Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
& Home of Lawn Mower Repair

The word from the Senate Democrats’ retreat this week was that participants felt it went very well. “Unprecedented honest dialogue” about the rift and Democrats’ election activities against other Democrats that contributed to it had more than one participant saying it was the best discussion the Democrats had had in years. “There was a real family atmosphere by the time things ended.”

Dissident Democrat E. B. McClain (Midfield) has agreed to come back into the fold. I heard confidence that Larry Means (Attalla) would come back. “Butler’s wounds [Sen. Tom Butler of Madison] apparently are deeper but most are still optimistic” that he would come back.

No mention of dissidents Jim Preuitt (Talladega) and Jimmy Holley (Elba).

The five dissident Democrats have been in a caucus with twelve Republican senators. If three of them re-joined the Democratic majority caucus, the Senate Democrats’ majority would go from 18-17 to a filibuster-proof 21-14.

Comments in the paper by Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R - Birmingham) that called the five dissidents “our Democrats” received special attention. The quote heard here: “He’ll live to regret those words.”

Other agenda items were covered. (A participant stressed to me that the event was not created for the specific purpose of dealing with the dissidents, but that the Democratic caucus holds events like this periodically for business and fellowship purposes.) For example, ideas for a legislative agenda were laid out with special attention to ethics reform and pre-school education.

See also today’s Press-Register story.

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State Rep. Spencer Collier (R - Mobile) has told the Political Parlor that he is “strongly looking at” a run for District 3 of the Mobile County Commission next year against Republican incumbent Mike Dean, a former two-term legislator himself. Collier has said in the past that he was not running for the Commission at least partly because he had “occupational considerations” related to his former employer’s business relationships with the county. He explained that times have changed, he has changed jobs, and Republicans fear that they are going to lose the seat.

Collier said he had supported recent legislation to expand the Mobile County Commission from three to five commissioners. Collier believed that five county districts could have been created that would have given the GOP at least three seats, but many Republicans did not support the plan because the GOP at the time had all three of the existing seats. Since then, Riley’s appointment of Juan Chastang to District 1 has not withstood a legal challenge. A special election for District 1 will be held later this year, and many expect that a Democrat will be elected.

Collier said that a strong Republican is needed to hold the District 3 seat, otherwise the Commission could go from being 3-0 Republican to 2-1 Democrat.

Collier would not have to resign from his House seat to run and so would have “a free shot” at the position.

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This morning the Press-Register has a good story on the retirement of state Supreme Court Justice Harold See. (The Press-Register is the first traditional media outlet to report the story first broken here at Doc’s Political Parlor three days ago.)

See says there that he intends to serve out his term (which fits with what I had recently heard as the most likely scenario).

I am told by good authority that this comment left elsewhere on the blog is not correct.

If Justice See waits past early November to step down, his appointed successor will get a pass out of the 2008 elections. Newly appointed judges sit for at least a year before having to stand for re-election.

I grant that it would not make much sense. Otherwise, the Governor could theoretically keep a judge’s seat from ever coming up for election by just appointing someone as the elected term was about to expire.

The Atlantic Monthly some time ago published an article that I have mentioned here a few times (first here) and that detailed some of Karl Rove’s connections to Harold See’s campaigns. Including a rare defeat when See ran for chief justice . . .

… Rove lined up support from a majority of the state’s important Republicans behind his candidate, an associate justice named Harold See. Like most of Rove’s clients, See had an enormous financial advantage and ran a brutally negative campaign—but he was nonetheless trounced by Roy Moore, the “Ten Commandments” judge, who succeeded in making the race about religion. This loss may have helped Rove to recognize the power of religion as a political motivator: from the question of gay marriage to organizing churches for Bush, it features prominently in his playbook for the [2004] election.

Later in the article, we learn more about how brutally negative Rove’s campaigns for See could be. It is all worth reading.

As is today’s Press-Register article.

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Birmingham News - ADEM increases legal staff under administration of Trey Glenn.

Birmingham News - December trial set for Bessemer Circuit Judge.

Birmingham News - Bobo trial begins.

Birmingham News - Foreclosures show big increase in state.

Birmingham News - The Birmingham News calls for legislators to “listen” to former prosecutor’s call for moratorium on death penalty.

Mobile Press-Register - Mediator working to resolve difference among warring Senate Democrats; Jefferson County Sen. E.B. McClain announces that he will leave minority coalition and rejoin Democratic majority.

Mobile Press-Register - State Supreme Court Justice announces that he will not seek reelection.

Tuscaloosa News - Alabama Supreme Court sets execution date for another inmate.

Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News calls for death penalty moratorium.

Opelika-Auburn News - Plant closing to idle 300 in Valley.

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The decision of state Supreme Court Justice Harold See not to run for re-election next year, first reported this weekend by the Political Parlor, is confirmed by multiple sources who have seen or received a letter from him announcing his intention.

More to come.

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I shouldn’t neglect to mention that the Mobile Bay Times posted part three of three of its survey of the most interesting political reads. Interesting, it is.

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Birmingham News - Siegelman supporters continue to keep the faith.

Birmingham News - Alabama congressmen join GOP colleagues in withdrawing support from farm bill.

Mobile Press-Register - Former state legislator dies at 84.

Montgomery Advertiser -Fire College fraud trial set to start today.

Montgomery Advertiser - Commentary by Michael Ciamarra of the Alabama Policy institute on immigration issues and the work of the newly established Patriotic Commission.

Decatur Daily - The Decatur Daily calls for universal health care to “move up the priority list.”

Anniston Star - The Anniston Star calls for state to increase investment in children in light of most recent Kids Count ranking.

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Birmingham News - Change in presidential primary dates heighten interest in, and about, Alabama.

Birmingham News - Study shows Alabama’s incentives and tax credits favor industry over traditional white collar jobs, hampers Birmingham’s efforts to position itself as player in financial arena.

Birmingham News - The Birmingham News says state has not kept up with changing technology, calls for legislation to ensure that post-conviction DNA testing is available for state’s inmates.

Birmingham News - Kristen Bailey of VOICES for Alabama’s Children comments on state’s Kids Count ranking.

Birmingham News - John Archibald’s commentary on the decision by Birmingham’s Regional Planning Commission to eject transit advocacy group from building.

Mobile Press-Register - Bush performance ratings slump in new Alabama poll.

Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register views distribution of community service grants as legislator’s “annual pork festival.”

Mobile Press-Register - Mike Hubbard, chairman of Alabama GOP and House minority leader, contends that “a cancer of corruption seems to have infected the Alabama Democratic Party.”

Huntsville Times - Non-citizens face challenges in getting state driver’s license.

Huntsville Times -Commentary by Billy Norrell of the Alabama Roadbuilders Association calls for new investment in state’s infrastructure.

Montgomery Advertiser - Seven unsolved civil-rights era cases getting new look by FBI.

Tuscaloosa News - Senate Democrats meeting today in effort to mend rift.

Tuscaloosa News - New campaign manager for John McCain got h is political start in Alabama.

Tuscaloosa News - “Alabama Exposure,” Dana Beyerle’s weekly political roundup for readers of the NYTimes regional papers.

Tuscaloosa News - Some theologians see living wage as a social justice issue.

Gadsden Times - The Gadsden Times calls for Alabama to allow post-conviction DNA testing.

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Republican Alabama Supreme Court Justice Harold See will be announcing today or tomorrow that he will not seek re-election to a third term on the court, according to a reliable source, who adds “I suspect that See will resign early next year so Riley can appoint (anoint?) someone to his seat to run as an incumbent. Judge Deborah Bell Paseur had already stepped forward to run for that spot on the Democratic side. Ought to be interesting to see who seeks the GOP nod.”

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Birmingham News - Justice Department asks for more time to provide requested Siegelman documents to congressional committee.

Birmingham News - Former DA who prosecuted Darrell Grayson urges state to adopt moratorium on death penalty.

Birmingham News - Birmingham transit advocates lose donated office space.

Mobile Press-Register - Bayou la Batre wins $15.6 million FEMA grant to build affordable housing.

Mobile Press-Register - Democrats score funds for small, rural economic development projects in latest round of Bond Commission spending.

Tuscaloosa News - Alabama blog, Doc’s Political Parlor, handicaps candidates for upcoming state and federal races.

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Senate Democrats will meet Sunday through Tuesday in a retreat at Ross Bridge in Hoover. Lt. Governor Jim Folsom will be in attendance for part of the retreat as will members of his staff.

Sources acknowledge that there is a formal agenda and an informal agenda. Formal agenda items will include training on topics like media relations and perhaps preparing for the expected special session.

As for the informal agenda... “Well, it’s no secret that the Democrats are trying to get everybody back on one side. Everyone wants to work it out,” said one source.

The Democratic majority caucus holds an 18-17 majority in the Senate. Five so-called dissident Democrats are in a majority caucus with the twelve Republican senators. If the Democratic caucus could reach 21 votes by enticing at least three Democrats to switch from the minority coalition, they would have a filibuster proof majority.

Sources told me that all Senate Democrats had been invited to the retreat, and one called it a “fact” that “most or all of the dissidents are going to be there,” an indication that “there is a thaw in relations and further fence mending could very well be attempted at Ross Bridge.” The five so-called dissident Democrats are Tom Butler (Madison), Jimmy Holley (Elba), E. B. McClain (Midfield), Larry Means (Attalla), and Jim Preuitt (Talladega).

One source explained that Means and McClain want to find a way back. One reason is that they would be unlikely to hold their seats in Democratic districts if they are successfully portrayed in the next election as being aligned with Republicans.

Preuitt and Butler are said to have their own unhappiness with Republican Gov. Riley, according to two sources. Preuitt is reportedly unhappy about Riley holding up an appointment related to the School for the Blind in Talladega. Butler is reportedly displeased about road money for his district being held up.

Riley was apparently very unhappy with the last do-nothing session in the Senate. If the Senate Democrats reunite (at least to the point of getting 21 votes), Riley loses the only real legislative leverage he has for the last three years of his term. (Riley, remember, encouraged the minority caucus to shut down the Senate last session rather than yield to the majority.)

Expect to hear more next week.

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Chip Drago of the Mobile Bay Times has asked a wide circle of folks to name the most interesting political book they ever read. Parts one and two (out of three) have been posted.

It’s a fun idea and will give you more than enough reading to get you through August. Yours truly offers up a favorite or two, but what is clear to me is that I should read All the King’s Men. It’s the title easily named most often in the first two posts.

I’d be interested to know what is the most interesting political book you have ever read, as MBT says, “fiction or non-fiction, autobiography, biography, essays, just whatever first came to mind upon considering the question.”

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Birmingham News - Governor, courts decline to issue stay to allow DNA testing, Grayson executed.

Birmingham News - Columbiana council delays vote on zoning change to allow facility to train inmates.

Mobile Press-Register - Alabama Power Co. plants rank prominently on list of dirtiest in nation.

Mobile Press-Register - Lawmakers deciding how to spend $14million in community service grants.

Huntsville Times - Governor reminds cabinet and staff of commitment to send contracts to legislative oversight committee.

Huntsville Times - The Huntsville Times comments on number of children in poverty as reflected in Kids Count report.

Daily Home - The Daily Home views Kids Count report as indicative that state lacks “emphasis on children.”

Montgomery Advertiser - Carol Gundlach of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence comments on recent deaths of three children in Montgomery and actions communities can take to address issue of family violence.

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The subject of Fred Thompson’s fundraising leads us to the issue of fundraising in general for presidential campaigns…

A story out this week shows that, halfway through the year, Democratic presidential candidates continue to hold an edge in fundraising in Alabama over Republican presidentical candidates. FEC records “show that Alabama Democrats are opening their wallets more often than Republicans, 57 percent to 43 percent. In cash collected through June 30, eight Democrats raised more than $694,000, compared to about $529,000 for 10 Republicans.”

This despite Alabama’s generally acknowledged status as a red state. Do you get the sense that Democrats are more generally pleased with their spectrum of possible nominees than Republicans are with theirs?

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Earlier I reported on Fred Thompson’s fundraiser in Mountain Brook this week. MSNBC reports this week that “Fred Thompson’s fundraising is down ‘markedly.’” (H/T Volunteer Voters)

Also, Thompson has not officially declared his candidacy yet but is “testing the waters.” What is the difference between a campaign committee and a testing the waters fund? The FEC explains.

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