NASHVILLE — Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, said today he was dismayed when Senate Republicans refused to approve his resolution urging the erection of statues honoring Nobel Peace Prize recipients Al Gore and the late Cordell Hull on the state Capitol’s grounds.

The resolution failed on a 15-14 vote with most Senate Republicans voting against the measure.

“I am embarrassed that our Senate would refuse to honor two great Tennesseans who received the Nobel Peace Prize, arguably the most prestigious award in the world, because of their partisan dislike of one of the recipients,” Sen. Berke said, alluding to Mr. Gore, the former Democratic vice president who was Democrats’ presidential nominee in 2000.

For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.