Friday 1/11/2008 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Birmingham News – Chancellor places college president on leave, moves to seek her termination.

Birmingham News – Alabama automakers set production records in 2007.

Birmingham News – Over 200 attend immigration commission public hearing in Hoover.

Birmingham News – Lawmakers propose stricter driving rules for teens.

Birmingham News – Lt. Governor, Senate pro tem pledge to block any efforts at redistricting.

Mobile Press-Register – EADS set to announce plans to build cargo jet at Mobile facility if company wins Air Force contract.

Mobile Press-Register – U.S. Rep. Artur Davis (D) urges stronger commitment to state’s poor.

Mobile Press-Register – Press-Register says that party switch by Sen. Jimmy Holley may lead to “principled partisanship in legislature.”

Huntsville Times – Legislative contract review committee approves Governor’s request to hire attorney for U.S. Supreme Court case.

Associated Press – Sen. Jimmy Holley (D-Elba) officially announces plans to join GOP.

Tuscaloosa News – Governor says state can keep its commitment to provide pay raise to state employees.

Tuscaloosa News – The Tuscaloosa News endorses proposal to create rainy-day fund for state’s General Fund.

Times Daily – The Times Daily sees evidence of continued improvement of state’s school in latest national ranking.

Birmingham News – In spite of national outlook, business leaders predict modest growth for state.

FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Paul unique in his Alabama campaign strategy
By Markeshia Ricks
Star Capitol Correspondent
01-11-2008

MONTGOMERY — Presidential candidates are likely turning their focus to Michigan and South Carolina, but there are signs that they might soon be lavishing some attention and advertising on Alabama.

Latest from AP

Full political coverage

One candidate, Republican Congressman Ron Paul, appears to be leading the pack.

His signs have been popping up all over east Alabama since he announced his candidacy last year, and this week Paul started a radio advertising campaign in Alabama in hopes of raising his profile among voters.

A check with campaign headquarters for all the candidates show that he is the only candidate to buy time with local media outlets.

The ads, which will air on more than 30 stations in the state, will focus on telling people who Paul is: a 10-term congressman who supports low taxes, an obstetrician/gynecologist, a patriot and an advocate of limited government.

Karen Cartee, professor of advertising and public relations at the University of Alabama, said Alabama typically doesn’t attract much advertising because it’s primary is usually so late.

“Because this (primary) has been moved up substantially, there could be a lot more than we’ve previously experienced,” she said. “We’re virtually ignored by everyone in the general election because we don’t have enough Electoral College votes for them to pay attention to us.”

Cartee said advertising dollars didn’t pour into the state in previous elections because Alabama has long been viewed as a guaranteed Republican stronghold.

Democratic frontrunners aren’t taking that view for granted.

Sen. Barack Obama has established three offices in Alabama, and Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign has announced that her staff is stepping up efforts in the state.

Unlike Paul, neither Obama nor Clinton announced any intention to spend advertising dollars in the state, however.

Grassroots fervor

Though Paul’s name might not be as recognizable as the top Republican candidates, the 72-year-old’s platform seems to be resonating with political neophytes, independents, Libertarians and disaffected Republicans in Alabama — groups that have been shaking up early primaries in other states.

“The most interesting thing I’ve run into is that there are so many people who have never been involved in politics getting involved,” said Brian Roughton, the Paul campaign’s Alabama coordinator. “I personally was not excited about any of the major Republican candidates because I didn’t really see anybody that was much different.”

For Paul supporters like Roughton, that lack of excitement about any one candidate among Republican voters and independents gives their candidate a shot at the White House — at least until Feb. 5, when states like Alabama hold their primaries.

While fifth-place or worse finishes have caused three Democratic candidates to bow out, finishing fifth has been enough to keep Paul’s campaign alive.

Jess Brown, professor of political science and justice studies at Athens State University, said Paul has been successful in creating buzz about his campaign, but it won’t be enough to make him the Republican nominee for president.

“The interesting thing about Ron Paul is that he’s scoring well enough to be noticed but not well enough to meet the threshold to (win) state primaries,” he said. “He finished with 10 percent in Iowa, but to be in many state primaries you need at least 15 percent”.

Philip Bryan, communication director for the Alabama Republican Party, said a candidate needs at least 20 percent of the vote to be viable, but could still lose if one candidate gets 50 percent of the vote.

Brown said it’s a bit early to spend the big bucks that candidates typically shell out for advertising on television and radio, particularly in Alabama where there is some doubt that an early primary will make much difference.

“They could wait a little longer, but not much longer if they want to do an extensive media buy,” he said. “In my opinion Alabama has not received any advantage with this early primary.”

Though some candidates have participated in high profile events and private fundraisers, Brown said, that’s not much different than they have done in the past.

The man, the message

Carol Hagan said when she began campaigning for Paul in July people had no idea who he was.

“The fact that he went from people asking who he was to getting 10 percent in Iowa is big,” she said. “By the time he gets to Super Duper Tuesday, people will know who he is and his message.”

The Jacksonville resident said she likes Paul because he is a follower of the constitution.

“He has always supported the constitution and voted according to the constitution for the almost 20 years he’s been in Congress,” she said.

Hagan said people in small and rural communities are more self-reliant and they’re drawn to Paul’s message of small government.

“I think that the more he is seen, the more votes he’s going to get,” Hagan said.

New alliances

Paul’s message has been so successful that the Libertarian National Committee wrote a resolution encouraging the Republican to solicit the party’s nomination for the presidency if he’s not the Republican frontrunner after Feb. 5.

Stephen Gordon, who is the chairman of the Alabama Libertarian Party, said Paul’s stance on limited government and low taxes carries weight with Alabamians, particularly those who live in rural communities.

“The closer you get to the rural areas the more individualist and freedom oriented people are,” said Gordon, who also serves as the media coordinator for the Paul campaign in the state. “Alabama has a strong history of being independent minded.”

David Lanoue, professor and chair of political science at the University of Alabama, said depending how the race looks by Feb. 5, Alabama’s primary could be important.

“It’s possible that the nominations could still be very much in the air by Feb. 5,” he said. “On the Republican side it’s easier to envision a situation where Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain are still competitive, and that would mean that every state is going to matter.”

Not only will every state matter, but so will every delegate.

“Ron Paul certainly has a very fervent base of support among voters who respond to his message of anti-government, which is very Libertarian,” he said.

Lanoue said Paul could have a strong showing come Feb. 5, but what might hurt him is that he is a Republican running under a Libertarian message.

“His philosophy doesn’t have a clear home in either party,” he said. “While his message has been consistent and appealing to a lot of people, he ultimately may not be the best messenger to deliver it.”

Roughton said he believes Paul’s stance on issues such as illegal immigration and the right to bear arms will influence more voters and bring surprises like those experienced in Iowa.

“Ron Paul has credibility on those issues resonating with Alabamians,” he said. “That’s creating excitement.”