DICKSON, Tenn. -- Rep. John Tanner took a lot of heat for holding several town hall meetings over the phone. But despite the criticism, more than 12,000 people participated in them last month.

At a town hall Tanner held in Dickson last week, it was standing-room only. It was just one of a few he held face to face with people in his district.

Tanner said he was pleased so many took part in the telephone town halls because he was able to reach out to more than 300 communities at one time.