Posted by A former member of the state Senate tells me he understands that Senate Democrats plan to propose a black Senate president pro tem in the organizing session tomorrow. This would force black Senators Smitherman and McClain to decide if they would support an African-American for president pro tem or remain with the coalition of 12 Republicans and 5 other Democrats that plan to elect Sen. Jim Preuitt as president pro tem. For the coalition of Republicans and dissident Democrats, those two votes mean the difference between a 19-16 majority and an 18-17 minority.
Sen. Myron Penn is “a leading possibility” to be the proposed president pro tem that may tempt Smitherman and McClain back into the fold. (My source tells me that Penn is “cut out of the same bolt of cloth as Michael Figures,” the African-American Senator from Mobile who was elected President Pro Tem in 1995. He died in 1996 of a brain aneurysm.)
I am told that Sen. McClain will not stay in the conservative coalition without another black senator as “cover.” If true, then if Smitherman alone decides to switch back to the Democratic majority, McClain is likely to switch also unless he can persuade another black Senator to join him in the coalition.
It’s the number one question in Alabama politics, and it gets answered this week. The former state senator told me he learned from his tenure that no matter what you think is going to happen, in Alabama politics it’s not done until it’s done.
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[...] Alas, we may have found our catch. At least, Doc’s Political Parlor may have found it. A source is telling the blog that Dems are planning to nominate a black senator for pro tem (instead of Mitchem). This would presumably force Sen. McClain and Smitherman to jump off the conservative coalition and go back with the Barron crowd. [...]
[...] Monday, January 8, 2007 A black pro tem? Dan on 2007-01-08 @ 8:55 am It could be a possibility — I’d say it’s more likely than “Walking” Wendell Mitchell (D) being put in the position. Doc’s Political Parlor has the details of a particuarly saavy political move that is reportedly being considered by senate democrats. Filed under AL govt at work permalink :: email author :: no comments [...]
do you answer questions left by readers on this comment post?
What makes anyone think that all the democrats will stand behind yet another pro tem?
1st Anonymous commenter, I do try to answer questions as I can. I always wish I had more time for the blog though!
2nd Anonymous commenter, I don’t think anyone believes that all Democrats will stand behind any candidate for pro tem, and of course I can’t say that a majority of Democrats will support Penn or anyone else. Re-shuffling the deck no doubt looks like a better option than continuing to play a hand that can’t win.
This is a good strategy and it will probably work. What is sad is that we have to play politics to control a chamber that we already have the #’s to control.
Two questions:
(1) Does the term “playing the race card” come to anyone’s mind if this is factual?
(2) If factual, who is playing this card?
It can’t be “playing the race card.” The only people that would have to deal with teh race issue would be the black Senators that change their mind simply because they want a black Prom Tem.
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