS, ARMY
VETERANS AND WAR HEROS, ARE
FLOODING THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
THIS YEAR.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON?
>> PEOPLE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF
CAREER POLITICIANS.
WE'VE SEEN IT AT THE HIGHEST
LEVEL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE
POLITICAL REALM BELIEVE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS AN ANOMALY
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S TRUE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT.
WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE LEFT OR
THE RIGHT, THE GOVERNMENT
DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR FOLKS
THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM.
>> Neil: A LOT OF REPUBLICANS
ARE WORRIED ABOUT A BLUE WAVE
THIS YEAR.
ARE YOU?
>> I'M NOT, ESPECIALLY IN
TENNESSEE.
I THINK AS REPUBLICANS, WE HAVE
TO STICK BY WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
THAT IS PHYSICAL CONSERVATISM
AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN REPUBLICANS
GET IN POSITIONS OF POWER, THEY
FORGET ABOUT THAT.
IN MANY CASES THEY BECOME PART
OF THE PROBLEM.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT A BLUE
WAVE.
I THINK REPUBLICANS HAVE TO ACT
LIKE REPUBLICANS AND GOVERN LIKE
REPUBLICANS.
>> Neil: WELL-PUT.
GLENN JACOBS, I WOULDN'T SAY
OTHER WAYS, KANE, HE COULD BE
THE NEXT MAYOR IN KNOX COUNTY,
TENNESSEE.
WE'LL WATCH AGAIN.
OUR OVERTURES ARE OUT TO LINDA